I Samuel 30:1-6 · Bible study
1 Samuel 30:1-6 Commentary: Strengthened in Yahweh
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
After Amalekite raid devastates Ziklag and his men threaten to stone him, David finds strength not in his own resources but in Yahweh his God.
Research Summary
- Meaning: In his darkest hour, city burned, families taken, men turned against him, David deliberately strengthened himself in Yahweh, not in his own resources.
- Key words: vayit'hazzeq (Hithpael of H2388), 'he strengthened himself'; marah (H4784), 'was bitter' (of the people's soul); nefesh (H5315), 'soul, life, inner being'.
- Main debate: Was the Amalekite raid divine discipline for David’s Philistine alliance, a test of faith, or simply the consequence of his own raids? Commentators differ, but all see God’s hand behind the outcome.
- Theological theme: Covenant reliance in crisis, when human support fails, the believer can actively turn to God for strength and guidance.
- Best use: A model for responding to grief, betrayal, and disaster with intentional faith rather than despair.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
1On the third day David and his men arrived in Ziklag, and the Amalekites had raided the Negev, attacked Ziklag, and burned it down.
2They had taken captive the women and all who were there, both young and old. They had not killed anyone, but had carried them off as they went on their way.
3When David and his men came to the city, they found it burned down and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive.
4So David and the troops with him lifted up their voices and wept until they had no strength left to weep.
5David’s two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel, had been taken captive.
6And David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of every man grieved for his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.
WEB World English Bible 2000
1When David and his men had come to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid on the South and on Ziklag, and had struck Ziklag and burned it with fire,
2and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great. They didn’t kill any, but carried them off and went their way.
3When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters were taken captive.
4Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voice and wept until they had no more power to weep.
5David’s two wives were taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
6David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the souls of all the people were grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters; but David strengthened himself in Yahweh his God.
KJV King James Version 1769
1And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;
2And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.
3So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.
4Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
5And David’s two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
6And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
1And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid upon the South, and upon Ziklag, and had smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire,
2and had taken captive the womenand allthat were therein, both small and great: they slew not any, but carried them off, and went their way.
3And when David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captive.
4Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
5And David’s two wives were taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
6And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
1And it cometh to pass, in the coming in of David and his men to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites have pushed unto the south, and unto Ziklag, and smite Ziklag, and burn it with fire,
2and they take captive the women who are in it; from small unto great they have not put any one to death, and they lead away, and go on their way.
3And David cometh in--and his men--unto the city, and lo, burnt with fire, and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters have been taken captive!
4And David lifteth up--and the people who are with him--their voice and weep, till that they have no power to weep.
5And the two wives of David have been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelite;
6and David hath great distress, for the people have said to stone him, for the soul of all the people hath been bitter, each for his sons and for his daughters; and David doth strengthen himself in Jehovah his God.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
1And it came to pass, when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid upon the south, and upon Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag and burned it with fire;
2and had taken the women captives that were in it; both great and small: they had put none to death, but had carried them off, and went on their way.
3And David and his men came to the city, and behold, it was burnt with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters were taken captives.
4Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
5And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jizreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
6And David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him; for the soul of all the people was embittered, every man because of his sons and because of his daughters; but David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
1Now when David and his men were come to Siceleg on the third day, the Amalecites had made an invasion on the south side upon Siceleg, and had smitten Siceleg, and burnt it with fire,
2And had taken the women captives that were in it, both little and great: and they had not killed any person, but had carried them with them, and went on their way.
3So when David and his men came to the city, and found it burnt with fire, and that their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives,
4David and the people that were with him, lifted up their voices, and wept till they had no more tears.
5For the two wives also of David were taken captives, Achinoam, the Jezrahelitess, and Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel.
6And David was greatly afflicted: for the people had a mind to stone him, for the soul of every man was bitterly grieved for his sons and daughters: but David took courage in the Lord his God.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Samuel 30:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this passage shows David at his lowest point, his city burned, his families taken, his men ready to stone him. The Amalekite raid was revenge for David's earlier raids (1 Samuel 27:8; Barnes). The people's bitterness is captured by the Hebrew verb marah (H4784), meaning “was bitter” (Cambridge Bible). Amid this, David does not rely on his own strength. The Hebrew vayit'hazzeq (Hithpael of H2388) indicates an act of deliberate self-strengthening in Yahweh. Matthew Henry observes that David encouraged himself “in this that the all-wise, and all-powerful Lord, was his God by covenant.” Gill, Clarke, and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown all highlight this as the key turn. The consensus: human resources fail, but David actively renews trust in God, not passivity, but a conscious choice to rely on the covenant Lord.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Divine discipline: David's alliance with the Philistines (1 Samuel 27–29) is seen as a lapse of faith; the raid brings consequences that drive him back to God.
- Testing and refinement: Matthew Henry and others see the crisis as a test that reveals and strengthens David's trust in God.
- Natural consequence: Barnes and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown emphasize that the raid was retaliation for David's own raids (1 Samuel 27:8); no direct divine causation is needed.
What is clear: David did not abandon his faith; he deliberately strengthened himself in Yahweh, and this act of reliance led to restoration.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of the Amalekite raid | All traditions see the event as historically real and as a severe trial for David. | Some (e.g., Matthew Henry) view it as divine discipline for David's alliance with the Philistines; others (e.g., Barnes, Jamieson) emphasize natural consequence of David's raids; others still see it as a test to refine David's faith. |
| Meaning of 'strengthened himself in the Lord' | David's act is positive, deliberate reliance on God. | Some understand it as emotional self-encouragement through recalling God's promises; others as a concrete act of seeking God through the ephod and prayer (the narrative immediately shows David consulting the ephod in vv. 7-8). |
| David's responsibility for the crisis | David left Ziklag undefended, making the raid possible. | Did he sin by going with the Philistines? Many Reformers (Geneva Bible, Calvin) see it as a serious error; others view it as a permitted tactical move. The passage itself does not condemn David. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Ziklag was a Philistine town given to David by King Achish of Gath (1 Samuel 27:6), located in the Negeb, the arid southern region of Judah. David had been conducting raids against Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites (1 Samuel 27:8), while misleading Achish about their targets. Now David and his men have been dismissed from the Philistine army due to the princes’ suspicions (1 Samuel 29:4). They march three days from Aphek back to Ziklag, about fifty miles (Barnes).
The Amalekites were ancient enemies of Israel, descended from Esau. Saul had been commanded to destroy them but failed (1 Samuel 15). Now they seize the opportunity to retaliate while David is away and the city is defenseless. Barnes and Cambridge note that the raiders did not kill anyone because there were no warriors present, only women, children, and the elderly (verse 2). The Amalekites burn Ziklag to the ground and carry everyone off as slaves. When David and his men arrive, they find the city still smoking (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown).
The men weep until they can weep no more, an expression of utter exhaustion, both physical and emotional. Then the grief turns to anger: the people blame David, speaking of stoning him. Stoning was the communal punishment for those who brought disaster on the community (Exodus 17:4; Numbers 14:10). David is alone, his leadership in ruins. But the narrative takes a decisive turn: “David strengthened himself in Yahweh his God.” The verb chazaq in the Hithpael stem implies active, intentional self-encouragement. This is not a passive waiting but a deliberate turning to the covenant God, likely involving prayer and reliance on God’s past promises. The surrounding context (verses 7, 8) shows David immediately seeking guidance through the ephod, confirming that his strength came from active inquiry of the Lord.
Textual Notes
The consulted commentators note no significant textual variants for I Samuel 30:1-6. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts. Minor differences in translation (e.g., 'encouraged himself' vs. 'strengthened himself') reflect interpretive choices for the verb yit'hazzeq, not textual uncertainty.
Reception History
Throughout church history, I Samuel 30:6 has been read as a model of faith in desolation. Matthew Henry (17th, 18th century) used it to teach that when all human support fails, the believer can encourage himself in God as his covenant Lord. The Puritan tradition often cited this verse to encourage those suffering from spiritual or temporal loss. In the Wesleyan tradition, Adam Clarke emphasized David’s act as a conscious turning to God rather than despair. The verse has also been linked to Paul's command to 'be strong in the Lord' (Ephesians 6:10), drawing a parallel between David’s self-strengthening and the Christian’s reliance on divine power. The broader passage appears in lectionaries and devotional writings as an example of grief turned toward hope, especially in those who feel abandoned by their community.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The crisis hits home (vv. 1-5). David returns to find his city destroyed, his families taken, and his men weeping without strength. Disaster strikes without warning.
- Human support collapses (v. 6a). The people turn on David, threatening to stone him. Grief becomes blame, and David faces total isolation.
- The turn to divine strength (v. 6b). David strengthens himself in Yahweh his God. In the absence of human help, he deliberately renews trust in the covenant Lord.
Five-point outline
- The return (v. 1). David and his men come to Ziklag on the third day, exhausted, dismissed, and vulnerable.
- The devastation (vv. 1-2). The Amalekites have burned the city and taken everyone captive, killing no one.
- The discovery (v. 3). David and his men see the smoke and the empty city; their families are gone.
- The grief (vv. 4-5). They weep until they have no strength left. David’s own wives are taken.
- The threat and the turn (v. 6). The people speak of stoning David; but David strengthens himself in Yahweh his God.
Illustration hooks
- A family returns from a weekend trip to find their home burgled and vandalized. The raw shock, the feeling of violation, the struggle to know where to turn.
- A team leader faces a project failure. The team blames him and threatens to quit. He has no backup plan, only the conviction that the work matters.
- An athlete loses a crucial match through no fault of her own, and the crowd turns on her. She must decide whether to crumble or to find strength from something deeper.
Questions your congregation is asking
- When disaster strikes through no apparent fault of my own, is it okay to feel angry and devastated?
- How do I keep trusting God when the people around me blame me for what went wrong?
- What does it mean practically to “strengthen myself in the Lord” when I feel empty?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows us that even God’s anointed can face utter ruin and betrayal. David had just been dismissed from the Philistine army. He returns home to find everything destroyed. His men turn on him. The only thing left is his relationship with God. How does a person recover faith in such a moment?
Discussion questions
- Read verses 1-2. What details stand out about the Amalekite raid? Why do you think they killed no one?
- In verse 4, David and the people weep until they have no strength left. What does this kind of weeping reveal about the depth of their grief?
- Why do the people want to stone David (verse 6)? Is their accusation fair? What does their reaction tell us about group grief?
- The Hebrew verb for “strengthened himself” (vayit'hazzeq) is reflexive, David actively did something. What do you think that looked like? Prayer? Recalling God’s past faithfulness?
- How does David’s response in verse 6 compare to his earlier fear-driven decisions (e.g., fleeing to Gath in 1 Samuel 21)?
- What does it mean to “strengthen yourself in the Lord” when you have no external support? Can you think of a time when you had to do this?
- How does the rest of the chapter (verses 7-8) show that David’s strength led to action? What can we learn about the relationship between faith and action in crisis?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 24:62 | Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he lived in the land of the South. |
| Joshua 11:6 | Yahweh said to Joshua, “Don’t be afraid because of them; for tomorrow at this time, I will deliver them up all slain before Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.” |
| I Samuel 15:7 | Saul struck the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is before Egypt. |
| I Samuel 27:8 | David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those were the inhabitants of the land who were of old, on the way to Shur, even to the land of Egypt. |
| I Samuel 27:10 | Achish said, “Against whom have you made a raid today?” David said, “Against the South of Judah, against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites.” |
| I Samuel 29:4 | But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; and the princes of the Philistines said to him, “Make the man return, that he may go back to his place where you have appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For with what should this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Should it not be with the heads of these men? |
| I Samuel 29:11 | So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines; and the Philistines went up to Jezreel. |
| II Samuel 1:2 | on the third day, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn and earth on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the earth and showed respect. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke observes that David's men were so raw with grief they threatened to stone him, yet David did not waver. He encouraged himself in the Lord because he knew this disaster came through no neglect or folly of his own. His personal integrity before God gave him grounds to expect deliverance when everyone else had turned against him.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes points out that the three-day march from Ziklag to Aphek (about 50 miles) explains the timing. He notes the Amalekites raided the south of Judah in retaliation for David's earlier attacks, and because all the men were absent with David, there was no resistance—so the women and children were taken unharmed as plunder.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge commentary highlights that David’s men blamed him for leaving Ziklag unguarded, threatening him with stoning. It notes the Hebrew for “was grieved” means “was bitter,” and David “strengthened himself” — a phrase that echoes many psalms of trust in God’s help.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights David's response when his own men threatened to stone him in their grief. Rather than despairing or retaliating, David deliberately turned to God for comfort, an action the note presents as the key contrast: human vengeance versus reliance on the Lord.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill focuses on how David, facing the loss of his wives and his men's threat to stone him, did not collapse in despair but actively strengthened his heart by recalling God's power, promises, covenant faithfulness, and past mercies. For Gill, David's "encouraging himself in the Lord" was a deliberate act of faith rooted in a personal relationship with God.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB points out that the Amalekites spared lives not out of mercy but because of ancient Eastern war customs. Since Ziklag had no defending warriors, they took women and boys as slaves and spared the elderly out of respect for age. David, blamed for leaving the city defenseless, encouraged himself in the Lord.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch emphasizes that David returned to Ziklag on the third day after his dismissal by Achish, meaning the Amalekites had raided and burned the town three days earlier. His distress came when his men blamed him and wanted to stone him. David strengthened himself not by natural courage but by seeking consolation through prayer and trusting the Lord.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange points out that David’s calamity at Ziklag was a direct result of his own sins—fleeing to the Philistines, lying, and his cruel raid. Yet the key contrast with Saul is that David, facing mutiny, did not despair but strengthened himself in the Lord and sought His guidance. This humble turning led to complete victory and restoration.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry sees the Amalekite attack as the bitter fruit of two failures: Saul's disobedient mercy that spared these same enemies long ago, and David's own mistake in aligning with the Philistines. The raid was God's quiet correction, teaching David he should have stayed home to protect his own.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that weeping over tragedy is no disgrace, even for the boldest spirit. The men blamed David as the cause of their loss. He encouraged himself in the Lord, his covenant God, trusting that He could bring light out of darkness.