I Samuel 30:11-15 · Bible study
1 Samuel 30:11-15 Commentary: Kindness to an Enemy Slave
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why did David’s men feed an Egyptian serving the Amalekites?
Research Summary
- Meaning: An act of mercy to a starving enemy slave leads to the divine rescue of David’s people.
- Key words: “spirit came again” (Hebrew ruach returned, signifying revived strength); “swear by God” (oath as sacred bond); “young man/slave” (Hebrew na’ar, eved).
- Main debate: Identity of the Cherethites, whether specifically Cretan or a general name for Philistines (Barnes, Keil).
- Theological theme: God’s providence works through human kindness, even toward enemies, to bring deliverance.
- Best use: Teaching on mercy to strangers, God’s sovereignty in crisis, and the practical outworking of love for neighbor.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
11Now his men found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David. They gave the man water to drink and food to eat—
12a piece of a fig cake and two clusters of raisins. So he ate and was revived, for he had not had any food or water for three days and three nights.
13Then David asked him, “To whom do you belong, and where are you from?” “I am an Egyptian,” he replied, “the slave of an Amalekite. My master abandoned me three days ago when I fell ill.
14We raided the Negev of the Cherethites, the territory of Judah, and the Negev of Caleb, and we burned down Ziklag.”
15“Will you lead me to these raiders?” David asked. And the man replied, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hand of my master, and I will lead you to them.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
11They found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he ate; and they gave him water to drink.
12They gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. When he had eaten, his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, and drank no water for three days and three nights.
13David asked him, “To whom do you belong? Where are you from?” He said, “I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I got sick.
14We made a raid on the South of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the South of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.”
15David said to him, “Will you bring me down to this troop?” He said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me and not deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this troop.”
KJV King James Version 1769
11And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water;
12And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.
13And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick.
14We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.
15And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
11And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they gave him water to drink;
12and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.
13And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I fell sick.
14We made a raid upon the South of the Cherethites, and upon that which belongeth to Judah, and upon the South of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.
15And David said to him, Wilt thou bring me down to this troop? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this troop.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
11and they find a man, an Egyptian, in the field, and take him unto David, and give to him bread, and he eateth, and they cause him to drink water,
12and give to him a piece of a bunch of dried figs, and two bunches of raisins, and he eateth, and his spirit returneth unto him, for he hath not eaten bread nor drunk water three days and three nights.
13And David saith to him, `Whose art thou? and whence art thou?' And he saith, `An Egyptian youth I am , servant to a man, an Amalekite, and my lord forsaketh me, for I have been sick three days,
14we pushed to the south of the Cherethite, and against that which is to Judah, and against the south of Caleb, and Ziklag we burned with fire.'
15And David saith unto him, `Dost thou bring me down unto this troop?' and he saith, `Swear to me by God--thou dost not put me to death, nor dost thou shut me up into the hand of my lord--and I bring thee down unto this troop.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
11And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he ate; and they gave him water to drink,
12and gave him a piece of fig-cake and two raisin-cakes, and he ate, and his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, for three days and three nights.
13And David said to him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I fell sick.
14We made a raid against the south of the Cherethites, and against what [belongs] to Judah, and against the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.
15And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this troop? And he said, Swear to me by God, that thou wilt neither put me to death nor deliver me up into the hand of my master, and I will bring thee down to this troop.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
11And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David: and they gave him bread to eat, and water to drink,
12As also a piece of a cake of figs, and two bunches of raisins. And when he had eaten them, his spirit returned, and he was refreshed: for he had not eaten bread, nor drunk water, three days and three nights.
13And David said to him: To whom dost thou belong; or whence dost thou come? and whither art thou going? He said: I am a young man of Egypt, the servant of an Amalecite: and my master left me, because I began to be sick three days ago.
14For we made an invasion on the south side of Cerethi, and upon Juda, and upon the south of Caleb, and we burnt Siceleg with fire.
15And David said to him: Canst thou bring me to this company? and he said: Swear to me by God, that thou wilt not kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee to this company. And David swore to him.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Samuel 30:11
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
David’s men showed surprising kindness to an Egyptian who was a servant of their enemies, the Amalekites. Commentators across traditions agree this act had both compassionate and strategic dimensions. The Egyptian was near death after three days without food or water, abandoned by his Amalekite master because of illness (Gill, Jamieson). By giving him bread, water, fig cake and raisins, David’s men revived him. Matthew Henry and Wesley note the inhumanity of the master who left a sick slave to perish. Clarke and Keil and Delitzsch emphasize that after eating, “his spirit came again to him”, he regained full strength. Once restored, this Egyptian became the guide who led David to the Amalekite camp, enabling the rescue of families and plunder. The commentators agree that God’s providential hand is visible in this encounter: the slave’s abandonment, the Israelites’ mercy, and the resulting victory all fit together. This passage demonstrates that kindness even to a potential enemy can be used by God to accomplish His purposes. It anticipates Jesus’ teaching to feed the hungry and show mercy (Matthew 25:35; Luke 10:36-37).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: David’s men showed compassion to an enemy slave, and that act led to the recovery of their families and possessions through God’s providential guidance.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the Cherethites | They are a tribe closely associated with the Philistines, living on the southern coast of Canaan. | Some interpreters connect them specifically to the island of Crete (Barnes, Keil), while others treat the term as synonymous with Philistines in general without a specific geographic origin (Cambridge). |
| Whether David actually swore the oath | The Egyptian requested an oath, and David clearly gave assurance of safety. | The Hebrew text of verse 15 does not explicitly state that David swore. Clarke notes that the Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic add 'David swore to him,' while other traditions hold that the oath is necessarily implied by the context. |
| Motive for aiding the Egyptian | David’s men showed compassion, and the information gained became strategically valuable. | Some commentators emphasize the humanitarian act of mercy toward a dying man (Matthew Henry, Wesley), while others highlight the practical intelligence value in addition to compassion (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Gill). |
Historical & Cultural Context
This scene occurs in a moment of crisis. David and his six hundred men had returned to Ziklag to find it burned by Amalekite raiders, their families taken captive. After inquiring of the Lord, David pursued with four hundred men, while two hundred exhausted men stayed at the Brook Besor. As they marched, they found an Egyptian lying in a field, a slave abandoned by his master, an Amalekite.
In the ancient Near East, slaves were often treated as disposable property. The Amalekites, nomadic raiders of the Negev desert, had no incentive to carry a sick slave who would slow their retreat. This harshness is noted by Wesley as “barbarous inhumanity.” The Egyptian’s condition, three days without food or water, shows he was left to die.
The places he names in verse 14 reveal the scope of the Amalekite raid. The Cherethites were a Philistine tribe living on the southern coastal plain, possibly originating from Crete (Barnes, Keil). The “south of Caleb” refers to the region around Hebron given to Caleb’s descendants. By burning Ziklag, the Amalekites struck at David’s own city, which King Achish had given him. This was partly retaliation for David’s earlier raids on other peoples (Ellicott).
David’s question “To whom do you belong?” recognizes the man as a slave. The Egyptian’s request for an oath, fearing death or return to his master, shows his desperate situation. His willingness to guide David once assured of safety reflects the trustworthiness that emerges from mercy. The oath “by God” may reflect the Egyptian’s recognition of the God of Israel, or a general appeal to divine authority (Jamieson).
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants affecting the meaning of this passage. Cambridge Bible observes that the Septuagint (Codex B) omits the mention of raisins in verse 12. Clarke notes that the Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic add “David swore to him” at the end of verse 15, though the Hebrew text does not include this phrase. The omission or addition does not alter the narrative’s flow, as David’s subsequent actions confirm the oath was honored.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this passage has been read as an example of mercy toward enemies and of God’s providential ordering of events. Early Christian writers saw in the Egyptian a picture of the stranger who becomes a helper through kindness. Medieval and Reformation commentators highlighted the humanitarian act as an application of the law to care for the sojourner (Deuteronomy 23:7). In preaching, the story has been used to illustrate Proverbs 25:21, feeding an enemy, and to show that small acts of compassion can have far-reaching consequences. More recently, commentators like Matthew Henry and Wesley have used the passage to condemn cruel treatment of the vulnerable and to encourage trust in God’s hidden guidance during times of loss.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Mercy offered without hesitation. David’s men found a starving Egyptian and gave him food and water before even asking who he was. Their compassion came first, reflecting the heart of God toward the needy (Deuteronomy 15:11; Proverbs 25:21).
- Human cruelty contrasted with divine providence. The Amalekite master abandoned a sick slave to die. In contrast, God used that abandonment to bring about the Amalekites’ defeat. The evil of one man became the means of deliverance for many.
- Small acts of kindness change the course of events. A meal given to a stranger led to the recovery of everything David’s men had lost. What seemed like a detour became the path to victory.
Five-point outline
- Finding the helpless, the Egyptian’s condition reflects the vulnerability of those without protection.
- Restoring life, the gift of food and water revives his spirit, showing how basic hospitality can be a lifeline.
- Learning the story, David’s questions uncover information crucial for the rescue.
- Securing trust, the oath of safety creates a partnership where the guide leads the way.
- Deliverance through an unlikely agent, the enemy’s abandoned slave becomes the instrument of victory.
Illustration hooks
- A person in distress who turns out to hold the key to solving a larger problem, like a stranded hiker who knows the way through the mountains.
- The irony that the very people we might view as enemies can become allies when we show unexpected kindness.
- A small expense of time or resources (food, water) that yields enormous returns later, like helping a stranded motorist who later returns the favor in a critical moment.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why didn’t David just kill the Egyptian instead of feeding him first?
- Does this story justify using kindness strategically to get information?
- How can I show mercy when I am also hurting and desperate like David was?
Leading a Discussion
In 1 Samuel 30:11-15, we see a remarkable act of kindness in the middle of a crisis. David’s men have just lost everything, families, homes, possessions. Yet when they find a starving Egyptian slave who served their enemies, they stop to feed him. That single act of mercy leads directly to the recovery of all they had lost. As you discuss this passage, notice how compassion and providence work together.
Discussion questions
- What does the Egyptian’s physical condition tell us about how the Amalekites treated their slaves?
- Why do you think David’s men gave him food and water before questioning him? What does the order of their actions suggest?
- How does the Egyptian’s request for an oath reveal his fear and his trust in David’s word?
- In what ways does this story show God’s control over events that seem random or cruel?
- How does this passage challenge our natural instinct to withhold kindness from people we consider enemies?
- What small act of mercy could you extend this week, even to someone who has not earned it?
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)
| Deuteronomy 15:7 | If a poor man, one of your brothers, is with you within any of your gates in your land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother; |
| Deuteronomy 15:11 | For the poor will never cease out of the land. Therefore I command you to surely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor, in your land. |
| Deuteronomy 23:7 | You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you lived as a foreigner in his land. |
| Proverbs 25:21 | If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink; |
| Matthew 25:35 | for I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you took me in. |
| Luke 10:36 | Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?” |
| Luke 10:37 | He said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” |
| Romans 12:20 | Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.” |
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
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke observes the Amalekites' inhumanity in abandoning a sick slave, and sees God's justice: that same man later informed David, leading to their destruction
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes explains that the Cherethites and Philistines were likely kindred tribes, similar to the Angles and Saxons, who together settled the Palestinian coast. He notes the Philistines became the dominant name, while the Cherethite name lingered, possibly linked to the island of Crete.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights God's providence in the Egyptian being left behind sick and half-starved by his cruel Amalekite master. This barbarous abandonment, Gill notes, was ordered so the servant would survive to become the instrument that led David to the Amalekites' ruin. The Egyptian's oath request shows he likely had no knowledge of the true God, only a generic belief in a deity.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB points out that weak or sick slaves were routinely abandoned by their masters, which is why this Egyptian was left behind and could provide David with vital intelligence on the Amalekites' route. The oath sworn by God shows that even idolatrous tribes still recognized the binding force of a divine oath.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch clarifies the geography of the Amalekite raid, identifying the Cherethites as the Philistine tribes of southwest Canaan. They note the Negeb of Judah is the eastern portion, while the Negeb of Caleb is a specific part belonging to Caleb's family. The origin of the name Cherethite remains uncertain, lacking sufficient foundation for the Crete derivation.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange notes that David's desperate situation at Ziklag was a direct consequence of his own sins, including weak faith and cruelty. Yet unlike Saul, who hardened himself, David humbled himself and sought the Lord, receiving guidance and restoration. This contrast shows that even the god
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that David's first move in the crisis was not to rush into battle but to seek God's will through the ephod. David did not trust his own judgment or grief but specifically asked the Lord whether to pursue, and only after receiving God's command did he act, securing the promise of total recovery.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley highlights God's hidden providence at work: the Egyptian was spared because he was not an Amalekite, and his master's cruel abandonment became the very means of the Amalekites' ruin. God can use even small, accidental circumstances to bring about the greatest outcomes, so fighting against him is impossible.