1 Samuel 30 1

1 Samuel 30:1 kjv

And 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;

1 Samuel 30:1 nkjv

Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire,

1 Samuel 30:1 niv

David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it,

1 Samuel 30:1 esv

Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag and burned it with fire

1 Samuel 30:1 nlt

Three days later, when David and his men arrived home at their town of Ziklag, they found that the Amalekites had made a raid into the Negev and Ziklag; they had crushed Ziklag and burned it to the ground.

1 Samuel 30 verses

1 Samuel 30 1 Meaning

This verse details the abrupt return of David and his men to Ziklag after a three-day journey, only to discover that their home city had been completely devastated. In their absence, the Amalekites had launched a raid, invading the southern region and specifically attacking Ziklag. They struck the city down, plundereding it, and then burned it completely to the ground with fire, leaving nothing but ruin for David and his loyal followers. This event marks a critical turning point in David's life, presenting him and his men with an unprecedented crisis of loss and despair.

1 Samuel 30 1 Context

First Samuel 30:1 sets the stage for one of David's most profound personal and leadership crises. Prior to this, David had spent over a year and four months living among the Philistines in Ziklag (1 Sam 27:7), having fled from King Saul. His recent activity involved being summoned by Achish, King of Gath, to join the Philistine army in a war against Israel (1 Sam 28:1-2). However, providentially, the Philistine commanders distrusted David and dismissed him from the battle, preventing him from fighting against his own people (1 Sam 29). This verse describes David's return journey after this dismissal. The historical context underscores the perennial threat posed by the Amalekites, a nomadic, marauding tribe with a long history of enmity against Israel, dating back to the Exodus. Their persistent attacks highlight a cycle of conflict, particularly given Saul's failure to fully eradicate them as commanded by God in 1 Samuel 15. The destruction of Ziklag represents not only a catastrophic personal loss for David and his men but also a test of their faith and leadership at a pivotal moment just before David's full anointing as King of Israel.

1 Samuel 30 1 Word analysis

• Now it came to pass (וַיְהִי - wayehi): A very common Hebrew connective phrase. It indicates that what follows is a new development or event in the ongoing narrative. It signals the unfolding of a critical occurrence, drawing attention to a shift in circumstances.
• when David and his men: Refers to David, the anointed future king of Israel, and his loyal company, numbering around 600 fighting men and their families. This unit was David's military and personal retinue.
• were come (בָּאוּ - bā'û): Signifies their arrival. It implies the completion of their journey, carrying an expectation of returning to a secure and familiar environment.
• to Ziklag (צִקְלַג - tsiq·lag): A town given to David by King Achish of Gath as a base while David lived in Philistine territory. Its location in the southern Negev region made it vulnerable to raids from the wilderness. It represented their home and refuge at that time.
• on the third day (בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי - bay·yōwm hash·šělî·šî): This temporal marker signifies the duration of their travel back from the Philistine assembly. In biblical narratives, the "third day" often signifies a moment of crisis, significant revelation, or a decisive turn, sometimes even recovery or resurrection (e.g., Jonah 1:17; Hos 6:2; Luke 24:46). Here, it dramatically highlights the unexpected devastating discovery upon their arrival.
• that the Amalekites (הָעֲמָלֵקִי - hā·‘ă·mā·lê·qî): The collective name for an ancient, predatory desert tribe, hereditary enemies of Israel (Ex 17:8; Deut 25:17-19). Their historical context marks them as symbols of persistent spiritual opposition and a remnant of God's unfulfilled command for their eradication, highlighting the consequences of incomplete obedience (Saul's failure in 1 Sam 15).
• had invaded (פָשְׁטוּ - pāsh·ṭū): This verb means to "spread out," "raid," "attack suddenly for plunder." It describes a rapid, violent incursion aimed at seizing possessions.
• the south (הַנֶּגֶב - han·ne·ḡev): The Negeb, or southern desert region of Judah. It was a semi-arid, open territory, making it susceptible to nomadic raids. This signifies a broad area of operation for the Amalekites before they focused on Ziklag.
• and Ziklag (וְאֶת־צִקְלַג - wə·’eṯ·tsiq·laḡ): The specific naming of Ziklag here emphasizes that it was a primary and personal target of the raid, striking directly at David's dwelling place.
• and smitten (וַיַּכּוּ - way·yak·kū): From the root "נכה" (nakah), meaning "to strike," "beat," "defeat," or "overthrow." It indicates a decisive, overwhelming conquest and destruction.
• Ziklag (צִקְלַג - tsiq·laḡ): Repetition of the name amplifies the focus on Ziklag as the core site of destruction, underscoring the personal tragedy.
• and burned it with fire (וַיִּשְׂרְפוּ בָאֵשׁ - way·yis·rə·fū bā·’êš): This phrase indicates complete and utter destruction by incineration. Nothing of value or refuge remained; it was reduced to ashes, symbolizing total loss and desolation.

• "Now it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day...": This phrase sets up a stark contrast between the anticipation of returning home after a period away, and the shocking reality that awaited them. The specific timing of "the third day" underscores the abrupt and dramatic nature of their discovery.
• "...that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;": This cumulative description details the horrific outcome. The multiple verbs ("invaded," "smitten," "burned") and the repetition of "Ziklag" intensify the sense of complete ruin. It paints a vivid picture of absolute loss—their homes, possessions, and safety were utterly annihilated by a long-standing enemy of Israel.

1 Samuel 30 1 Bonus section

This incident, while devastating, serves a crucial role in God's sovereign plan for David. Had David and his men been in Ziklag during the Philistine invasion, they might have been drawn into Saul's defeat and death. Instead, their absence, driven by the Amalekite raid, allows them to be separated from that doomed battle, ensuring their survival. Furthermore, the complete devastation experienced at Ziklag humbles David, preparing him for kingship not through easy conquest but through profound reliance on God amidst deep distress. The "third day" return, a symbolic period of anticipation and often revelation in biblical narrative, accentuates the sudden, unexpected blow. Psychologically, this moment brought David and his men to their absolute breaking point, as evident in the weeping (v. 4) and the men's desire to stone David (v. 6). This rock-bottom moment necessitates David's "strengthening himself in the LORD his God," which becomes the key turning point of the chapter and sets the stage for God's clear direction and subsequent triumph and recovery for David. This narrative thus becomes a powerful biblical illustration of how profound crisis can be a precursor to profound divine intervention and advancement.

1 Samuel 30 1 Commentary

First Samuel 30:1 opens with a scene of utter desolation, marking one of David’s lowest points before his ascendancy to the throne. Having been providentially dismissed from fighting against Israel with the Philistines, David and his men anticipate a return to the safety of their base in Ziklag. However, the discovery that greets them is not a welcoming homecoming but a scene of absolute ruin: Ziklag, their refuge and home for over a year, has been invaded, sacked, and burned to the ground by the Amalekites. This calamitous event is more than a mere misfortune; it is a profound crisis of personal and communal loss, leaving David and his men without homes, possessions, or, as later verses reveal, their families. It underscores the raw, unpredictable nature of life, even for those under divine anointing. This devastation, at the hand of the very people Saul failed to eradicate, can be seen as a direct consequence or lingering effect of prior disobedience in Israel's leadership. It plunges David into a crisis that will test his leadership, his faith, and his dependence on the Lord like never before. It strips him bare, forcing him to cling to God alone.