1 Samuel 30 18

1 Samuel 30:18 kjv

And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives.

1 Samuel 30:18 nkjv

So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives.

1 Samuel 30:18 niv

David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives.

1 Samuel 30:18 esv

David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives.

1 Samuel 30:18 nlt

David got back everything the Amalekites had taken, and he rescued his two wives.

1 Samuel 30 verses

1 Samuel 30 18 Meaning

1 Samuel 30:18 declares that David successfully recovered everything the Amalekites had plundered from Ziklag. This complete restoration included not only possessions but crucially, his two wives and other family members, with nothing missing. The verse highlights God's faithfulness and redemptive power at work through David, bringing back total victory and wholeness after a moment of profound crisis and loss.

1 Samuel 30 18 Context

Chapter 30 of 1 Samuel depicts one of David's lowest points, yet it serves as a crucial turning point demonstrating his deep reliance on God. David and his men return to Ziklag after being dismissed by the Philistines, only to find their city burned and their families—wives, sons, and daughters—taken captive by the Amalekites. The men are so distressed they contemplate stoning David (1 Sam 30:1-6). In this profound moment of despair, David "strengthened himself in the LORD his God" (1 Sam 30:6). He then sought divine counsel through the high priest Abiathar, asking if he should pursue the raiders. God affirmatively answered, promising both pursuit and complete recovery (1 Sam 30:7-8). Empowered by this divine assurance, David and his 600 men pursued the Amalekites, guided by a stray Egyptian slave whom they rescued and cared for (1 Sam 30:11-15). This chase led them to the Amalekite camp, where they executed a swift and decisive attack, recovering everything the Amalekites had plundered. Verse 18 is the triumphant culmination of this faith-filled pursuit and battle, emphasizing the totality of God's restoration. Historically, the Amalekites were perennial enemies of Israel, subject to a divine curse (Exod 17:14-16), making this victory particularly significant as an act of divine judgment and fulfillment.

1 Samuel 30 18 Word analysis

• And David recovered (וַיָּשֶׁב דָּוִד - vayyāshev Dāvid):
  • וַיָּשֶׁב (vayyāshev): A consecutive imperfect from the root שׁוּב (shuv), meaning "to turn back," "restore," "return," or "recover." Here, it signifies actively bringing back what was lost. This highlights David's proactive role, but understood as divinely enabled. It implies a reversal of fortunes, a return to the prior state or even better.
  • דָּוִד (Dāvid): David, the future king. His personal anguish (implied from verse 6) underscores the magnitude of this recovery and God's intervention in his specific life circumstances. This event further cemented his legitimacy and leadership among his men, demonstrating God's favor upon him.
• all that the Amalekites had carried away, (אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לָקְחוּ עֲמָלֵק - ’ēth kol ’asher lāqechu ‘Amaleq):
  • אֵת כָּל (’ēth kol): "All," signifying completeness, totality. Nothing was left behind or missed. This "all" extends beyond physical possessions to the families themselves. It reinforces the divine promise of full recovery (1 Sam 30:8).
  • אֲשֶׁר לָקְחוּ (’asher lāqechu): "Which they had taken." This past tense emphasizes the act of plundering, which is now entirely undone.
  • עֲמָלֵק (‘Amaleq): The Amalekites, a long-standing nomadic enemy tribe, symbolic of persistent opposition to Israel, first encountered after the Exodus (Exod 17:8-16) and later commanded to be utterly blotted out (Deut 25:17-19). This decisive defeat of Amalek was not just about recovering property but was also an act of fulfilling divine judgment against a cursed nation, connecting David's action to God's broader purposes.
• and David rescued his two wives (וְאֶת־שְׁתֵּי נָשָׁיו הִצִּיל דָּוִד - wə’eth-shtê nāšāyw hitzîl Dāvid):
  • וְאֶת־שְׁתֵּי נָשָׁיו (wə’eth-shtê nāšāyw): "And his two wives." Specific mention of his wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, highlights the personal nature of the loss and recovery. Their lives were undoubtedly in peril.
  • הִצִּיל (hitzîl): From the root נָצַל (natsal), meaning "to snatch away," "deliver," "rescue," or "preserve." This verb carries a stronger sense of saving from danger or death than "recovered." It implies intervention to prevent harm or further harm, highlighting the act of preservation of life itself. The focus shifts from lost possessions to vulnerable lives, emphasizing that life was protected and not lost.

1 Samuel 30 18 Bonus section

The complete restoration experienced by David here sets a significant precedent for his future reign. It underscores a consistent theme in David's life: though he faced numerous adversities, his genuine seeking of the Lord consistently led to divine intervention and triumph. This event not only recovered tangible items and lives but also profoundly rebuilt the morale of David's company, cementing their trust in him and in God's providence, which was essential for the challenges that lay ahead as David approached the throne of Israel. The detailed recounting of this recovery, particularly the specific mention of the wives and all else, contrasts sharply with the earlier narrative of fear and near rebellion among David's men, highlighting the transformational power of God's restoration. This specific victory over the Amalekites can be seen as part of the unfolding divine plan against Israel's ancient enemies, aligning David's actions with God's overarching judgments.

1 Samuel 30 18 Commentary

1 Samuel 30:18 powerfully illustrates the principle of divine restoration when faith in God precedes action. Following a period of profound distress and abandonment by his own men, David sought God's will (1 Sam 30:8). This single verse marks the turning point where God's promise of complete recovery is visibly fulfilled. The emphasis on "all" and the distinction between "recovered" (possessions) and "rescued" (lives) highlights the thoroughness of God's work. It demonstrates that what God enables, He enables fully, leaving nothing out. This restoration was not just about getting things back; it was a restoration of hope, trust, and David's leadership credibility. It solidified his role as God's anointed, even as he endured persecution from Saul. This act serves as a reminder that even after dire circumstances, seeking God can lead to full and overflowing restoration beyond expectation.For practical usage: This verse encourages believers to turn to God in their deepest distress, knowing that His power can restore what is lost, whether tangible possessions, relationships, or inner peace, often to a greater degree than before. It teaches dependence on God's guidance, for He directs paths to restoration.