16 And when he had taken him down, they saw them all, seated about on all sides, feasting and drinking among all the mass of goods which they had taken from the land of the Philistines and the land of Judah. 17 And David went on fighting them from evening till the evening of the day after; and not one of them got away but only four hundred young men who went in flight on camels. 18 And David got back everything the Amalekites had taken; and he got back his two wives. 19 There was no loss of anything, small or great, sons or daughters or goods or anything which they had taken away: David got it all back. 20 And they took all the flocks and herds, and driving them in front of him, said, These are David's.
21 And David came to the two hundred men, who because of weariness had not gone with him, but were waiting at the stream Besor: and they went out, meeting David and the people who were with him; and when they came near them, they said, How are you? 22 Then the bad and good-for-nothing men among those who went with David said, Because they did not go with us, we will give them nothing of the goods which we have got back, but only to every man his wife and children, so that he may take them and go. 23 Then David said, You are not to do this, my brothers, after what the Lord has given us, who has kept us safe and given up the band which came against us into our hands. 24 Who is going to give any attention to you in this question? for an equal part will be given to him who went to the fight and to him who was waiting by the goods: they are all to have the same. 25 And so he made it a rule and an order for Israel from that day till now. 26 And when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the goods to the responsible men of Judah, and to his friends, saying, Here is an offering for you from the goods of those who were fighting against the Lord; 27 He sent to those who were in Beth-el, and in Ramah of the South, and in Jattir; 28 And to those in Arara and Eshtemoa 29 and Carmel and in the towns of the Jerahmeelites, and in the towns of the Kenites; 30 And to those who were in Hormah and in Bor-ashan and in Athach; 31 And in Hebron, and to all the places where David and his men had been living.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Samuel 30:16-31
Commentary on 1 Samuel 30:16-20
(Read 1 Samuel 30:16-20)
Sinners are nearest to ruin, when they cry, Peace and safety, and put the evil day far from them. Nor does any thing give our spiritual enemies more advantage than sensuality and indulgence. Eating and drinking, and dancing, have been the soft and pleasant way in which many have gone down to the congregation of the dead. The spoil was recovered, and brought off; nothing was lost, but a great deal gained.
Commentary on 1 Samuel 30:21-31
(Read 1 Samuel 30:21-31)
What God gives us, he designs we should do good with. In distributing the spoil, David was just and kind. Those are men of Belial indeed, who delight in putting hardships upon their brethren, and care not who is starved, so that they may be fed to the full. David was generous and kind to all his friends. Those who consider the Lord as the Giver of their abundance, will dispose of it with fairness and liberality.