Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version When David reached Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends, saying, “Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the LORD’s enemies.” New Living Translation When he arrived at Ziklag, David sent part of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends. “Here is a present for you, taken from the LORD’s enemies,” he said. English Standard Version When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the spoil to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD.” Berean Standard Bible When David arrived in Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the LORD’s enemies.” Berean Literal Bible And David came to Ziklag, and he sent some from the plunder to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Behold, for you⁺ a present from the plunder of the enemies of YHWH.”— King James Bible And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD; New King James Version Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD”— New American Standard Bible Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoils to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Behold, a gift for you from the spoils of the enemies of the LORD: NASB 1995 Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Behold, a gift for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD: NASB 1977 Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Behold, a gift for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD: Legacy Standard Bible Then David came to Ziklag and sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Behold, a gift for you from the spoil of the enemies of Yahweh: Amplified Bible When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the spoil to the elders of Judah, his friends, saying, “Here is a blessing (gift) for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD: Berean Annotated Bible When David (beloved) arrived in Ziklag (winding), he sent some of the plunder to his friends, the elders of Judah (praised), saying, “Here is a gift for you⁺ from the plunder of the LORD’s {YHWH} enemies.” Christian Standard Bible When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the LORD’s enemies.” Holman Christian Standard Bible When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the LORD’s enemies.” American Standard Version And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold, a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of Jehovah: Contemporary English Version David went back to Ziklag with everything they had taken from the Amalekites. He sent some of these things as gifts to his friends who were leaders of Judah, and he told them, "We took these things from the LORD's enemies. Please accept them as a gift." English Revised Version And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD; GOD'S WORD® Translation When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the loot to his friends, the leaders of Judah. He said, "Here is a gift for you from the loot [taken from] the LORD's enemies." Good News Translation When David returned to Ziklag, he sent part of the loot to his friends, the leaders of Judah, with the message, "Here is a present for you from the loot we took from the LORD's enemies." International Standard Version David came to Ziklag, and he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, and to his friends, telling them, "Look, this is a gift for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD NET Bible When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah who were his friends, saying, "Here's a gift for you from the looting of the LORD's enemies!" New Heart English Bible When David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil to the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, "Look, a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD." Webster's Bible Translation And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil to the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold a present for you, of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD; Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleWhen David arrived in Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the LORD’s enemies.” World English Bible When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, “Behold, a present for you from the plunder of Yahweh’s enemies.” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd David comes to Ziklag, and sends of the spoil to [the] elderly of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Behold, a blessing for you of the spoil of the enemies of YHWH,” Berean Literal Bible And David came to Ziklag, and he sent some from the plunder to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Behold, for you⁺ a present from the plunder of the enemies of YHWH.”— Young's Literal Translation And David cometh in unto Ziklag, and sendeth of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, (saying, 'Lo, for you a blessing, of the spoil of the enemies of Jehovah),' Smith's Literal Translation And David will come to Ziklag, and he will send from the spoil to the old men of Judah, to his neighbors, saving, Behold, to you a blessing from the spoil of the enemies of Jehovah. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleThen David came to Siceleg, and sent presents of the prey to the ancients of Juda his neighbours, saying: Receive a blessing of the prey of the enemies of the Lord. Catholic Public Domain Version Then David went to Ziklag, and he sent gifts from the prey to the elders of Judah, his neighbors, saying, “Receive a blessing from the prey of the enemies of the Lord,” New American Bible When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the plunder to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “This is a gift to you from the plunder of the enemies of the LORD,” namely, New Revised Standard Version When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the spoil to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD”; Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd when David came to Zinklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah and to their neighbors, saying, Here is a blessing for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD; Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And David came to Tsenqlag and he sent some of the loot to the Elders of Yehuda and to their neighbors, and he said: “Here is a blessing for you from the plunder of the enemies of LORD JEHOVAH!” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying: 'Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD'; Brenton Septuagint Translation And David came to Sekelac, and sent of the spoils to the elders of Juda, and to his friends, saying, Behold some of the spoils of the enemies of the Lord; Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Spoils are Divided…25And so it has been from that day forward. David established this statute as an ordinance for Israel to this very day. 26When David arrived in Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the LORD’s enemies.” 27He sent gifts to those in Bethel, Ramoth Negev, and Jattir;… Cross References When David arrived in Ziklag 1 Chronicles 12:20 When David went to Ziklag, these men of Manasseh defected to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands in Manasseh. 1 Chronicles 12:1 Now these were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was still banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the mighty men who helped him in battle; 1 Samuel 27:6 That day Achish gave him Ziklag, and to this day it still belongs to the kings of Judah. he sent some of the plunder Numbers 31:27 Then divide the captives between the troops who went out to battle and the rest of the congregation. 2 Samuel 8:11 and King David dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations he had subdued— Deuteronomy 20:14 But the women, children, livestock, and whatever else is in the city—all its spoil—you may take as plunder, and you shall use the spoil of your enemies that the LORD your God gives you. to his friends, the elders of Judah 2 Samuel 2:4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.” 2 Samuel 5:1-3 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood. / Even in times past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them back. And to you the LORD said, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be ruler over them.’” / So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where King David made with them a covenant before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel. 1 Chronicles 11:1-3 Then all Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood. / Even in times past, while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them back. And the LORD your God said, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be ruler over them.’” / So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where David made a covenant with them before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD through Samuel. saying, “Here is a gift for you 1 Samuel 25:27 Now let this gift your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow you. Genesis 32:13-21 Jacob spent the night there, and from what he had brought with him, he selected a gift for his brother Esau: / 200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams, / 30 milk camels with their young, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, and 10 male donkeys. … Genesis 43:11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds. from the plunder of the LORD’s enemies.” 2 Samuel 8:12 from Edom and Moab, from the Ammonites and Philistines and Amalekites, and from the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah. 1 Samuel 17:45-47 But David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. / This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand. This day I will strike you down, cut off your head, and give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the creatures of the earth. Then the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. / And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.” Psalm 68:12 “Kings and their armies flee in haste; she who waits at home divides the plunder. 2 Samuel 8:10-12 he sent his son Joram to greet King David and bless him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer, who had been at war with Toi. Joram brought with him articles of silver and gold and bronze, / and King David dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations he had subdued— / from Edom and Moab, from the Ammonites and Philistines and Amalekites, and from the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah. Treasury of Scripture And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil to the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD; to his friends 1 Chronicles 12:1 Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war. Psalm 35:27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. Psalm 68:18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them. present [heb] blessing 1 Samuel 25:27 And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord, let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord. Genesis 33:11 Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it. 2 Kings 5:15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant. Jump to Previous Arrived Blessing David Elders Enemies Fighting Friends Gift Goods Judah Lord's Offering Part Plunder Present Responsible Spoil ZiklagJump to Next Arrived Blessing David Elders Enemies Fighting Friends Gift Goods Judah Lord's Offering Part Plunder Present Responsible Spoil Ziklag1 Samuel 30 1. The Amalekites raid Ziklag4. David asking counsel, is encouraged by God to pursue them 11. By the means of a received Egyptian he is brought to the enemies, 18. and recovers all the spoil 22. David's law to divide the spoil equally 26. He sends presents to his friends When David arrived in Ziklag David's return to Ziklag follows a significant victory over the Amalekites, who had previously raided and burned the city. Ziklag, a Philistine town given to David by Achish, king of Gath, served as David's base during his time of exile from Saul. This location highlights David's strategic position between the Philistines and Israel, reflecting his complex political and military situation. he sent some of the plunder to his friends, the elders of Judah saying, “Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the LORD’s enemies.” Persons / Places / Events 1. DavidThe anointed future king of Israel, who at this time was leading a group of men while fleeing from King Saul. David is known for his leadership, military prowess, and deep faith in God. 2. Ziklag A town given to David by Achish, the Philistine king of Gath, where David and his men resided. It became a base for David's operations and a place of refuge. 3. Elders of Judah Leaders and influential figures within the tribe of Judah, David's own tribe. They were recipients of the gifts from the plunder. 4. Plunder Spoils taken from the Amalekites, who had raided Ziklag in David's absence. David's recovery of the plunder was seen as a victory granted by God. 5. The LORD’s enemies Refers to the Amalekites, who were long-standing adversaries of Israel and had attacked Ziklag, taking captives and goods. Teaching Points Generosity as a BridgeDavid's act of sending gifts to the elders of Judah demonstrates the power of generosity in building and maintaining relationships. In our lives, sharing our blessings can strengthen bonds and open doors for future collaboration. Acknowledging God's Provision By referring to the plunder as from "the LORD’s enemies," David acknowledges God's role in his victory. We should recognize and give credit to God for our successes and blessings. Strategic Alliances David's actions show the importance of forming and maintaining strategic alliances. In our spiritual journey, building relationships with fellow believers can provide support and encouragement. Leadership and Stewardship David's distribution of the plunder reflects wise leadership and stewardship. Leaders are called to manage resources responsibly and for the benefit of their community. Faith in Action David's recovery of the plunder and his subsequent actions demonstrate faith in action. We are encouraged to trust God and act courageously in challenging situations. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of 1 Samuel 30:26?2. How does 1 Samuel 30:26 demonstrate David's leadership and generosity? 3. What can we learn about sharing God's blessings from 1 Samuel 30:26? 4. How does David's action in 1 Samuel 30:26 connect to Proverbs 11:25? 5. In what ways can we emulate David's generosity in our community today? 6. How does 1 Samuel 30:26 encourage us to support fellow believers in need? 7. What is the significance of David sending spoils to elders in 1 Samuel 30:26? 8. How does 1 Samuel 30:26 reflect on David's leadership qualities? 9. Why did David choose to send gifts to the elders of Judah? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from 1 Samuel 30? 11. If Saul previously admitted David's righteousness in 1 Samuel 24, why is he chasing David again in 1 Samuel 26? 12. What happened to Ziklag when David returned from battle? 13. How could David and Abishai enter Saul's camp and take his spear and water jug unnoticed by 3,000 soldiers? (1 Samuel 26:7-12) 14. Who was high priest when David went into the House of GOD and ate the consecrated bread? Abiathar (Mark 2:26) Ahimelech, the father of Abiathar (I Samuel 1:1; 22:20) What Does 1 Samuel 30:26 Mean When David arrived in Ziklag• Ziklag had been given to David by Achish (1 Samuel 27:6), and it lay in ashes after the Amalekite raid (1 Samuel 30:1). • God had directed David to pursue and promised victory (30:8), and He kept His word (30:18–19). • Returning to the same town he had wept over, David carried tangible evidence of God’s faithfulness, echoing later words: “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory is of the LORD” (Proverbs 21:31). He sent some of the plunder • Instead of hoarding, David immediately shared. Numbers 31:27 lays an early pattern of dividing spoils; David follows that precedent. • His earlier ruling—“The share of the one who stays… shall be the same” (1 Samuel 30:24)—shows a heart that sees resources as communal gifts from God. • New-Testament echoes: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35) and “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). To his friends • These “friends” had stood with David through exile and danger (1 Samuel 22:2). • Proverbs 17:17: “A friend loves at all times,” and David’s actions proved the proverb true. • By acknowledging loyal companions, he models Jesus’ later words: “I have called you friends” (John 15:15). The elders of Judah • Judah was David’s own tribe (1 Samuel 17:12). By blessing its leaders, he strengthened bonds that would soon affirm him king (2 Samuel 2:4). • Genesis 49:10 had foretold leadership rising from Judah; David’s generosity prepared hearts for that fulfillment. • Proverbs 18:16 teaches, “A gift opens the way,” yet David’s gifts rest on covenant loyalty, not manipulation. Here is a gift for you • The term “gift” underscores grace: what he gives cost his recipients nothing, mirroring how God lavishes unearned favor (Ephesians 2:8–9). • 1 Chronicles 29:14 captures David’s mindset: “Everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your hand.” • His act anticipates Christ, who “gave Himself” (Galatians 1:4), the greatest gift believers receive and share. From the plunder of the LORD’s enemies • David openly credits God for the victory; the spoils are “of the LORD’s enemies,” not his own (compare 1 Samuel 17:47, “The battle belongs to the LORD”). • By labeling Amalekites God’s foes, he recalls Exodus 17:16, where the LORD swore perpetual war against Amalek. • Psalm 44:3 later reflects this truth: “It was not by their sword that they took the land… it was Your right hand.” David lives that reality here. summary David’s return to Ziklag turns tragedy into triumph. He shares God-given spoils with friends and leaders, honors covenant relationships, and points everyone to the LORD as the true victor. His generosity cements unity within Judah and foreshadows his forthcoming kingship, reminding us that every blessing we receive is meant to be stewarded for God’s glory and the good of His people. (26) He sent of the spoil.--To have made it worth while to have sent presents to all the places enumerated below, the spoil of the Amalekites captured on this occasion must have been enormous. One special circumstance connected with the history besides leads us to this conclusion. Although these desert Arabs were surprised and attacked at a terrible disadvantage after a debauch, they seem (so great evidently was their numbers) to have held their ground from early morning until evening, and then 400 managed to escape on their swiftest camels. It was not improbably the main division of the great tribe, and they had with them the bulk of their flocks and herds, besides what they had just captured in their raid in southern Canaan. No doubt the cities to whom rich gifts of cattle were sent were those places where, during his long wanderings, he and his followers had been kindly received and helped.Verse 26. - The elders of Judah. The spoil taken from the Amalekites and assigned to David must have been very large, as it was worth distributing so widely. He did not, however, send to all the elders of Judah, but to such only as were his friends. A present. Hebrew, "a blessing" (see on 1 Samuel 25:27).Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew When Davidדָוִד֙ (ḏā·wiḏ) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse arrived וַיָּבֹ֤א (way·yā·ḇō) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go in אֶל־ (’el-) Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to Ziklag, צִ֣קְלַ֔ג (ṣiq·laḡ) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 6860: Ziklag -- a city assigned to Judah, also to Simeon he sent וַיְשַׁלַּ֧ח (way·šal·laḥ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out some of the plunder מֵֽהַשָּׁלָ֛ל (mê·haš·šā·lāl) Preposition-m, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 7998: A prey, spoil, plunder, booty to his friends, לְרֵעֵ֣הוּ (lə·rê·‘ê·hū) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 7453: Friend, companion, fellow the elders לְזִקְנֵ֥י (lə·ziq·nê) Preposition-l | Adjective - masculine plural construct Strong's 2205: Old of Judah, יְהוּדָ֖ה (yə·hū·ḏāh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites saying, לֵאמֹ֑ר (lê·mōr) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Strong's 559: To utter, say “Here הִנֵּ֤ה (hin·nêh) Interjection Strong's 2009: Lo! behold! is a gift בְּרָכָ֔ה (bə·rā·ḵāh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 1293: Benediction, prosperity for you לָכֶם֙ (lā·ḵem) Preposition | second person masculine plural Strong's Hebrew from the plunder מִשְּׁלַ֖ל (miš·šə·lal) Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 7998: A prey, spoil, plunder, booty of the LORD’s יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel enemies.” אֹיְבֵ֥י (’ō·yə·ḇê) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct Strong's 341: Hating, an adversary Links 1 Samuel 30:26 NIV1 Samuel 30:26 NLT 1 Samuel 30:26 ESV 1 Samuel 30:26 NASB 1 Samuel 30:26 KJV 1 Samuel 30:26 BibleApps.com 1 Samuel 30:26 Biblia Paralela 1 Samuel 30:26 Chinese Bible 1 Samuel 30:26 French Bible 1 Samuel 30:26 Catholic Bible OT History: 1 Samuel 30:26 When David came to Ziklag he sent (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa) |
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