1 Samuel 30:20-31

30:20 David took all the flocks and herds and drove them in front of the rest of the animals. People were saying, “This is David’s plunder!”

30:21 Then David approached the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to go with him, ¹  those whom they had left at the Wadi Besor. They went out to meet David and the people who were with him. When David approached the people, he asked how they were doing. 30:22 But all the evil and worthless men among those who had gone with David said, “Since they didn’t go with us, ²  we won’t give them any of the loot we retrieved! They may take only their wives and children. Let them lead them away and be gone!”

30:23 But David said, “No! You shouldn’t do this, my brothers. Look at what the Lord has given us! ³  He has protected us and has delivered into our hands the raiding party that came against us. 30:24 Who will listen to you in this matter? The portion of the one who went down into the battle will be the same as the portion of the one who remained with the equipment! Let their portions be the same!”

30:25 From that time onward it was a binding ordinance ⁴  for Israel, right up to the present time.

30:26 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 ⁵  for you from the looting of the Lord’s enemies!” 30:27 The gift was for those in the following locations: ⁶  for those in Bethel, ⁷  Ramoth Negev, and Jattir; 30:28 for those in Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, 30:29 and Racal; for those in the cities of the Jerahmeelites and Kenites; 30:30 for those in Hormah, Bor Ashan, Athach, 30:31 and Hebron; and for those in whatever other places David and his men had traveled.

[30:21]  ¹ tn Heb “David.” The pronoun (“him”) has been substituted for the proper name in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:22]  ² tc Heb “with me.” The singular is used rather than the plural because the group is being treated as a singular entity, in keeping with Hebrew idiom. It is not necessary to read “with us,” rather than the MT “with me,” although the plural can be found here in a few medieval Hebrew mss. See also the LXX, Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate, although these versions may simply reflect an understanding of the idiom as found in the MT rather than a different textual reading.

[30:23]  ³ tc This clause is difficult in the MT. The present translation accepts the text as found in the MT and understands this clause to be elliptical, with an understood verb such as “look” or “consider.” On the other hand, the LXX seems to reflect a slightly different Hebrew text, reading “after” where the MT has “my brothers.” The Greek translation yields the following translation: “You should not do this after the Lord has delivered us.” Although the Greek reading should be taken seriously, it seems better to follow the MT here.

[30:25]  ⁴ tn Heb “a statute and a judgment.” The expression is a hendiadys.

[30:26]  ⁵ tn Heb “blessing.”

[30:27]  ⁶ tn This sentence is not in the Hebrew text. It is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.

[30:27]  ⁷ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.