And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid upon the South, and upon Ziklag, and had smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;
verse value 4333
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 74 letters. Notable word values: "to·the·South" (אֶל־נֶ֙גֶב֙) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "when·comes" (בְּבֹ֨א, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·to·Ziklag" (וְאֶל־צִ֣קְלַ֔ג, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "when·comes" (בְּבֹ֨א), "third" (הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֑י), "and·the·Amalekites" (וַעֲמָלֵקִ֣י). The root צקלג appears 3 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "to·the·South" (root איל, 238x in I Samuel); "and·his·men" (root איש, 201x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root שרף ("and·they·burned") in I Samuel. First appearance of the root אש ("in·the·fire") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'third', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 9 words.
Radak
"And the Amalekites had raided." When they arrived on the third day, having set out from there to go with Achish, they found that the Amalekites had raided the Negev of Ziklag. For they investigated the matter until they discovered that the plunderers had been coming out from Ziklag. Even though David had not allowed any man or woman to live who would inform on them, they investigated the matter with the neighbors until they found out. And by the providence of the Creator, blessed be He, and His guarding of His lovers, it was that they had not killed any man or woman; for David had killed many of them.
"To the South." As its Targum renders, to the south; and the nomen rectum is lacking — [that is,] to the South of the Cherethites and to the South of Caleb, mentioned above. Or it is the name of a city called Negev, as in "and to them that were in Ramoth of the South." And it is possible that they are one and the same; but the first is correct.
“And they smote Ziklag.” This does not mean that they killed the men of Ziklag, for it states, “They did not slay man or woman.” Rather, the interpretation of “they smote” is that they demolished the city and burned it with fire. And the term “they smote” is used regarding the destruction of the building, in the manner of an expanded usage of language, as it is said regarding the building, “And he repaired the altar of the Lord,” and “Joab restored the rest of the city.”
Metzudat David
"On the third day." From the time of their departure from Ziklag with Achish for war:
“To the Negev.” From this we may include both the Negev of Caleb and the Negev of the Cherethites, which are mentioned in the matter at hand.
And they struck. This means: They destroyed the city.
Metzudat Zion
They scattered. They dispersed to plunder spoils.
Malbim
"Al Negev" includes the Negev of Cherethi and the Negev of Ziklag (as stated in verse 14). "And they struck Ziklag"—since David continually struck them (as above, chapter 27), therefore they burned it. And "the striking" refers to the subjugation of the city and its destruction.
and had taken captive the women and all that were therein, both small and great; they slew not any, but carried them off, and went their way.
verse value 3209
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 54 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·women" (אֶת־הַנָּשִׁ֤ים, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "that·in·it" (אֲשֶׁר־בָּהּ֙), "they·slew" (הֵמִ֖יתוּ). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that·in·it" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel); "man" (root איש, 201x in I Samuel); "and·went" (root הלך, 133x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root שבה ("and·took·captive") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'man', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיִּשְׁבּ֨וּ [and·took·captive] (324) + אֶת־הַנָּשִׁ֤ים [the·women] (806) + אֲשֶׁר־בָּהּ֙ [that·in·it] (508) + מִקָּטֹ֣ן [from·small] (199) + וְעַד־גָּד֔וֹל [and·until·great] (123) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + הֵמִ֖יתוּ [they·slew] (461) + אִ֑ישׁ [man] (311) + וַיִּֽנְהֲג֔וּ [and·they·drove] (80) + וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ [and·went] (72) + לְדַרְכָּֽם [to·their·way] (294) = 3209.
Radak
"And they took the women captive." For there were no men in the city, as they had gone with David and had not remained in it; only the women, the sons, and the daughters were left there. Therefore, they captured them, because there was no one in the city who could fight.
Metzudat Zion
And they took captive. From the word 'captivity'.
Malbim
"And they sat..." And it was under God's providence that they did not kill any man; the essence of the matter was that it was by providence that David would be obligated to fight for the salvation of his household's lives, and thus be exempted from going to assist Israel against the Philistines.
And when David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.
verse value 3077
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 54 letters. The shortest word is "David" (דָוִ֤ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·their·daughters" (וּבְנֹתֵיהֶ֖ם, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "burned" (שְׂרוּפָ֖ה), "and·their·wives" (וּנְשֵׁיהֶ֛ם), "and·their·sons" (וּבְנֵיהֶ֥ם). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "to·the·city" (root איל, 238x in I Samuel); "and·his·men" (root איש, 201x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·the·fire', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיָּבֹ֨א [and·came] (19) + דָוִ֤ד [David] (14) + וַאֲנָשָׁיו֙ [and·his·men] (373) + אֶל־הָעִ֔יר [to·the·city] (316) + וְהִנֵּ֥ה [and·behold] (66) + שְׂרוּפָ֖ה [burned] (591) + בָּאֵ֑שׁ [in·the·fire] (303) + וּנְשֵׁיהֶ֛ם [and·their·wives] (411) + וּבְנֵיהֶ֥ם [and·their·sons] (113) + וּבְנֹתֵיהֶ֖ם [and·their·daughters] (513) + נִשְׁבּֽוּ [they·were·taken·captive] (358) = 3077.
Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
verse value 3150
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 46 letters. Verse gematria: 3150 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "until" (עַ֣ד, 2 letters) and the longest is "that·with·him" (אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֛וֹ, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "none·in·them" (אֵין־בָּהֶ֛ם), "to·weep" (לִבְכּֽוֹת). The root אשר appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "that·with·him" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel); "and·the·people" (root עם, 128x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·they·wept', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיִּשָּׂ֨א [and·lifted] (317) + דָוִ֜ד [David] (14) + וְהָעָ֧ם [and·the·people] (121) + אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֛וֹ [that·with·him] (908) + אֶת־קוֹלָ֖ם [their·voice] (577) + וַיִּבְכּ֑וּ [and·they·wept] (44) + עַ֣ד [until] (74) + אֲשֶׁ֧ר [that] (501) + אֵין־בָּהֶ֛ם [none·in·them] (108) + כֹּ֖חַ [strength] (28) + לִבְכּֽוֹת [to·weep] (458) = 3150.
And David’s two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
verse value 3509
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 47 letters. The shortest word is "wife·of" (אֵ֖שֶׁת, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·Jezreelitess" (הַיִּזְרְעֵלִ֔ית, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "wives·of·David" (נְשֵׁי־דָוִ֖ד), "the·Jezreelitess" (הַיִּזְרְעֵלִ֔ית), "the·Carmelite" (הַֽכַּרְמְלִֽי). The root אשה appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "wives·of·David" (root אשה, 54x in I Samuel); "two" (root שנים, 28x in I Samuel); "Nabal" (root נבל, 20x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·were·taken·captive', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 6 words. Full calculation: וּשְׁתֵּ֥י [two] (716) + נְשֵׁי־דָוִ֖ד [wives·of·David] (374) + נִשְׁבּ֑וּ [they·were·taken·captive] (358) + אֲחִינֹ֙עַם֙ [Ahinoam] (179) + הַיִּזְרְעֵלִ֔ית [the·Jezreelitess] (732) + וַאֲבִיגַ֕יִל [and·Abigail] (62) + אֵ֖שֶׁת [wife·of] (701) + נָבָ֥ל [Nabal] (82) + הַֽכַּרְמְלִֽי [the·Carmelite] (305) = 3509.
Malbim
"And two." After he had related that they wept at the first, he relates how, through David's trust, a spirit of might was roused in him; and he says: though his two wives were taken captive, and more than that, that:
And David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters; but David strengthened himself in Hashem his God.
verse value 3941
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 73 letters. The shortest word is "very" (מְאֹ֗ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·for·his·daughters" (וְעַל־בְּנֹתָ֑יו, 8 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "and·bound" (וַתֵּ֨צֶר), "to·stone·him" (לְסׇקְל֔וֹ), "for·was·bitter" (כִּי־מָ֙רָה֙). The root דוד appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for·said" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "in·Hashem" (root יהוה, 316x in I Samuel); "to·David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·for·his·daughters', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 4 words.
Radak
“And it was distressing to David.” Its root is *yatsar*, and it pertains to the matter of distress and hardship. And by employing the feminine form, it means: this evil.
"For the soul of all the people was bitter." The verb is in the past tense, for it is accented on the penultimate syllable, in two simple senses:
"And David strengthened himself in the Lord his God." He placed his hope in Him, restrained himself from acting hastily in the face of the evil, and said, "Let us pursue them," and he said to Abiathar, "Bring the ephod."
Metzudat David
"And it was very grievous unto David." This means: In addition to the distress that his wives were taken captive, the people also said they would stone him with stones, because he had caused them to go down to war with Achish, and this was the reason why the Amalekites came and did what they did.
"And he strengthened himself." Despite all this, David strengthened himself to rely on the Lord.
Metzudat Zion
To stone him. To pelt him with stones.
Malbim
And it greatly distressed him, because the people said to stone him for not having left some of them to guard the city; nevertheless, he strengthened himself in the Lord who had anointed him.
And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech: ‘I pray you, bring me hither the ephod.’ And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.
verse value 3140
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 62 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִ֖י, 2 letters) and the longest is "son·of·Ahimelech" (בֶּן־אֲחִימֶ֔לֶךְ, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "bring·please" (הַגִּֽישָׁה־נָּ֥א), "the·ephod" (אֶת־הָאֵפ֖וֹד). The root איל appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "to·Abiathar" (root איל, 238x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'ephod', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר [and·said] (257) + דָּוִ֗ד [David] (14) + אֶל־אֶבְיָתָ֤ר [to·Abiathar] (644) + הַכֹּהֵן֙ [priest] (80) + בֶּן־אֲחִימֶ֔לֶךְ [son·of·Ahimelech] (161) + הַגִּֽישָׁה־נָּ֥א [bring·please] (374) + לִ֖י [to·me] (40) + הָאֵפ֑וֹד [ephod] (96) + וַיַּגֵּ֧שׁ [and·brought] (319) + אֶבְיָתָ֛ר [Abiathar] (613) + אֶת־הָאֵפ֖וֹד [the·ephod] (497) + אֶל־דָּוִֽד [to·David] (45) = 3140.
And David inquired of Hashem, saying: ‘Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them?’ And He answered him: ‘Pursue; for you shall surely overtake them, and shall without fail recover all.’
verse value 3857
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 66 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (לוֹ֙) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·him" (לוֹ֙, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·troop·the·this" (הַגְּדוּד־הַזֶּ֖ה, 8 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "I·will·pursue" (אֶרְדֹּ֛ף), "the·troop·the·this" (הַגְּדוּד־הַזֶּ֖ה), "shall·I·overtake·them" (הַאַשִּׂגֶ֑נּוּ). The root נשג appears 3 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "saying" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "of·Hashem" (root יהוה, 316x in I Samuel); "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root גדוד ("the·troop·the·this") in I Samuel. First appearance of the root נשג ("shall·I·overtake·them") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'shall·I·overtake·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 7 words.
Radak
"Shall I pursue?" It is by way of question, without the interrogative heh — like "Yea, hath God said?" and "Art thou my very son Esau?" And David asked two questions at once; and although they did not do so with the Urim and Thummim, as we explained above, he did so because of the urgency of the hour, and he was answered on both.
Metzudat Zion
I will pursue. It lacks the heh of question, and its proper reading: 'shall I pursue,' and its parallel (Genesis 3:1): 'even though God said,' and its proper reading: 'did God even say,' with the heh of question.
Malbim
"I will pursue" means that I will pursue in any case. And my question is: shall I overtake him? And He answered: "Pursue, for you will overtake him," so that the action not be in vain; moreover, thou shalt surely recover, and you are obligated to pursue.
So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed.
verse value 3901
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 53 letters. The shortest word is "David" (דָּוִ֗ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·remaining" (וְהַנּוֹתָרִ֖ים, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "unto·torrent" (עַד־נַ֣חַל), "and·the·remaining" (וְהַנּוֹתָרִ֖ים), "they·stood" (עָמָֽדוּ). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "that" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel); "man" (root איש, 201x in I Samuel). First appearance of the root בשור ("Besor") in I Samuel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Besor', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 2 words. Full calculation: וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ [and·went] (66) + דָּוִ֗ד [David] (14) + ה֚וּא [he] (12) + וְשֵׁשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת [and·six·hundred] (1053) + אִישׁ֙ [man] (311) + אֲשֶׁ֣ר [that] (501) + אִתּ֔וֹ [with·him] (407) + וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ [and·they·came] (25) + עַד־נַ֣חַל [unto·torrent] (162) + הַבְּשׂ֑וֹר [Besor] (513) + וְהַנּוֹתָרִ֖ים [and·the·remaining] (717) + עָמָֽדוּ [they·stood] (120) = 3901.
Rashi
And they came until the Wadi Besor. Six hundred men.
And the remainder stood. When they arrived at the Wadi Besor, there were among them those who were weary, and some of them remained there.
Radak
"Besor." A place name.
"And those who remained stood." This is a concise verse, meaning that all of them came as far as the brook of Besor, and four hundred men crossed the brook, while the remainder, who did not cross, stood there. That is to say, they did not return to their homes, but rather stood there, waiting for those who had crossed, and they guarded their equipment. For the pursuers did not have the capacity to carry anything but a small amount, sufficient only to enable them to fight alone. And the Targum translates: "And some of them remained."
Ralbag
“And they came to the brook Besor, and the two hundred remained behind.” The meaning is that all of them went with David in one accord as far as the brook Besor, and those who did not agree to go further stood there. These are the two hundred men who showed themselves as if they were powerless, weary, and faint of hand, and therefore they did not cross that place. Perhaps this was due to their fear of that company, or perhaps they were very weary. And when David saw this, he had them sit there until they came to guard the vessels.
Metzudat David
“And the remainder stood.” This means: the remainder of those very six hundred, namely, the two hundred mentioned in the subsequent verse, who remained and did not pursue—they stood by the river on this side, and did not return to their place.
Malbim
(9-10) The questions: What is meant by “and the remainder stood and stood, two hundred men”? This is an obvious duplication, and the order is also garbled. It should rather have read: “And they came to the Wadi Besor, and two hundred stood, etc., and David pursued with four hundred men.”
"And the remainder stayed behind" – it is explained (in I Chronicles 12) that many additional warriors from Benjamin and Manasseh came to David at Ziklag, both while he was hiding from Saul (ibid. 1) and when he joined the Philistines to go to war against Saul, yet they did not assist him (ibid. 19). In any case, his men then numbered more than the six hundred who had been with him from before. These [newcomers] remained in Ziklag and did not go out to pursue, because their wives and children had not been taken captive, not having been there. Regarding this it says, "And the remainder stayed behind," meaning that those in excess of the six hundred who remained and were not despoiled by the troop stayed in Ziklag.
But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor.
verse value 4405
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 58 letters. The shortest word is "David" (דָּוִ֔ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·four·hundred" (וְאַרְבַּע־מֵא֣וֹת, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 311: man, man. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "and·four·hundred" (וְאַרְבַּע־מֵא֣וֹת), "and·they·stood" (וַיַּֽעַמְדוּ֙), "were·faint" (פִּגְּר֔וּ). The root איש appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "who" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel); "man" (root איש, 201x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'man', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 8 words. Full calculation: וַיִּרְדֹּ֣ף [and·pursued] (300) + דָּוִ֔ד [David] (14) + ה֖וּא [he] (12) + וְאַרְבַּע־מֵא֣וֹת [and·four·hundred] (726) + אִ֑ישׁ [man] (311) + וַיַּֽעַמְדוּ֙ [and·they·stood] (136) + מָאתַ֣יִם [hundred] (491) + אִ֔ישׁ [man] (311) + אֲשֶׁ֣ר [who] (501) + פִּגְּר֔וּ [were·faint] (289) + מֵעֲבֹ֖ר [from·crossing] (312) + אֶת־נַ֥חַל [brook] (489) + הַבְּשֽׂוֹר [Besor] (513) = 4405.
Rashi
Who fainted. Who were prevented. And I say: It is Aramaic — the translation of 'venehersu.'
Radak
“Which were languishing.” They ceased [from their usual activities] on account of their weakness, due to the pursuit. A similar expression is found in the words of our Sages of blessed memory : “On the day when the Sages were languishing, they used to say: ‘Today is a day of slackness.’” That is to say, a day on which they were idle and weakened from their study. And the Targum [renders it]: “That they were restrained.” Or, [another] explanation: the Targum of “thou shalt utterly overthrow them” is “pagara tefagrinun.”
Metzudat David
"asher p'garu" – The two hundred men who were weakened from crossing the river, stood still and did not pursue.
Metzudat Zion
They were faint. They grew weak, and in the words of our Sages of blessed memory (Shabbat 129b): 'a day on which the sages grow weak'.
Malbim
"And he pursued": Indeed, from the brook Besor onward, they did not pursue further, but only four hundred [continued], for there two hundred stopped, having grown weary and exhausted from pursuing any longer. And what is stated, "and they stood," means that they did not return to their homes, but rather stood there by David's command to guard the vessels that were placed there, in order to lighten the burden.
And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they gave him water to drink;
verse value 2867
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 54 letters. The shortest word is "him" (אֹת֖וֹ, 3 letters) and the longest is "an·Egyptian·man" (אִישׁ־מִצְרִי֙, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "an·Egyptian·man" (אִישׁ־מִצְרִי֙). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·David" (root איל, 238x in I Samuel); "and·took" (root לקח, 78x in I Samuel); "and·they·gave·to·him" (root נתן, 69x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·David', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַֽיִּמְצְא֤וּ [and·they·found] (153) + אִישׁ־מִצְרִי֙ [an·Egyptian·man] (651) + בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה [in·the·field] (311) + וַיִּקְח֥וּ [and·took] (130) + אֹת֖וֹ [him] (407) + אֶל־דָּוִ֑ד [to·David] (45) + וַיִּתְּנוּ־ל֥וֹ [and·they·gave·to·him] (508) + לֶ֙חֶם֙ [bread] (78) + וַיֹּ֔אכַל [and·ate] (67) + וַיַּשְׁקֻ֖הוּ [and·gave·him·drink] (427) + מָֽיִם [water] (90) = 2867.
Ralbag
And they found a certain Egyptian in the field. It may be understood that those who had remained wandering hither and thither before David had gone far from them, or perhaps the men who were traveling with him, found him.
Metzudat David
"A man who was an Egyptian." He said this with reference to his ultimate fate, for at the time of their encounter, they did not know that he was an Egyptian.
Malbim
"And they gave him to drink..." – It is known that one who has been seized by a fit of ravenous hunger should not be given a large quantity of water at one time, lest his stomach become distended; rather, they should give him to drink little by little, according to what is medically appropriate.
and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins; and when he had eaten, his spirit came back to him; for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.
verse value 5229
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 77 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֠י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·they·gave·to·him" (וַיִּתְּנוּ־לוֹ֩, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "slice·of" (פֶ֨לַח), "fig cake" (דְּבֵלָ֜ה), "his·spirit" (רוּח֖וֹ). The root אכל appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 161x in I Samuel); "days" (root יום, 154x in I Samuel); "to·him" (root אל, 86x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 9 words.
Radak
A piece of dried fig. A piece of dried fig:
Metzudat David
And two clusters of raisins. Two clusters of raisins:
“And his spirit returned to him.” He spoke in a manner of exaggeration and hyperbole, as if his spirit had departed due to the weakness of hunger, and returned to him when he fed him.
Metzudat Zion
A slice. A piece, similarly (Song of Songs 4:3): 'like a slice of pomegranate'.
A cake of figs. Figs trodden together, until they become one body, similarly (above 25:18): 'and two hundred cakes'.
Dried grapes. Dried grapes, and it is from the word (Hosea 9:14): 'and breasts dried up'.
Malbim
And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, as it is stated: "One who is seized by ravenous hunger is fed various sweet things until his spirit returns."
And David said to him: ‘To whom belong you? and whence are you?’ And he said: ‘I am a young Egyptian, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I fell sick.
verse value 4337
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 79 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (ל֤וֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·him" (ל֤וֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·left·me" (וַיַּעַזְבֵ֧נִי, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 257: and·said, and·said. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "to·whom·you" (לְֽמִי־אַ֔תָּה), "and·where?" (וְאֵ֥י), "Egyptian" (מִצְרִ֣י). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "to·man" (root איש, 201x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 13 words.
Metzudat David
To whom do you belong? Whose servant are you, and from which nation are you?
"For I was sick." And I was unable to go along with him; therefore He left me on the way.
"The day is three." The day completed three days:
Metzudat Zion
And from where. Where is the people that you say 'from where are you'.
Malbim
To whom are these two questions addressed? 1. To whom do you belong? 2. From which place are you? And he answered in response to question 2: "I am an Egyptian," and in response to question 1: "I am a servant to an Amalekite man, and I am not fleeing, rather my master let me go," and not that he let me go on account of some sin, but rather because I was sick.
We made a raid upon the South of the Cherethites, and upon that which belongs to Judah, and upon the South of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.’
verse value 3699
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 54 letters. The shortest word is "south-country" (נֶ֧גֶב, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·Ziklag" (וְאֶת־צִֽקְלַ֖ג, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "we·stripped" (פָּשַׁ֜טְנוּ), "south-country" (נֶ֧גֶב), "the·Cherethites" (הַכְּרֵתִ֛י). The root עול appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Caleb', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: אֲנַ֡חְנוּ [we] (115) + פָּשַׁ֜טְנוּ [we·stripped] (445) + נֶ֧גֶב [south-country] (55) + הַכְּרֵתִ֛י [the·Cherethites] (635) + וְעַל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר [and·upon·that·which] (607) + לִיהוּדָ֖ה [to·Judah] (60) + וְעַל־נֶ֣גֶב [and·upon·the·south·of] (161) + כָּלֵ֑ב [Caleb] (52) + וְאֶת־צִֽקְלַ֖ג [and·Ziklag] (630) + שָׂרַ֥פְנוּ [we·burned] (636) + בָאֵֽשׁ [in·the·fire] (303) = 3699.
Rashi
The south of the Kerethites. To the south of the Philistines. We found in another place the Philistines called 'the nation of the Kerethites' — (Zephaniah 2:5): The dwellers of the coast, the nation of the Kerethites.
Radak
"The South of the Cherethites." Cherethi is the name of a family of the Philistines, as it is said concerning them, "the nation of the Cherethites," and "and I will cut off the Cherethites"; for they raided in the land of the Philistines and in the land of Judah, as it says, "which they had taken out of the land of the Philistines and out of the land of Judah."
“Concerning the Negev of Caleb.” This refers to Caleb, son of Hezron, from the tribe of Judah. Even though it states, “And as for that which belongs to Judah,” this was Caleb’s inheritance, and it had its own distinct name. “Negev” means “south,” as its Targum renders it. Alternatively, it means “a land of level plain,” for the Negev is called so because of its heat, and it is a level plain.
Metzudat David
"And concerning that which belongs to Judah." The Negev which belongs to Judah, for the Cherethite was of the Philistines, as it is written (Zephaniah 2:5): "The nation of the Cherethites."
And regarding "the Negeb of Caleb": Even though it too was part of Judah, nevertheless it had its own distinct name.
And David said to him: ‘Will you bring me down to this troop?’ And he said: ‘Swear to me by God, that you will neither kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this troop.’
verse value 3939
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 87 letters. Verse gematria: 3939 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "to·me" (לִּ֨י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·if·you·deliver·me·up" (וְאִם־תַּסְגִּרֵ֙נִי֙, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 257: and·said, and·said. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "will·you·bring·me·down" (הֲתוֹרִדֵ֖נִי), "if·you·kill·me" (אִם־תְּמִיתֵ֗נִי), "and·if·you·deliver·me·up" (וְאִם־תַּסְגִּרֵ֙נִי֙). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "by·God" (root אלהים, 89x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'this', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 10 words.
Radak
"Spread abroad." Of the sense of "and it spread over the camp" — a matter of spreading out.
And they make merry. They dance, skip about, and sway back and forth, like one who staggers and totters as a drunkard does.
Metzudat David
“Bring me down.” To show the manner of their journey:
"And if you shut me away." Or, "if you shut me away," etc., may the punishment of a false oath be upon you.
Metzudat Zion
The company. The army.
You will hand me over. You will deliver me, similarly (Amos 1:6): 'to deliver to Edom'.
Malbim
"If you kill me, since he did not know whether they were from the allies of Amalek or from their enemies. According to the latter interpretation, he said, 'If you kill me'; and according to the former interpretation, he said, 'If you hand me over into the hands of my master.'"
And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the ground, eating and drinking, and feasting, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.
verse value 4887
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 81 letters. The shortest word is "in·them·of" (בְּכֹל֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·he·brought·him·down" (וַיֹּ֣רִדֵ֔הוּ, 6 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "and·he·brought·him·down" (וַיֹּ֣רִדֵ֔הוּ), "scattered" (נְטֻשִׁ֖ים), "eating" (אֹכְלִ֤ים). The root ארץ appears 3 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel); "Philistines" (root פלשתי, 124x in I Samuel); "upon·the·face·of" (root פנים, 93x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'all·the·earth', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 12 words.
Metzudat David
"All the land. Which they are upon:"
"In all the spoil." This means that their joy was on account of all the great spoil that they had taken.
Metzudat Zion
Scattered. Dispersed, similarly (Numbers 11:31): 'and it was scattered over the camp'.
And dancing. A matter of dancing and revelry, similarly (Psalms 107:27): 'and they tottered and staggered like a drunken man'.
Malbim
"And they were forsaken" means that it did not enter their minds to guard themselves any longer. And he had two indications for this: 1. That they were forsaken not like a military unit at a time when the fear of the enemy is still upon them, when they stand together and set up guards around them; 2. That they eat and celebrate like a military unit that has returned safely from war, and the fear of the enemy is not upon them.
And David smote them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day; and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, who rode upon camels and fled.
verse value 4713
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 76 letters. The shortest word is "and·save" (כִּי֩, 2 letters) and the longest is "upon·the·camels" (עַל־הַגְּמַלִּ֖ים, 8 letters). 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "and·struck·them" (וַיַּכֵּ֥ם), "from·the·twilight" (מֵהַנֶּ֥שֶׁף), "and·until·the·evening" (וְעַד־הָעֶ֖רֶב). The root איש appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "who·rode" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel); "man" (root איש, 201x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·their·next·day', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 10 words.
Rashi
Their morrow. They are accustomed — the Amalekites to be smitten on the morrow — as it is said (Exodus 17:9): 'Tomorrow I will stand,' etc. Therefore it is said: 'lemacharatam.'
Radak
"From the twilight even unto the evening of the next day." From the evening of this day until the evening of the second day, and all that evening until the morning, which is the morrow. And the mem of l-mochoratam is the morrow of the two twilights that have passed; and the word ad stands in place of two, as though it said "and unto their morrow." And according to the view of our Sages of blessed memory, who explained "from the twilight even unto the evening" and said that there were two twilights — the day darkened and night came, the night darkened and day came — the reason for the mem is not accounted for. And the Targum renders: from the twilight until the time of evening on the day after them; and there too he did not explain the reason for the mem. And in the midrash he gave the reason for the mem as referring to the Amalekites: l-mochoratam, THEIR morrow — for they are accustomed to be smitten on the morrow, as it is said, "go out, fight with Amalek to-morrow."
Ralbag
From dusk until the evening of the following day. It is possible that it was already evening when he overtook them and struck them until the evening of the day after that day; or perhaps "dusk" refers to the early morning, and behold, he pursued them throughout the night, and at daybreak he saw them abandoned on the face of the field and fought against them from morning until evening. And the phrase "of the following day" is stated because on the preceding day they had raided the Negev and Ziklag and burned Ziklag with fire.
Metzudat David
From the evening. This means: from the evening of this day until the evening of the second day, and that entire evening until the morning, which is the day following the two evenings that have passed. And the word "and until" stands in place of two, as if it said: and until the evening and until the day following them.
Not a single man escaped from them. From the foot soldiers:
Metzudat Zion
From the twilight. From the evening, similarly (Isaiah 21:4): 'the twilight of my desire'.
Malbim
And he struck them: He did not begin to strike them on that day (for they were but a few in number before a great multitude); rather, he waited until the next day. This is what is written: "on the morrow," and he began to strike them at dawn, which is before the day had fully brightened. By this means, he terrified the camp, and he was able to strike them afterward until evening. Consequently, only four hundred of them escaped. They escaped because they had two advantages: 1. They were youths, who were swift of foot and strong in power; 2. They rode on camels. By these means they fled. But the elderly who rode, and the youths who were on foot, did not escape.
And David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken; and David rescued his two wives.
verse value 3118
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 39 letters. The shortest word is "David" (דָּוִ֔ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·two·of" (וְאֶת־שְׁתֵּ֥י, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 14: David, David. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "and·two·of" (וְאֶת־שְׁתֵּ֥י). The root נצל appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "all·that" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel); "have·received" (root לקח, 78x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Amalek', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 4 words.
Malbim
"And he saved" – the verse includes in a general statement that he saved everyone, meaning the men and the children; and in particular, he himself saved the two wives of David with his own hands. Therefore, the Name is repeated a second time, "David saved," to indicate that he did so personally, whereas the rest of the people he saved through his men.
And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them; David brought back all.
verse value 3106
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 66 letters. The shortest word is "and·not" (וְלֹ֣א, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·until·the·great" (וְעַד־הַגָּד֜וֹל, 8 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "was·lacking·to·them" (נֶעְדַּר־לָ֠הֶ֠ם), "from·the·small" (מִן־הַקָּטֹ֨ן), "and·until·the·great" (וְעַד־הַגָּד֜וֹל). The root עד appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "all·that" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel); "and·not" (root לא, 107x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְלֹ֣א [and·not] (37) + נֶעְדַּר־לָ֠הֶ֠ם [was·lacking·to·them] (399) + מִן־הַקָּטֹ֨ן [from·the·small] (254) + וְעַד־הַגָּד֜וֹל [and·until·the·great] (128) + וְעַד־בָּנִ֤ים [and·until·sons] (182) + וּבָנוֹת֙ [and·daughters] (464) + וּמִשָּׁלָ֔ל [and·from·spoil] (406) + וְעַ֛ד [and·until] (80) + כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר [all·that] (551) + לָקְח֖וּ [have·received] (144) + לָהֶ֑ם [to·them] (75) + הַכֹּ֖ל [all] (55) + הֵשִׁ֥יב [brought·back] (317) + דָּוִֽד [David] (14) = 3106.
Metzudat David
"And all that they had taken." Even what they had taken from the Philistines in the Negev of Judah and Caleb, David returned it all to himself.
Metzudat Zion
And nothing was missing. And nothing was lacking, similarly (there 40:26): 'not one was missing'.
Malbim
And it was not lacking: 1. The bodies from the youngest and so on; 2. The property. And regarding this he said, “and the spoil.” Now, regarding the property, there were two types: 1. That which the enemies had not yet divided among themselves, each for himself; this is called “spoil,” which is what remained in battle before it was divided or looted by the soldiers. 2. That which the enemies had looted, each for himself. Regarding this he said, “and all that they had taken for themselves.” All of this David restored.
And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drove before those other cattle, and said: ‘This is David’s spoil.’
verse value 2148
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 51 letters. The shortest word is "this" (זֶ֖ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "all·the·flock" (אֶת־כׇּל־הַצֹּ֖אן, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 14: David, David. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "all·the·flock" (אֶת־כׇּל־הַצֹּ֖אן), "they·drove" (נָהֲג֗וּ), "cattle" (הַמִּקְנֶ֣ה). The root דוד appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·said" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "to·face·of" (root פנים, 93x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·the·cattle', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 8 words. Full calculation: וַיִּקַּ֣ח [and·took] (124) + דָּוִ֔ד [David] (14) + אֶת־כׇּל־הַצֹּ֖אן [all·the·flock] (597) + וְהַבָּקָ֑ר [and·the·cattle] (313) + נָהֲג֗וּ [they·drove] (64) + לִפְנֵי֙ [to·face·of] (170) + הַמִּקְנֶ֣ה [cattle] (200) + הַה֔וּא [that] (17) + וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ [and·they·said] (263) + זֶ֖ה [this] (12) + שְׁלַ֥ל [spoil·of] (360) + דָּוִֽד [David] (14) = 2148.
Rashi
All the flock and the cattle. That the raiding band had captured from the south of Yehuda and from the south of Caleb.
They were leading. Men who lead and go before that flock — to be honored and to boast: This is David's spoil.
Radak
And they drove before that cattle. The explanation of my master and father, of blessed memory, is: “Before their own cattle, which they had rescued, they drove the sheep and cattle that they had taken from the Amalekites.” And in the words of our Sages of blessed memory: “The king breaks through to make himself a path, and no one opposes his hand,” for it is written: “They drove the livestock before that particular camp,” and they said, “This is David’s spoil.” That is to say, they were driving the livestock before the camp as was their custom, and when they encountered the fences of the fields, they did not turn the livestock to one side, but rather broke through before them and went straight ahead. And when the owners of the fields opposed them, they would say, “Servants of David; this is David’s spoil,” meaning that he has the authority to break through and make himself a path, for he is a king. And all of this was only for the time being.
Metzudat David
"And David took." He took for himself all the sheep and cattle, even those that Amalek had plundered from the Philistines and from Judah.
They drove before the livestock. That is to say: they led the way to clear the path; they went before that livestock. And when anyone from the Philistines or from Judah came to take his livestock, they said, “This is David’s spoil.” That is to say: you have no share in this, for David took it as spoil for himself, and not in order to return it to its owners.
Malbim
And David took. He relates that they did not treat it as one who rescues his own property from the hand of a plunderer, where each person takes back what is his. (For indeed, there had already been despondency [yeiush], and one who rescues [property] from the raiders in a place where it was not possible to rescue it, and there was despondency on the part of the owners, it belongs to him.) And after all of them had despaired of their property, this was regarded by them as if it were plunder that had never been theirs, since all plunder is attributed to the king. Therefore, David took all the sheep and cattle (namely, what they found among them from the plunder of the Negev of Kerethi and Judah, which belongs to the king). They drove it before that cattle, meaning before the cattle mentioned above in the preceding verse, which they had brought back, namely what had been taken from Ziklag (to which the word "that" [ha-hu] alludes). And they said about all of them, "This is David's plunder." They informed him that they had despaired of their property, their possession, and it had already left their domain, and it was now David's, the rescuer's, to do with it as he pleased. And this they did in honor of David, so that he would divide [the spoils] among the men of war, like a king who divides plunder among his camp.
And David came to the two hundred men, who were so faint that they could not follow David, whom also they had made to abide at the brook Besor; and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him; and when David came near to the people, he saluted them.
verse value 7740
Insights
Verse structure: 23 words, 106 letters. Verse gematria: 7740 is divisible by 86, the value of Elohim. The shortest word is "David" (דָוִ֗ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·two·hundred" (אֶל־מָאתַ֨יִם, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 406: man, to·peace. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "to·two·hundred" (אֶל־מָאתַ֨יִם), "who·were·faint" (אֲשֶֽׁר־פִּגְּר֣וּ), "from·going" (מִלֶּ֣כֶת). The root דוד appears 4 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "to·two·hundred" (root איל, 238x in I Samuel); "who·were·faint" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'that·with·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 17 and 6 words.
Radak
“And he set them in the Wadi Besor.” As soon as they (the two hundred men) grew too weary to go on, David and the four hundred men told them to stay there and guard the equipment that had been left behind, so that they (the four hundred) might travel lightly and pursue the Amalekites swiftly, in order to overtake them. And now David and his men came to them, to the place where they had left them, and set them by the equipment. And behold, they went out to meet them when they saw from afar that they were coming.
“And David approached the people” – just as “to the people,” similar to “and he shall show it to the priest” (Leviticus 13:49) and “to whom have you uttered words?” (Job 26:4), and its meaning is that he drew near to them and inquired after their welfare. And Targum Jonathan renders: “And David stirred up the people,” and in another version: “And David drew near to the people.”
Metzudat David
"To the two hundred, etc." This means: adjacent to them.
And he seated them. David and his men seated them on the other side of the brook Besor, to guard the baggage.
"And they went out." From their place of dwelling:
Metzudat Zion
They were faint. They grew weak.
Malbim
"And David approached the people" – this implies that he drew near to them with love (and regarding this, the word "to" [et] is significant, indicating that he brought them close to himself through affection), to demonstrate that he harbored no resentment toward them for not having accompanied him. He inquired after their well-being, for since they had grown weary on the journey, he asked about the welfare of their bodies and their health.
Then answered all the wicked men and base fellows, of those that went with David, and said: ‘Because they went not with us, we will not give them aught of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart.’
verse value 6963
Insights
Verse structure: 22 words, 109 letters. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·evil·men" (כׇּל־אִֽישׁ־רָ֣ע, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 501: that, that, that. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "all·evil·men" (כׇּל־אִֽישׁ־רָ֣ע), "and·worthlessness" (וּבְלִיַּ֗עַל), "from·the·men" (מֵהָאֲנָשִׁים֮). The root איש appears 3 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·said" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "with·David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "that" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'we·recovered', dividing the verse into phrases of 17 and 5 words.
Metzudat David
“A man, etc.” – Every man with his wife and children, and let them lead their own away and go their way, but they shall not share with us in the spoils; not even from their own possessions shall they take.
Metzudat Zion
Because. Because.
Malbim
And every wicked and base man answered, after they saw that he had no intention of punishing them, they replied: “Is it not fitting that, since they did not go with us, we should punish them and not give them (not only from the general spoil) but also from the booty which we rescued, namely the spoil of Ziklag? Although it was initially their property, nothing was given to them from it except each man his wife and his children (for the captors did not acquire this, as there is no acquisition by non-Jews in Israelites), but from the property nothing was given to them, for we rescued it for ourselves according to the law of one who rescues from an army.” (And Scripture calls them “worthless men” and “scoundrels,” because on the one hand, since they dared to speak against David, they were rebels against the yoke [of authority], and on the other hand, since their eyes were evil toward their brethren, they were wicked.)
Then said David: ‘You shall not do so, my brethren, with that which Hashem has given to us, who has preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.
verse value 4829
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 67 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֥ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "so" (כֵ֖ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·troop" (אֶֽת־הַגְּד֛וּד, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "not·you·shall·do" (לֹא־תַעֲשׂ֥וּ), "that·gave" (אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֨ן), "and·kept" (וַיִּשְׁמֹ֣ר). 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 316x in I Samuel); "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·brothers', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 11 words.
Metzudat David
"that which He gave": This means to say: Did we take it by our own strength? Rather, it is that which the Lord gave us, and He preserved them, for not a man was missing from among us, and He delivered the company into our hands. And if it was done by the Lord, are we not all with the Lord?
Malbim
David said to them, “You shall not do so, my brothers.” He answered them with wisdom, integrity, and humble righteousness. He said to them: Know that what you said would have been correct if the salvation had depended on the strength of our hands, and if our hands had achieved the battle for us. But it is not so, my brothers; we have done nothing at all. Rather, the Lord is the one who fights, conquers, saves, and gives to us. This is from three aspects: First, that the Lord gave it to us, for the possession was given to us by Him. Second, in the middle, He guarded us so that the plunderer would not consume it. Third, at the end, He placed the raiding party that came upon us into our hands. And since everything was done by the Lord, and not by our might or our power, but only by merit and righteousness did we merit that the Lord fought for us and gave us the plunder, then logic dictates the opposite: those who sat by the baggage and did not pursue the enemy, due to their great trust in the salvation of the Lord—that He would save their property without any pursuit—surely their merit is greater than that of those who pursued and did not trust in this manner. And certainly, since those who sat by the baggage not only did not despair, as you say, but rather trusted in the Lord, on the contrary, it is by their merit that the Lord did all this for us, therefore:
And who will hearken to you in this matter? for as is the share of him that goes down to the battle, so shall be the share of him that tarries by the baggage; they shall share alike.’
verse value 2219
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 58 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֞י, 2 letters) and the longest is "by·the·baggage" (עַל־הַכֵּלִ֖ים, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "portion" (כְּחֵ֣לֶק), "and·as·portion·of" (וּֽכְחֵ֛לֶק), "that·dwells" (הַיֹּשֵׁ֥ב). The root חלק appears 3 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 161x in I Samuel); "to·the·matter" (root דבר, 113x in I Samuel); "this" (root זה, 79x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'this', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 9 words. Full calculation: וּמִי֙ [and·who] (56) + יִשְׁמַ֣ע [will·hearken] (420) + לָכֶ֔ם [to·you] (90) + לַדָּבָ֖ר [to·the·matter] (236) + הַזֶּ֑ה [this] (17) + כִּ֞י [for] (30) + כְּחֵ֣לֶק [portion] (158) + הַיֹּרֵ֣ד [descending/that·goes·down] (219) + בַּמִּלְחָמָ֗ה [battle] (125) + וּֽכְחֵ֛לֶק [and·as·portion·of] (164) + הַיֹּשֵׁ֥ב [that·dwells] (317) + עַל־הַכֵּלִ֖ים [by·the·baggage] (205) + יַחְדָּ֥ו [alike] (28) + יַחֲלֹֽקוּ [they·will·divide] (154) = 2219.
Radak
"They shall share alike." As is the portion of this one, so is the portion of that one; for they shall share alike.
Ralbag
For as the share of those who go down to war and the share of those who remain behind with the equipment are divided together. He said to them: To confirm that it is not fitting that you act as you have said, because a person’s merit in the spoils does not stem solely from risking their life by going down to war. For whoever goes down to war and whoever remains behind to guard the equipment from the men coming to war—they share with those who go down to war, even though the latter do not risk their lives there. And this is a clear matter. Therefore, it is not fitting for you to say that you alone merit the spoils because you went down to war. Added to this is the fact that this victory was not achieved by your mighty hand alone, but rather by divine assistance, due to the merit of all of us, both those who went and those who remained.
Metzudat David
"And who will heed you?" He means to say: Even if it was accomplished through the might of our hands, nevertheless, who will heed you regarding this matter? For in any case, they sat to guard the vessels. If so, it is proper to divide with them equally, for such has been the custom from of old, that it should be according to the share of one who goes down [into battle], etc., and they shall divide together without any precedence whatsoever for those who go down to war. For if they had not guarded the vessels, it would not have been possible for the warriors to fight.
Metzudat Zion
As the share, etc. And as the share, he means as this share, so this share.
Malbim
And who will listen to you regarding this matter, which is contrary to the truth and contrary to justice? For according to your words, that whoever caused the victory should take everything, it would be fitting, on the contrary, that those who remain to guard the equipment should take everything, for it is by their merit that the victory was achieved. And on the contrary, I teach that according to the portion of those who go to war and the portion of those who remain to guard the equipment—meaning that those who go to war, even though according to logic their merit is slight in all this—will take an equal share with those who remain to guard the equipment, whose merit is very great and who are the primary cause of the victory. To the extent that the fact that you take an equal share is the surprising and novel aspect.
And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.
verse value 1987
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 47 letters. The shortest word is "until" (עַ֖ד, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·to·judgment" (וּלְמִשְׁפָּט֙, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 17: that, this. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "and·he·made·it" (וַיְשִׂמֶ֜הָ), "to·statute" (לְחֹ֤ק), "and·to·judgment" (וּלְמִשְׁפָּט֙). The root יום appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·it·was" (root היה, 167x in I Samuel); "from·the·day" (root יום, 154x in I Samuel); "for·Israel" (root ישראל, 102x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·unfaithful or treacherous act', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 7 words. Full calculation: וַיְהִ֕י [and·it·was] (31) + מֵהַיּ֥וֹם [from·the·day] (101) + הַה֖וּא [that] (17) + וָמָ֑עְלָה [and·unfaithful or treacherous act] (151) + וַיְשִׂמֶ֜הָ [and·he·made·it] (361) + לְחֹ֤ק [to·statute] (138) + וּלְמִשְׁפָּט֙ [and·to·judgment] (465) + לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל [for·Israel] (571) + עַ֖ד [until] (74) + הַיּ֥וֹם [day] (61) + הַזֶּֽה [this] (17) = 1987.
Rashi
From that day and onward. It was not said 'and onward,' but 'and upward.' For already Avraham led in this law (Genesis 14:24): 'Only that which the boys have eaten,' etc. — they who sit upon the vessels. 'And the portion of the men' — those who go in war — in Bereishit Rabbah (43:9).
Ralbag
And behold, David made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel. They shall share in the spoils until this very day, and to publicize the miracle that God, blessed be He, performed for David, and his generosity—he sent from the spoils to the elders of Judah, to his companions in all the places mentioned here.
Metzudat David
"And it came to pass..." This means: Thus David established it as a permanent practice, and he made this matter a statute and an ordinance for Israel.
"Until this day." This means: Until the time when Israel went into exile, and they no longer engaged in warfare.
Metzudat Zion
To a statute. To a fixed thing.
And to an ordinance. To a custom, and the matter is repeated in different words.
Malbim
"And it came to pass from that day and onward, that he established it as a statute and ordinance in Israel." This means that the custom enacted among the nations, which has no rational explanation, is called a *chok* (statute), whereas a matter that has a logical reason is called a *mishpat* (ordinance). Now, this enactment—that the one who sits by the baggage should take an equal share with the one who goes to war—is, on the surface, a *chok* and not a *mishpat*, since it lacks an apparent reason. However, David explained the reason for this statute: its foundation is built on the fact that Israel’s war and their victory are not by their strength and might, but rather by their merit, through God’s providence who fights for them. Thus, according to this, there is no difference between the fighter and the one who sits by the baggage and prays. Therefore, he also called this a *mishpat* in Israel, for among Israel it is a logical *mishpat* and not merely a *chok*. Our Sages of blessed memory said in Genesis Rabbah: Rabbi Yudan said, "It does not say here 'and onward' (*vehalah*), but rather 'and upward' (*vema'alah*), teaching us this matter from our forefather Abraham, as it is stated: 'Only that which the young men ate' etc." This means that there is a distinction between *vehalah* and *vema'alah* when referring to time. Whenever it says *vema'alah*, it counts the preceding time together with the later time in terms of numerical value, such as "if from five years old and upward" and "if from sixty years old and upward," where every year after sixty is higher in number compared to the number before sixty. This is not the case when it says *vehalah*, which does not speak in terms of combining the preceding number. According to this, it would not have been appropriate to say here *vema'alah*, but rather *vehalah*. And on this basis they interpreted that he also looked at the aspect of past time, for this statute had already existed for Abraham, who decreed that the share of the men who went with him (i.e., those who went to war) and the share of Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre, who sat by the baggage, would take their share equally. He also explained this reason in what he said, "I have lifted my hand to the Lord," meaning: I have lifted my victorious hands to the Lord, for He is the fighter and He is the victor. Therefore, "from a thread even to the shoelaces," for it is Yours, and I did not merit it by the strength of my hand. For this reason, he established that Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre should divide with the young men.
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 Hashem’;
verse value 2681
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 64 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "David" (דָוִד֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·Ziklag" (אֶל־צִ֣קְלַ֔ג, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "to·Ziklag" (אֶל־צִ֣קְלַ֔ג), "the·elders·of" (לְזִקְנֵ֥י), "to·his·neighbor" (לְרֵעֵ֣הוּ). The root שלל appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "saying" (root אמר, 418x in I Samuel); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 316x in I Samuel); "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'saying', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 6 words.
Rashi
To his friend. To his friends.
Radak
“to his friend, saying”: Just as it is written “to his friends,” so too here; and similarly, “shield of strength” is like “his mighty ones.” This refers to when he prays on behalf of his friend, on behalf of his friends.
Metzudat Zion
To his fellow. To each and every fellow, similarly (Job 42:10): 'when he prayed for his fellow'.
Blessing. A gift and a present, similarly (above 25:27): 'now the blessing'.
Malbim
"And he sent from the spoil": After he had plundered the Negev of Judah and the Negev of Caleb, he wished to return the stolen property, and in the course of doing so, he sent a blessing to all the places as a remembrance of the miracle.
to them that were in Beth-el, and to them that were in Ramoth of the South, and to them that were in Jattir;
verse value 3365
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 32 letters. The shortest word is "to·whom" (לַאֲשֶׁ֧ר, 4 letters) and the longest is "in·Ramoth·of·the·South" (בְּרָמֽוֹת־נֶ֖גֶב, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 537: and·to·whom, and·to·whom. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "to·whom" (לַאֲשֶׁ֧ר), "in·Beth-el" (בְּבֵֽית־אֵ֛ל), "in·Ramoth·of·the·South" (בְּרָמֽוֹת־נֶ֖גֶב). The root אשר appears 3 times in this verse. 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·whom" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel); "in·Beth-el" (root בית, 75x in I Samuel). Full calculation: לַאֲשֶׁ֧ר [to·whom] (531) + בְּבֵֽית־אֵ֛ל [in·Beth-el] (445) + וְלַאֲשֶׁ֥ר [and·to·whom] (537) + בְּרָמֽוֹת־נֶ֖גֶב [in·Ramoth·of·the·South] (703) + וְלַאֲשֶׁ֥ר [and·to·whom] (537) + בְּיַתִּֽר [in·Jattir] (612) = 3365.
Metzudat David
"To those, etc. To the elders of Judah, his companions, who are in Bethel, etc.:"
and to them that were in Aroer, and to them that were in Siphmoth, and to them that were in Eshtemoa;
verse value 3794
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 32 letters. The shortest word is "and·to·whom" (וְלַאֲשֶׁ֧ר, 5 letters) and the longest is "in·Siphmoth" (בְּשִֽׂפְמ֖וֹת, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 537: and·to·whom, and·to·whom, and·to·whom. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "in·Aroer" (בַּעֲרֹעֵ֛ר), "in·Siphmoth" (בְּשִֽׂפְמ֖וֹת), "in·Eshtemoa" (בְּאֶשְׁתְּמֹֽעַ). The root אשר appears 3 times in this verse. 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·to·whom" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel). Full calculation: וְלַאֲשֶׁ֧ר [and·to·whom] (537) + בַּעֲרֹעֵ֛ר [in·Aroer] (542) + וְלַאֲשֶׁ֥ר [and·to·whom] (537) + בְּשִֽׂפְמ֖וֹת [in·Siphmoth] (828) + וְלַאֲשֶׁ֥ר [and·to·whom] (537) + בְּאֶשְׁתְּמֹֽעַ [in·Eshtemoa] (813) = 3794.
and to them that were in Racal, and to them that were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to them that were in the cities of the Kenites;
verse value 2906
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "in·Racal" (בְּרָכָ֗ל, 4 letters) and the longest is "the·Jerahmeelites" (הַיְּרַחְמְאֵלִ֔י, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 537: and·to·whom, and·to·whom, and·to·whom. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "in·Racal" (בְּרָכָ֗ל). The root אשר appears 3 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·to·whom" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel); "in·cities·of" (root עיר, 34x in I Samuel). Full calculation: וְלַאֲשֶׁ֣ר [and·to·whom] (537) + בְּרָכָ֗ל [in·Racal] (252) + וְלַֽאֲשֶׁר֙ [and·to·whom] (537) + בְּעָרֵ֣י [in·cities·of] (282) + הַיְּרַחְמְאֵלִ֔י [the·Jerahmeelites] (304) + וְלַאֲשֶׁ֖ר [and·to·whom] (537) + בְּעָרֵ֥י [in·cities·of] (282) + הַקֵּינִֽי [the·Kenites] (175) = 2906.
and to them that were in Hormah, and to them that were in Bor-ashan, and to them that were in Athach;
verse value 2988
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 31 letters. Verse gematria: 2988 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "in·Athach" (בַּעֲתָֽךְ, 4 letters) and the longest is "in·Bor-ashan·and·to·that·which" (בְּבוֹר־עָשָׁ֖ן, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 537: and·to·whom, and·to·whom, and·to·whom. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "in·Hormah" (בְּחׇרְמָ֛ה), "in·Bor-ashan·and·to·that·which" (בְּבוֹר־עָשָׁ֖ן), "in·Athach" (בַּעֲתָֽךְ). The root אשר appears 3 times in this verse. 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·to·whom" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel). Full calculation: וְלַאֲשֶׁ֧ר [and·to·whom] (537) + בְּחׇרְמָ֛ה [in·Hormah] (255) + וְלַאֲשֶׁ֥ר [and·to·whom] (537) + בְּבוֹר־עָשָׁ֖ן [in·Bor-ashan·and·to·that·which] (630) + וְלַאֲשֶׁ֥ר [and·to·whom] (537) + בַּעֲתָֽךְ [in·Athach] (492) = 2988.
and to them that were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were wont to haunt.
verse value 3182
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 43 letters. Verse gematria: 3182 is divisible by 86, the value of Elohim. The shortest word is "David" (דָּוִ֖ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·to·all·the·places" (וּֽלְכׇל־הַמְּקֹמ֛וֹת, 10 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in I Samuel. Unique to this verse in I Samuel (hapax): "in·Hebron" (בְּחֶבְר֑וֹן), "and·to·all·the·places" (וּֽלְכׇל־הַמְּקֹמ֛וֹת), "where·he·walked·there" (אֲשֶֽׁר־הִתְהַלֶּךְ־שָׁ֥ם). The root אשר appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "David" (root דוד, 262x in I Samuel); "and·to·whom" (root אשר, 229x in I Samuel); "and·his·men" (root איש, 201x in I Samuel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·Hebron', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 5 words. Full calculation: וְלַאֲשֶׁ֖ר [and·to·whom] (537) + בְּחֶבְר֑וֹן [in·Hebron] (268) + וּֽלְכׇל־הַמְּקֹמ֛וֹת [and·to·all·the·places] (677) + אֲשֶֽׁר־הִתְהַלֶּךְ־שָׁ֥ם [where·he·walked·there] (1301) + דָּוִ֖ד [David] (14) + ה֥וּא [you] (12) + וַאֲנָשָֽׁיו [and·his·men] (373) = 3182.
Rashi
In which David walked there. That they were hiding him from Sha'ul.
Radak
“Who walked there.” This means that he used to walk among them, from place to place, when he was fleeing; they would hide him and do him kindnesses. He, in turn, also did a kindness by taking from the spoil. Furthermore, that spoil was from the land of Judah, as the Egyptian servant said: “We raided the Negev, the region of Kerethi, and those who belonged to Judah, etc.”
Metzudat David
“Who walked there.” At the time they fled from Saul:
Radak
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim