1 Samuel 30:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: We had made a raid against the Negeb of the Cherethites and against that which belongs to Judah and against the Negeb of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire."

NIV: We raided the Negev of the Kerethites, some territory belonging to Judah and the Negev of Caleb. And we burned Ziklag."

NASB: We carried out an attack on the Negev of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the Negev of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.'

CSB: We raided the south country of the Cherethites, the territory of Judah, and the south country of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag."

NLT: We were on our way back from raiding the Kerethites in the Negev, the territory of Judah, and the land of Caleb, and we had just burned Ziklag.'

KJV: We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.

NKJV: We made an invasion of the southern area of the Cherethites, in the territory which belongs to Judah, and of the southern area of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.”

First Samuel 30:1–15 describes Amalekite revenge. David and his men have been raiding Israel's enemies, including the Amalekites. Whatever city David's men attack, they leave no survivors (1 Samuel 27:8–11). While David and his men are away, other Amalekites strike back, kidnapping the Israelites' families. Under God's guidance, David's soldiers will rescue their wives and children (1 Samuel 30:16–31).

David and his men return home to find their city burned and their families gone. Amalekite raiders have taken them captive. The mood is dark, but David insists on trusting the Lord's promise that their people will be rescued. After being revived from near-starvation, an Egyptian slave abandoned by the Amalekites leads David and his men to the raiders. David’s wives and all the families are rescued, and David sends of the massive plunder the Amalekites had acquired to the people of the cities of Judah.

David and his men return from the ranks of the Philistine troops gathering for war (1 Samuel 29). They find their city is burnt and all their people are gone. David and his men attack the raiders, rescue their families alive, and kill every enemy except for 400 who escape on camelback. David sends some of the plunder to the cities of Judah. Meanwhile, King Saul dies in battle (1 Samuel 31). Before long, the leaders of Judah will anoint David king (2 Samuel 2:1–4).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.