The Meaning of 1 Samuel 30:16 Explained

1 Samuel 30:16

KJV: And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.

YLT: And he bringeth him down, and lo, they are spread out over the face of all the earth, eating, and drinking, and feasting, with all the great spoil which they have taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.

Darby: And he brought him down, and behold, they were spread over the whole land, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.

ASV: And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the ground, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And when he had brought him down,  behold, [they were] spread abroad  upon all  the earth,  eating  and drinking,  and dancing,  because of all the great  spoil  that they had taken  out of the land  of the Philistines,  and out of the land  of Judah. 

What does 1 Samuel 30:16 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 30:16-31 - Sharing The Spoil
He that lays hold on God's strength will be courteous in his behavior to the weak and weary, and will not quail before the clamor of men of Belial. Thus we are not surprised to learn that David kindly inquired of the two hundred as to their welfare, 1 Samuel 30:21, r.v. margin, and insisted that they should share equally with those who went to battle. This was a beautiful instance of sanctified common sense, and the reasonableness of the decision appealed to his followers. The gains and losses of the whole band must be shared equally by those at the front and in the rear. This is God's rule! He that receives the prophet shall have the prophet's reward. Girls who stay at home to care for aged mothers, instead of becoming missionaries; young men who maintain orphaned brothers and sisters; invalids confined to their rooms-let such take heart. They shall share in the victory of their Lord. David's thankful joy yielded practical fruit in his generous gifts to those who had showed him kindness in his adversity. Gratitude is the trait of a noble nature. Let us share our possessions with others less favored, and increase our own enjoyment, 2 Corinthians 8:14-15. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 30

1  The Amalekites raid Ziklag
4  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

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 30:16 mean?

And when he had brought him down and there they were spread out on over all the land eating and drinking and dancing because of all the spoil great which they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah
וַיֹּ֣רִדֵ֔הוּ וְהִנֵּ֥ה נְטֻשִׁ֖ים עַל־ פְּנֵ֣י כָל־ הָאָ֑רֶץ אֹכְלִ֤ים וְשֹׁתִים֙ וְחֹ֣גְגִ֔ים בְּכֹל֙ הַשָּׁלָ֣ל הַגָּד֔וֹל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָקְח֛וּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים וּמֵאֶ֥רֶץ יְהוּדָֽה

וַיֹּ֣רִדֵ֔הוּ  And  when  he  had  brought  him  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
וְהִנֵּ֥ה  and  there  they  were 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
נְטֻשִׁ֖ים  spread  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine plural
Root: נָטַשׁ  
Sense: to leave, permit, forsake, cast off or away, reject, suffer, join, spread out or abroad, be loosed, cease, abandon, quit, hang loose, cast down, make a raid, lie fallow, let fall, forgo, draw.
פְּנֵ֣י  over 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הָאָ֑רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
אֹכְלִ֤ים  eating 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
וְשֹׁתִים֙  and  drinking 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: שָׁתָה  
Sense: to drink.
וְחֹ֣גְגִ֔ים  and  dancing 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: חָגַג  
Sense: to hold a feast, hold a festival, make pilgrimage, keep a pilgrim-feast, celebrate, dance, stagger.
בְּכֹל֙  because  of  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הַשָּׁלָ֣ל  the  spoil 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלָל  
Sense: prey, plunder, spoil, booty.
הַגָּד֔וֹל  great 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
לָקְח֛וּ  they  had  taken 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
מֵאֶ֥רֶץ  from  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים  of  the  Philistines 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
וּמֵאֶ֥רֶץ  and  from  the  land 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
יְהוּדָֽה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.