1 Samuel 30:26-31

1 Samuel 30:26-31

[26] 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;  [27] To them  which were in Bethel,  Ramoth,  and to them which were in Jattir,  [28] And to them which were in Aroer,  and to them which were in Siphmoth,  and to them which were in Eshtemoa,  [29] And to them which were in Rachal,  and to them which were in the cities  of the Jerahmeelites,  and to them which were in the cities  of the Kenites,  [30] And to them which were in Hormah,  and to them which were in Chorashan,  and to them which were in Athach,  [31] And to them which were in Hebron,  and to all the places  where David  were wont to haunt. 

What does 1 Samuel 30:26-31 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

David also distributed some of the war plunder to the elders of Judah. [1] He evidently did so because he viewed the booty as coming from the enemies of all Judah, even the enemies of the Lord ( 1 Samuel 30:26). He may have also done this to curry favor with the elders. They later anointed David king over the house of Judah ( 2 Samuel 2:4; 2 Samuel 5:1-3). David"s propensity to give made his new kingdom possible.
"Many victorious kings have used surplus plunder to enrich themselves and to build grandiose palaces; David used these first spoils to show his gratitude to the citizens of those areas and towns in Judah where he and his men had wandered when being pursued by Saul." [2]
This chapter presents many qualities that mark strong, effective leadership. These include empathy ( 1 Samuel 30:4), faith ( 1 Samuel 30:6; 1 Samuel 30:8; 1 Samuel 30:23; 1 Samuel 30:26), decisiveness ( 1 Samuel 30:10), kindness ( 1 Samuel 30:12), persistence ( 1 Samuel 30:17), integrity ( 1 Samuel 30:23), fairness ( 1 Samuel 30:24), and generosity ( 1 Samuel 30:21-31), to name a few. We can also see development in David"s restraint as compared to his dealings with Nabal (cf. ch25). David"s effectiveness also contrasts with Saul"s ineffectiveness as a leader.
"Saul, disobeying God"s prophet, defeated the Amalekites but lost his kingdom (ch15); David, seeking God"s will, defeats the Amalekites and embarks on his reign (ch30)." [3]
One of the strongest emphases in this chapter is David"s generosity. When God gives blessings, His people should view them as His gifts to us. We should share them with our fellow spiritual warriors and with our fellow spiritual citizens (cf. Hebrews 13:16; Romans 12:13; 1 Corinthians 12:14-26; Galatians 6:10).