David’s Distress

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from 1 Samuel 30:1-15. It took David and his men three days to get to Ziklag. When they arrived they found that the Amalekites had invaded Ziklag and burned it. They also took the women and children captive.

When David and the other men found that their wives and children had been taken they were so upset they cried until they couldn’t cry anymore.

David was so distraught because his wives Ahinoam and Abigail were taken captive. On top of that the people were talking about stoning David because they were upset as well.

David’s had nobody to turn to. His only encouragement during this time was the LORD. His friends had turned against him. David asked Abiathar, the priest, who was Ahimalech’s son, to bring him the ephod.

David used the ephod and prayed to the LORD asking him if he should pursue the troops who had invaded Ziklag, burned it and captured their loved ones. The LORD confirmed to David that he should move forward and go after them. He also assured David that he would be able to recover all that was taken from them.

David and six hundred of his men pursed to the brook of Besor. Two hundred of the men stayed there because they were too exhausted to move forward. The other four hundred soldiers pursued further.

They found an Egyptian young man in the field. They brought him to David. The young man was weak because he hadn’t had anything to eat or drink in three days and nights. They gave the young man something to eat (a cake made of figs and some raisins) and something to drink. He started to feel better soon after they fed him.

David asked the young man who he was. He told David that he was a servant to an Amalekite. He said he got sick and wasn’t able to continue so his master left him in the field.

The young man informed David they invaded the south of the Cherethites, the coast of Judah, south of Caleb; and they burned Ziklag.

David asked him, if he could bring them down to his company. The young man told him he would if David would swear to him before God, that he wouldn’t kill him, or deliver him into the hands of his master.

Daily Bible Reading:
1 Samuel 30:1-15

1 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;
2 And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.
3 So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.
4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
5 And David’s two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.
7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.
8 And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.
9 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.
10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor.
11 And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water;
12 And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.
13 And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick.
14 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.
15 And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company.

Things to think about:

How long did it take David and his men to get back to Ziklag?

What did they find when they arrived at Ziklag?

How did David and his men respond to their findings?

Where did David go to seek advice about what to do in this situation?

What did David decide to do?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we study this Scripture, we see that David and his men were in distress. They had lost everything that was important to them. The only one David had to turn to was You. Help us to realize that You are always with us, even when every one else has deserted us. Help us to treasure our relationship with You, not only when we are in trouble, but every day. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Christian Music Video: “Where Can I Go, But to the Lord” – Elvis Presley

PS. Thank you for coming to DeborahHBateman.com to study the Bible with us. Come back again tomorrow. Please invite your friends and family to join us for Bible Study. We will continue with the study of The Book of 1 Samuel.

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