As David was leaving Aphek, a large number of followers came to him from the tribe of Manasseh (1 Chr. 12:19-22) – of whom, no fewer than seven were afterwards ranked as captains of thousands in the army of Israel. Here was another proof of the Lord’s tender thoughtfulness for David, because at no time of his life was he in greater need of reinforcements than now! God knows of our coming trials, and He reinforces us against their imminence and pressure. To use the language of Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress – we are taken into the House Beautiful to be armed, before we descend into the valley of conflict with Apollyon.

Three days after leaving Achish, David and his men reached their homes in Ziklag. But what a terrible sight greeted their eyes! Instead of seeing a happy village, whose streets were full of boys and girls playing, whose doorways were crowded with the welcomes of wives and children, and whose homes were full of contented cheerfulness – they beheld only a heap of smoking ruins, broken walls, blackened timbers, and the desolation of utter silence. The Amalekites had taken vengeance for David’s repeated raids upon them (chapter 27:8). They had made an incursion into the region, especially upon Ziklag. And in the absence of its defenders, the place was an easy prey! After destroying the town, the Amalekites took with them all the women and children – as well as the cattle and any other booty upon which they could lay their wicked hands.

What a terrible surprise! The first effect upon David and his men was great sorrow as they looked upon the desolation which the Amalekites had made. But then their sadness gave place to anger, and they upbraided their leader for taking them to the Philistine army and leaving their homes unprotected. They even talked of stoning him! This greatly distressed David. It was bitter enough to have lost his own family, and now he was in danger of his life from the mutiny of his men. Had God spared him only to perish in this manner?

But all this brought David to his knees and to his faith again! In this seemingly hopeless difficulty, he “strengthened himself in Jehovah his God” by faith and prayer. In that dreadful hour, his heart suddenly sprang back into its old resting-place in the shelter of his God! Often, in our own lives, the Lord will burn down our “Ziklag” of earthly comfort or dependence, in which we tend to place our trust – all to the end that He may turn our distracted attention away from the paths of sin or worldliness which we have been pursuing, and bring us back to Himself again!

David bade Abiathar bring him the priestly ephod, and he enquired of the Lord as to whether he should pursue the Amalekites. And the answer was even fuller than he had asked, for it promised him complete success! With marvelous vigor, he and his men arose to pursue the plundering troop of Amalekites. So rapid was the chase, that when they reached the brook Besor, 200 of the men were so weary that they could go no farther. But the pursuers soon came on the track of the Amalekites! They found an Egyptian slave who had fallen sick and been left behind by his inhumane Amalekite master. Food soon revived the man; and upon a promise of safety, he offered to be the guide of David’s party to the place which he knew the Amalekites had fixed upon as being sufficiently far from Ziklag to permit them to feast in safety upon their plunder. Their victory was short-lived indeed! It was the twilight – the beginning, no doubt, of a night of wild feasting and reveling – when David surprised them. They were “lying about on the ground, eating and drinking, and dancing.” No watch had been set; no weapon was in any man’s hands; no danger was suspected. David probably surrounded the camping-place; and then, with shouts of vengeance, the infuriated Hebrews fell upon the enemy! All night long, and all the next day, the slaughter lasted. Only 400 servant-lads, who had charge of the Amalekites’ camels, managed to escape. Everything that had been taken from Ziklag by the Amalekites was recovered – besides the flocks and herds of the enemy, which were given to David as his share of the spoil. But best of all, the women and children were rescued – safe and unhurt! 

On their return-march, David and his band came again to the 200 men who had been too faint to accompany them; but the wicked ones among his followers proposed that they would only restore these men their wives and children, and not their possessions which had been recovered from the Amalekites. Not only did David skillfully maintain discipline among such men as these, but he was also gentle in his dealings with them; and the earnest piety with which he knew how to tame their wild passions proves the spiritual integrity of his heart (Ps. 78:72). Moreover, another of David’s beautiful character traits was his attachment to his friends who had stood by him in seasons of distress. He sent presents from the spoils of the Amalekites to the elders of the various cities in the southern parts of Judah. These men had proved to be his friends during his wanderings, by giving him help in his time of need. In addition to grateful acknowledgment of past aid, David’s intention in this must have also been to prepare the people for publicly recognizing him – at the proper time – as their anointed leader, who would make “spoil of the enemies of Jehovah.” But unknown to David, that time had already come!

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