But David said, “My brothers, you must not do this with what the LORD has given us. He has protected us and delivered into our hands the raiders who came against us.
Parallel translations
- WEB Then David said, “Do not do so, my brothers, with that which Yahweh has given to us, who has preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.
- KJV Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand.
- NKJV But David said, “My brethren, you shall not do so with what the Lord has given us, who has preserved us and delivered into our hand the troop that came against us.
- NASB But David said, “You must not do so, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us, for He has protected us and handed over to us the band of raiders that came against us.
- NLT But David said, “No, my brothers! Don’t be selfish with what the Lord has given us. He has kept us safe and helped us defeat the band of raiders that attacked us.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David refuses the greedy demand, insisting the victory and spoil are gifts from the LORD. He reframes the plunder as grace, not earnings.
Overview
David calls the grumblers 'my brothers' and corrects them by pointing to God as the one who preserved them and gave the enemy into their hand. Because the victory is the LORD's gift, it cannot be hoarded as a reward for the deserving. This gospel-shaped logic, that what is received by grace is to be shared in grace, undercuts all self-righteous claims to merit.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Deut 8:18But remember that it is the LORD your God who gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant that He swore to your fathers even to this day.
- Ps 121:7–8The LORD will guard you from all evil; He will preserve your soul.
- Ps 44:2–7With Your hand You drove out the nations and planted our fathers there; You crushed the peoples and cast them out.
- Gen 19:7“Please, my brothers,” he pleaded, “don’t do such a wicked thing!
- Deut 8:10When you eat and are satisfied, you are to bless the LORD your God for the good land that He has given you.
- Judg 19:23The owner of the house went out and said to them, “No, my brothers, do not do this wicked thing! After all, this man is a guest in my house. Do not commit this outrage.
- 1 Sam 2:7The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts.
- Acts 22:1“Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.”
- Num 31:49–54and said, “Your servants have counted the soldiers under our command, and not one of us is missing.
- Acts 7:2And Stephen declared: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
- 1 Sam 30:8and David inquired of the LORD: “Should I pursue these raiders? Will I overtake them?” “Pursue them,” the LORD replied, “for you will surely overtake them and rescue the captives.”
- 1 Chr 29:12–14Both riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler over all. In Your hands are power and might to exalt and give strength to all.
- Hab 1:16Therefore he sacrifices to his dragnet and burns incense to his fishing net, for by these things his portion is sumptuous and his food is rich.
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 30:23 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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