1 Samuel 30:26 Commentary and Bible Study

So far from allowing those wicked men to hoard the spoil for themselves, David distributes it far and wide to the many cities which he and his men had been in the habit of visiting (he had been restricted in his movement, and so we know that these cities mentioned were all in that locality). They were well aware of his raiding parties against Israel’s enemies. They knew, even if Achish did not, what was really going on, and they must have been immensely grateful to David for defending them. He was acting in the capacity of their king, even if he was blocked from taking the throne at present. Now God has given him this tremendous victory and capture of this large amount of enemy treasure. Some of it may well have come from these cities listed here, for the Egyptian had reported that the Amalekites ‘had made an invasion … upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb’. But it is the Lord’s spoil, and it should be distributed to the Lord’s people. Why should David keep it for himself? David is fighting for Israel, not for himself. He commends himself to the people as a king who is not going to take advantage of them to enrich himself, but who loves his people and defends them and provides for them. This was to be the first step in rallying the nation to begin the fightback against the Philistines. In the kingdom of heaven, the treasures which are won in battle, through the assault made on the prince of darkness and his troops; they are distributed to all, in that all rejoice together in the advance of Christ’s cause and the salvation of lost souls have been brought to know Christ.