“When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the leaders of Y’hudah who were his friends with a note, ‘Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of Adonai.‘ He sent such gifts…
to those in Beit-El,
to those in Ramot,
to those in Yatir,
to those in ‘Aro‘er,
to those in Sifmot,
to those in Esht’moa,
to those in Rakhal,
to those in Yerachme’eli,
to those in the cities of the Keni,
to those in Hormah,
to those in Kor-‘Ashan,
to those in ‘Atakh,
to those in Hevron,
and to all the places where David and his men had frequently visited.”
-1 Samuel 30:26-31
In the closing verses of 1 Samuel Chapter 30, we see David flexing his political muscles.
He used the war booty he took from the Amalekites to honor his fellow tribe members.
This is similar to how a Prime Minister or President might invite a special group of people to his government headquarters for a banquet.
The leaders in verses 26-31 were those David believed would support his return to Judah.
Their leadership and influence were important for David as he prepared to assume the throne.
The villages mentioned had suffered from attacks by the Amalekites, the Philistines, or both.
So, David could explain to his 600 men why he was giving away all the loot they had fought for.
After all, his men were also in need.
Their homes and businesses were destroyed, leaving them in ruins.
While David showed generosity and mercy, it’s important to remember that leaders often gain loyalty by giving away wealth their people worked hard for, even if it wasn’t voluntary.
The last part of this chapter shows that some of the loot was also given to smaller places in Judah that had helped David before.
Some folks may argue whether sharing the loot was a Godly thing to do.
Well, Godly or not, it was politically smart.
And that’s your takeaway for today.
A lot of folks try to separate God from their professional lives.
I think that’s wrong.
It’s important to bring God into our work, especially during challenging times like tough business negotiations or when we have to decide who to partner with or who we have to let go.
God should be a part of EVERY aspect of your life…not just restricted to a couple of hours on Shabbat or Sunday.
With the Lord’s guidance, we can stay honest, kind, and wise, making sure that at the end of the day, everyone is treated fairly.
Ya feel me?
Alrighty, today we finish up Chapter 30.
The next time we meet, we shall begin the last chapter of 1st Samuel.
See ya all next time.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“Pay attention!
I am sending you out like
sheep among wolves,
so be as prudent as snakes
and as harmless as doves.”
-Matthew 10:16
NEXT TIME WE BEGIN FIRST SAMUEL CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Leave a Reply