1 Samuel 30:21

1 Samuel 30:21 Meaning and Explanation

And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them.

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David returns to the two hundred who had stayed at the brook, and greets them warmly.

What Does 1 Samuel 30:21 Mean?

Returning in triumph, David comes again to the two hundred men left behind at the brook Besor, too faint to follow. They come out to meet him and his company, and when David draws near, he greets them — literally, he asks after their welfare. There is no scorn in his approach, only blessing.

David's first act toward the weak is kindness, not reproach. The victorious leader does not despise those who could not keep pace; he greets them as brothers. This moment frames the dispute about to arise, setting David's generous spirit against the hardness others will show. The shepherd-heart that strengthens itself in God also makes room for the spent and the weary, refusing to count them as less than the rest.

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What does 1 Samuel 30:21 mean?

David returns to the two hundred who had stayed at the brook, and greets them warmly.

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