1 Samuel 30:22 Meaning and Explanation
“Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Greedy men among David's troops insist the two hundred get nothing but their own families back, no share of the spoil.
What Does 1 Samuel 30:22 Mean?
Some among David's fighters — called wicked men and men of Belial — demand that the two hundred who stayed behind receive none of the recovered spoil. Let them take back their own wives and children, they say, and be sent away with nothing more. Victory has stirred up greed and contempt for the weaker brothers.
The narrator's harsh label exposes the spirit at work: this is the heart that measures worth by usefulness and would hoard God's gifts as private wages. Such a spirit always shadows blessing, tempting the strong to despise the weak and to forget who gave the victory. The chapter sets this grasping voice against David's about to answer, drawing the line between the way of Belial and the way of the LORD.
1 Samuel 30:22 in the Original Language
Belial (בְּלִיַּעַל) denotes worthlessness or lawlessness; 'men of Belial' are utterly base, good-for-nothing men.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Samuel 30:22
What does 1 Samuel 30:22 mean?
Greedy men among David's troops insist the two hundred get nothing but their own families back, no share of the spoil.