# 1 Samuel Chapter 30
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## Summary
David returns home to discover that the Amalekites have raided the Negeb and burned Ziklag with fire carrying of the women with them. Davids men upon making this discovery are distraught, even Davids wives have been carried off. The men begin to turn against David who seeks the council of the Lord. The Lord advises that he should go after them and will overtake them.

David leaves with six hundred men but two hundred remain behind at the brook Besor who are exhausted and pursues with four hundred. The men discover an Egyptian in the desert and they feed him and give him water and he reveals he was with but has since been abandoned by the Amalekites. The Egyptian agrees to lead David to the Amalekitse in exchange for amnesty.

David then leads the four hundred men and they utterly destroy the Amalekites except for four hundred men who mounting camels fled. David and the men return to the two hundred who remained behind and some men suggest they should not share in the spoils but David has other plans. David also sends tributes to the elders of Judah.

## Summarium Meditatio
Following his discharge from the army of the Philistines David returns to Ziklag to permit the armies to engage on their own terms, thereby observing the required level of neutrality. Yet on his arrival he finds that his position is far from neutral. Instead raiders from the Amalekites have carried off the women and young and put his city to fire and the sword.

Yet his response is evidence of his leadership capacity. He begin by enquiring of the Lord[^1], pursues his enemy demonstrating his faith in the assurances of God[^2]. He then seeks counsel from one abandoned by his enemy to gain much needed intelligence and consider an appropriate plan of attack[^3]. Finally he acts, enacting his plans and recovering everything that has been carried off[^4].

What strikes me about this is that David makes do with what he has. Men threatening to stone you and your family? Let's find some guys to fix the problem. Six hundred men soon becomes four hundred? No problem David still has you covered. Furthermore David is going to make sure that even if you were not able to ride out with him that you get your spoil. This is how a leader wins friends and influences people. This is very calculated a shrewd actions, and clear evidence of David's leadership capacity. 

[^1]: [1 Sam 30:7-8](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Sam+30%3A7-8&version=ESV)
[^2]: [1 Sam 30:7-8](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Sam+30%3A9-10&version=ESV)
[^3]: [1 Sam 30:11-15](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Sam+30%3A11-15&version=ESV)
[^4]: [1 Sam 30:18-20](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Sam+30%3A18-20&version=ESV)