1 samuel 30:17 - David struck them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day. Not a man of them escaped from there, except four hundred young men, who rode on camels and fled.

Generated Verse: 1 samuel 30:17

What does "1 samuel 30:17" mean?


This verse, 1 Samuel 30:17, describes the aftermath of David's pursuit of the Amalekites who had raided Ziklag and taken the women and children captive. Let's break it down:

"David struck them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day." This indicates a fierce and prolonged battle. David's forces fought the Amalekites relentlessly for nearly a full 24-hour period, from the late afternoon/evening into the following evening. The phrase "twilight even to the evening" emphasizes the totality and duration of the fight.

"Not a man of them escaped from there..." This highlights the overwhelming victory David achieved. He completely routed the Amalekite raiders.

"...except four hundred young men, who rode on camels and fled." This is the only exception to the complete annihilation of the Amalekite raiding party. 400 young men managed to escape, likely because they were on camels, which were faster than David's forces on foot (or perhaps some on donkeys, as mentioned earlier in the chapter). This emphasizes the small scale of the escape relative to the massive defeat of the Amalekite force overall. Their escape wouldn't detract from the completeness of David's triumph.

In essence, the verse conveys:

David's decisive and thorough victory over the Amalekite raiders.
The length and intensity of the battle.
The almost complete annihilation of the Amalekite force, with only a small group escaping.
The fact that those who escaped were young and had the benefit of camels for rapid transport.

It sets the stage for the subsequent events in the chapter, where David recovers everything that was taken, including his own family and the possessions of his men. The thoroughness of the victory, with so few escaping, underscores the divine favor David enjoyed and the importance of this victory in restoring the fortunes of David and his men.