King James Version

What Does 1 Samuel 30:14 Mean?

1 Samuel 30:14 in the King James Version says “We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south o...” — study this verse from 1 Samuel chapter 30 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.”

1 Samuel 30:14 · KJV

Context

12

And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.

13

And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite ; and my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick.

14

We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.

15

And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company.

16

And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.

Read 1 Samuel 30 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
The Egyptian's report catalogues the Amalekite raid's extent: the Cherethites (Philistine mercenaries), Judah's territory, and Caleb's portion. The burning of Ziklag is mentioned specifically. This comprehensive raiding indicates a major Amalekite expedition, not a small band. The geographic scope shows they exploited the Philistine army's absence to raid widely. David now understands the full extent of the disaster and the enemy's direction of travel.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

The Cherethites were associated with Philistine territory, possibly Cretan in origin. Caleb's inheritance in the Hebron region had been given at the conquest (Joshua 14). The raid's breadth indicates significant Amalekite strength.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does understanding the full scope of a problem help in addressing it?
  2. What intelligence gathering precedes effective action against enemies?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 14 words
אֲנַ֡חְנוּ1 of 14
H587

we

פָּשַׁ֜טְנוּ2 of 14

“We made an invasion”

H6584

to spread out (i.e., deploy in hostile array); by analogy, to strip (i.e., unclothe, plunder, flay, etc.)

נֶ֣גֶב3 of 14

“and upon the south”

H5045

the south (from its drought); specifically, the negeb or southern district of judah, occasionally, egypt (as south to palestine)

הַכְּרֵתִ֛י4 of 14

“of the Cherethites”

H3774

a kerethite or life-guardsman

וְעַל5 of 14
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

אֲשֶׁ֥ר6 of 14
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

לִֽיהוּדָ֖ה7 of 14

“and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah”

H3063

jehudah (or judah), the name of five israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory

וְעַל8 of 14
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

נֶ֣גֶב9 of 14

“and upon the south”

H5045

the south (from its drought); specifically, the negeb or southern district of judah, occasionally, egypt (as south to palestine)

כָּלֵ֑ב10 of 14

“of Caleb”

H3612

caleb, the name of three israelites

וְאֶת11 of 14
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

צִֽקְלַ֖ג12 of 14

“Ziklag”

H6860

tsiklag or tsikelag, a place in palestine

שָׂרַ֥פְנוּ13 of 14

“and we burned”

H8313

to be (causatively, set) on fire

בָאֵֽשׁ׃14 of 14

“with fire”

H784

fire (literally or figuratively)

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of 1 Samuel. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

1 Samuel 30:14 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to 1 Samuel 30:14 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Zephaniah 2:51 Kings 1:382 Samuel 8:181 Kings 1:44Ezekiel 25:16Joshua 15:13

Places in This Verse

NegebRegion · Modern: Tel Beer Sheva · 31.24°N, 34.84°E43 verses across 13 books
ZiklagSettlement · Modern: Tell esh Sharia · 31.39°N, 34.68°E13 verses across 5 books
View all places in 1 Samuel 30 →

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