Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 30:12
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.
12. his spirit came again to him ] He revived. Cp. Jdg 15:19.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Three days and three nights – Indicating that at least so long a time had elapsed since the sack of Ziklag.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 12. A cake of figs] See on 1Sa 25:18.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Which is to be understood synecdochically of one whole day, and part of two others, as the same phrase is taken Mat 12:40, as appears from the next verse, where he saith, three days agone I fell sick, but in the Hebrew it this is the third day since I fell sick.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And they gave him a piece of cake of figs,…. That were dried and pressed together, and made into cakes:
and two clusters of raisins; or dried grapes, as the Targum:
and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him; he seemed to be quite dispirited, almost lifeless, but upon eating some food he was refreshed, and his spirits revived, and he was capable of conversing:
for he had eaten no bread, nor drank [any] water, three days and three nights; that is, one whole day, and part of two days, as appears from
1Sa 30:13.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(12) Three days and three nights.This was a note of time as to the amount of start the Amalekite leader with the plunder had. It may well be conceived there was no time to lose. The cruelty of the Amalekites to their slaves was the cause of their ultimate discomfiture, for with the very considerable start they already had, if David had not been quite certain, through the information of the Egyptian, of their route, the pursuit would have been utterly hopeless.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
12. His spirit came again to him That is, he revived from the half-unconscious and dreamlike state into which, through anxiety and lack of food, he had fallen.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Sa 30:12. And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, &c. The eastern people are well known to carry with them in their journies several accommodations, and provisions in particular of various kinds, for, properly speaking, they have no inns. They did so anciently. Those who travel on foot with expedition, content themselves with a very slight viaticum. The writer of the history of the piratical states of Barbary, speaking of the great expedition of the natives of the country about Ceuta in carrying messages, (some of them running one hundred and fifty miles in less than twenty-four hours,) says, “Their temperance is not less admirable; for some meal, with a few figs and raisins, which they carry in a goat’s skin, serves them a seven or eight days’ journey, and their richest liquor is only honey and water.” Not very different from this is the account here given by the sacred writer, of the provisions carried by David and his men, for their support in their hurrying pursuit after the Amalekites, as appears by what they gave the poor famished Egyptian, bread, (water) figs and raisins. The bread of the Israelites answers to the meal of Barbary; the figs and the raisins were the very things which the Moors now carry with them. We do not find any mention of honey in this account of David’s expedition; but it is represented in other passages of Scripture as something refreshing to those who were almost spent with fatigue; chap. 1Sa 14:27; 1Sa 14:29 which is enough to make us think that they sometimes carried it with them in their journies or military expeditions. See Observations, p. 206.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Sa 30:12 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.
Ver. 12. And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs. ] All this they did for him out of their humanity and charity, before they knew whether he could or would do them any service.
His spirit came again to him.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
spirit. Hebrew. ruach. App-9.
three days and three nights. Figure of speech Idioma, by which a part of a day is reckoned as a whole day. See 2Sa 1:1, 2Sa 1:2, and compare Est 4:16. Jon 1:17. Mat 12:40.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
his spirit: 1Sa 14:27, Jdg 15:19, Isa 40:29-31
three days: 1Sa 30:13, Est 4:16, Jon 1:17, Mat 27:63
Reciprocal: Gen 45:27 – the spirit Jdg 19:5 – Comfort Psa 107:5 – General Lam 1:11 – relieve the soul Mat 15:32 – lest Act 9:19 – when
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Sa 30:12-13. Three days and nights One whole day, and part of two others, as appears from the next verse, where he says, Three days ago I fell sick; but in the Hebrew it is, This is the third day since I fell sick. A young man of Egypt God of his providence so ordering it that he was not one of the race of the Amalekites, devoted to destruction, but an Egyptian, that might be spared. And my master left me In this place and condition; a barbarous act this, to leave him there to perish, when they had good store of camels for the carriage of men, as well as of their spoil, 1Sa 30:17. But this inhumanity cost them dear; for, through it, they lost their own lives, and David recovered what they had taken at Ziklag. Such is the wonderful providence of God, ordering or overruling every thing for his own glory and the good of those that trust in him, even the thoughts and desires, the counsels, works, and ways of men, both the good and the bad! So that there is no fighting against him, who can make the smallest actions serviceable to the production of the greatest effects.