The Spoils Are Divided

At the Brook of Besor, some of the fighters want to deny the exhausted men a share beyond their families, but David refuses. Because the LORD has preserved them and given the victory, he establishes equal portions for those who fought and those who stayed with the supplies.

W²¹hen David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him and who were left behind at the Brook of Besor, they came out to meet him and the troops with him. As David approached the men, he greeted them, ²²but all the wicked and worthless men among those who had gone with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered, except for each man’s wife and children. They may take them and go.” ²³But David said, “My brothers, you must not do this with what the LORD has given us. He has protected us and delivered into our hands the raiders who came against us. ²⁴Who will listen to your proposal? The share of the one who went to battle will match the share of the one who stayed with the supplies. They will share alike.” ²⁵And so it has been from that day forward. David established this statute and ordinance for Israel to this very day.

Back in Ziklag, David sends part of the plunder to the elders of Judah and to towns across the region where he and his men had moved about. The victory's gain becomes a gift carried through a wider network of places and relationships.

²⁶When David arrived in Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the LORD’s enemies.” ²⁷He sent gifts to those in Bethel, Ramoth Negev, and Jattir; ²⁸to those in Aroer, Siphmoth, and Eshtemoa; ²⁹to those in Racal and in the cities of the Jerahmeelites and Kenites; ³⁰to those in Hormah, Bor-ashan, and Athach; ³¹and to those in Hebron and in all the places where David and his men had roamed.