1 Samuel 30:11-20 “Revenge or Restoration?”
As David came to the Besor Valley, 200 men, too exhausted to cross, stayed behind as 400 pursued the raiding party. They found an Egyptian, brought him to David, and before questioning him, “They gave him water to drink and food to eat – ……….He ate and was revived, for he had not eaten any food or drunk any water for three days and three nights.” (11b & 12b). This Egyptian slave of an Amalekite not only informed them of what they did in the raid, but was willing to lead them to the raiding party in exchange for his life and not being turned over to his master. David found them celebrating the plunder they so easily acquired. He and his men fought all day recovering all they lost plus flocks and herds saying, “…’This is David’s plunder.’” (20b). God used even their enemy to guide them in success with only 2/3 of their team. David’s was not focused on revenge, but on restoration!
