Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
On returning to Ziklag, David and the people with him found the city burned, sacked, plundered and despoiled, and their wives and children, their families and people, carried away captive. David's own wives and children were among the captives taken. The raid had been made by the Amalekites. It had happened during David's absence after he had been sent back from the Philistine camp.
They lifted up their voice in overwhelming grief, with even strong warriors breaking down, and their crying aloud was total and exhausting, weeping until they had no strength or bodily power left to weep and were physically unable to weep anymore. The verse marks David's lowest point, when every human support was swept away. He had been driven from his country by Saul, driven from the camp by the Philistines, and then blamed for the calamity by his own chosen friends, who turned on him as its cause and threatened him with death.
In that cut-off condition he reviewed his past life and saw his mistake, encouraged himself in the Lord, inquired of the Lord through the priest, and was heard with a promise of deliverance. After seeking the Lord's direction, he pursued the Amalekites with his men. The terrible loss came while David was serving God, showing that painful experiences can come even to God's servants in the pathway of duty, though the apparent misfortune later resulted in recovery and gain.
On returning to Ziklag, David and the people with him found the city burned, sacked, plundered and despoiled, and their wives and children, their families and people, carried away captive. David's own wives and children were among the captives taken. The raid had been made by the Amalekites. It had happened during David's absence after he had been sent back from the Philistine camp.
They lifted up their voice in overwhelming grief, with even strong warriors breaking down, and their crying aloud was total and exhausting, weeping until they had no strength or bodily power left to weep and were physically unable to weep anymore. The verse marks David's lowest point, when every human support was swept away. He had been driven from his country by Saul, driven from the camp by the Philistines, and then blamed for the calamity by his own chosen friends, who turned on him as its cause and threatened him with death.
In that cut-off condition he reviewed his past life and saw his mistake, encouraged himself in the Lord, inquired of the Lord through the priest, and was heard with a promise of deliverance. After seeking the Lord's direction, he pursued the Amalekites with his men. The terrible loss came while David was serving God, showing that painful experiences can come even to God's servants in the pathway of duty, though the apparent misfortune later resulted in recovery and gain.