1 Samuel 30:6 (KJV)

What does 1 Samuel 30:6 mean?

1 Samuel 30:6 describes David facing danger from his own men as well as deep personal distress. The men blame their leader amid grief for their children, while David finds strength in the LORD, the God he calls his own.

The threat follows the men’s discovery that their families had been taken from Ziklag. The words “every man for his sons and for his daughters” show how widely the loss was felt. The narrator contrasts the men’s talk of stoning David with David’s response to the crisis.

The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 30:6

• “grieved” — מָרַר (marar): This word can carry the sense of being bitter. Here, the men’s grief has a sharp edge, helping explain the anger directed at David.
• “soul” — נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh): This word can refer to a person’s life or inner self. In the phrase “the soul of all the people was grieved,” it points to the depth of their distress.
• “encouraged” — חָזַק (chazaq): This word can mean to strengthen or make firm. The KJV’s “encouraged himself” presents David as finding strength in the LORD amid the danger.

Why 1 Samuel 30:6 matters

• The verse places David among the sufferers, not outside the loss. Earlier, the account names David’s own wives among those taken captive (verse 5).
• David’s response is followed by a request for direction. In verses 7–8, he asks the priest Abiathar for the ephod, an object used when seeking an answer from the LORD, and asks whether he should pursue the raiders.