1 Samuel 30:29

to those in Racal and in the cities of the Jerahmeelites and Kenites;

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — David distributes recovered spoils to communities that supported him or were affected by the Amalekite raid. He lists specific locations and ethnic groups receiving portions of the plundered goods.

The words — The Hebrew בְּרָכָל (be-Raḵal) names the town of Racal, while הַקֵּינִי (ha-Qēnî) identifies the Kenites, a clan distinct from the Israelite tribes. These terms mark the geographic and tribal boundaries of the spoil distribution.

The thread — The text notes the Kenites in Judges 1:16 as descendants of Moses’ father-in-law and in 1 Samuel 15:6 as recipients of Saul’s warning before the Amalekite judgment. David’s inclusion here continues the narrative record of their separate status among Israel’s neighbors.

Why it lands — The verse requires practical allocation of victory gains to those who sustained the campaign or inhabited the affected regions. It demands that material reward be distributed according to established community ties rather than retained solely by the victors.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְלַאֲשֶׁ֣רve./la./'a.Sherand/ for/ [those] who בְּרָכָ֗לbe./ra.Khal[were] in/ Racal וְלַֽאֲשֶׁר֙ve./la./'a.Sherand/ for/ [those] who בְּעָרֵ֣יbe./'a.Rei[were] in/ [the] cities of הַיְּרַחְמְאֵלִ֔יhai./ye.rach.me.'e.Lithe/ Jerahmeelite[s]וְלַאֲשֶׁ֖רve./la./'a.Sherand/ for/ [those] who בְּעָרֵ֥יbe./'a.Rei[were] in/ [the] cities of הַקֵּינִֽי׃ha./kei.Nithe/ Kenite[s]

King James Version

And to them which were in Rachal, and to them which were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to them which were in the cities of the Kenites,

Cross-references

Judges 1:16 Now the descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, the Kenite, went up with the men of Judah from the City of Palms to the Wilderness of Judah in the Negev near Arad. They went to live among the people.
1 Samuel 27:10 who would ask him, “What have you raided today?” And David would reply, “The Negev of Judah,” or “The Negev of Jerahmeel,” or “The Negev of the Kenites.”
1 Samuel 15:6 And he warned the Kenites, “Since you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt, go on and get away from the Amalekites. Otherwise I will sweep you away with them.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.
1 Samuel 23:19 Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon?

Places named

Racal