Bible Strands
1 Samuel 30:9
So David and his six hundred men went to the Brook of Besor, where some stayed behind
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — David and his six hundred men arrive at the Brook of Besor immediately after the Lord commands the pursuit. The narrative halts the forward movement to record a logistical division of the force before the mission resumes.
The words — The verb וַיֵּלֶךְ (va.yelekh) marks the physical relocation of the commander to the brook. The phrase שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אִישׁ (shesh me'ot ish) explicitly quantifies the original contingent as six hundred men.
The thread — This initial force of six hundred men corresponds to David’s earlier departure to Achish in 1 Samuel 27:2. The supplied context notes that two hundred men could not cross the brook, leaving four hundred to continue.
Why it lands — The verse records a factual division of the army without commentary, requiring the reader to track the numerical reduction of the force. It demands attention to how physical exhaustion alters the scope of a divinely authorized mission.
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
King James Version
So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 27:2 So David set out with his six hundred men and went to Achish son of Maoch, the king of Gath.