1st Samuel Chapter 30 verse 9 Holy Bible
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.
read chapter 30 in ASV
So David went, and his six hundred men went with him, and they came to the stream Besor.
read chapter 30 in BBE
So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and they came to the torrent Besor; and those that were left stayed behind.
read chapter 30 in DARBY
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.
read chapter 30 in KJV
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 remained.
read chapter 30 in WBT
So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed.
read chapter 30 in WEB
And David goeth on, he and six hundred men who `are' with him, and they come in unto the brook of Besor, and those left have stood still,
read chapter 30 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerses 9, 10. - Having obtained this favourable answer, David starts in pursuit with his old band of 600 men. So rapid was his march that one third of these dropped out of the ranks, so that the newcomers from Manasseh would have been useless, nor had they lost wives or children. The brook (or rather "torrent") Besor practically remains unidentified, as the site of Ziklag is unknown; but possibly it is the Wady-es-Sheriah, which runs into the sea a little to the south of Gaza. As there was water here, those that were left behind stayed. Hebrew, "the stragglers stayed." It seems also to have been wide enough to cause some difficulty in crossing, as it is said that these 200 were too faint, or tired, to go over the torrent Besor. From ver. 24 we find that David also left with them as much as possible of his baggage. Stragglers had no doubt been falling out for some time, but would here be rallied, and obtain rest and refreshment.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(9) So David went.--Immediately on receiving the answer of the Urim, David started in rapid pursuit. The "six hundred" by no means represented his present force; but these were probably the old band of veteran soldiers, whose speed and endurance he could depend upon--men tried, no doubt, by many a weary night march, by many a rough, wild piece of work. A large contingent even of these veterans could not stand the forced march of their leader on this occasion.In the words "for two hundred abode behind," the narrator anticipated what is told in 1Samuel 30:10. It is a proleptical expression, arising from the vivacious description of David's rapid march with four hundred men (Lange). The Vulg. paraphrases, or rather seeks to amend the text here: "and certain tired ones stayed." The Syriac changes the text into "David left two hundred men;" these men who had fallen out of the rapid march were gathered together, and kept the baggage and everything that could be left behind at the encampment at the brook Besor. It is to be supposed that owing to the hurried departure, but scanty provision for the forced march was made, hence the falling out through weariness in the course of the rapid advance. The brook Besor cannot be identified with certainty; and Raumer (Palestine) supposes it to be the Wady Shariah, which falls into the sea below Askelon.
