When David was dismissed from the army of the Philistines he did not go over to the camp of Israel, but, being expelled by Saul, observed an exact neutrality, and silently retired to his own city Ziklag, leaving the armies ready to engage. Now here we are told, I. What a melancholy posture he found the city in, all laid waste by the Amalekites, and what distress it occasioned him and his men, 1 Sam. 30:1-6. II. What course he took to recover what he had lost. He enquired of God, and took out a commission from him (1 Sam. 30:7, 8), pursued the enemy (1 Sam. 30:9, 10), gained intelligence from a straggler (1 Sam. 30:11-15), attacked and routed the plunderers (1 Sam. 30:16, 17), and recovered all that they had carried off, 1 Sam. 30:18-20. III. What method he observed in the distribution of the spoil, 1 Sam. 30:21-31.