Weapons, Steak, and Gold for the Old Guys
[9]So David set out, and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. [10]But David pursued, he and four hundred men. Two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor.
[20] David also captured all the flocks and herds, and the people drove the livestock before him, and said, “This is David’s spoil.”
[21] Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow David, and who had been left at the brook Besor. And they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near to the people he greeted them. [22] Then all the wicked and worthless fellows among the men who had gone with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children, and depart.” [23] But David said, “You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us. He has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us. [24] Who would listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. They shall share alike.” [25] And he made it a statute and a rule for Israel from that day forward to this day.
1 Samuel 30:9–10, 20–25 ESV
While David and his 600 men are in hot pursuit of the Amalekites, 200 of the men get tired and ask to stay behind. Even though they are on a mission to rescue their wives and kids, they are too exhausted to go on. They don’t stay home, they just stop mid-trip to rest by the Wadi Besor. This is a huge creek that drains from the mountains into the Mediterranean Sea. The 200 men don’t just stay behind to rest, though. They leave their flocks, herds, and extra gear from their last conquest. Entire cities exist along the Wadi Besor, so from a supply perspective, this was a good stop.
These men stay behind and after David and the 400 regain the wives and kids, there is controversy as to what credit should be given to these 200 guys that “stayed behind with the luggage.” David, now richer than ever, strengthens his ties and loyalty with these men and says their share will be the same as everyone else’s. Just a few sentences back, the men were weakening in their loyalty to David and were thinking of killing him, and now David strengthens that bond by sharing in the plunder.
All we know about these 200 men was that they were “too exhausted” go carry on. We can guess that they were older, weaker, or sickly. Instead of leaving them behind like a worthless load, David esteems them. He receives the help they can give and rewards them for it. This is a small expression of the concept God would express in His people from Exodus to the book of Acts.
Considering every part of the body, letting everyone serve in their way, and sharing in the blessings and the plunder, is an expression of daily mercy that God shows us through each other. When somebody hands you a water bottle or opens the door for you this weekend, thank them and share Christ’s joy with them, just like you would a pastor or preacher or guitar player.