King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk [any] water, three days and three nights.
Complete Jewish Bible:
they also gave him a lump of dried figs and two bunches of raisins. After eating, he revived; because he hadn't eaten anything or drunk any water for three days and nights.
Berean Standard Bible:
a piece of a fig cake and two clusters of raisins. So he ate and was revived, for he had not had any food or water for three days and three nights.
American Standard Version:
and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And they gave{H5414} him a piece{H6400} of a cake{H1690} of figs, and two{H8147} clusters of raisins{H6778}: and when he had eaten{H398}, his spirit{H7307} came again{H7725} to him: for he had eaten{H398} no bread{H3899}, nor drunk{H8354} any water{H4325}, three{H7969} days{H3117} and three{H7969} nights{H3915}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Judges 15:19
- But God clave an hollow place that [was] in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which [is] in Lehi unto this day.
1 Samuel 14:27
- But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that [was] in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.
Isaiah 40:29
- He giveth power to the faint; and to [them that have] no might he increaseth strength.
Isaiah 40:31
- But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.
Esther 4:16
- Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which [is] not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
1 Samuel 30:13
- And David said unto him, To whom [belongest] thou? and whence [art] thou? And he said, I [am] a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick.
Matthew 27:63
- Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for 1 Samuel 30:12
1 Samuel 30:12 is a verse set within the broader narrative of David's life while he was fleeing from King Saul and leading a band of followers. At this point in the story, David and his men have returned to their home base at Ziklag only to find it burned and their families taken captive by the Amalekites. Overcome with grief and distress, David and his men weep until they have no strength left.
In the verse, the text specifically mentions that a man from the tribe of Benjamin, who had been with the Amalekites, brings before David a young Egyptian man whom they found in the field. The significance of the cake of figs and the two clusters of raisins becomes clear when we understand that these were likely remnants of the spoil taken from Ziklag. The young Egyptian had been left behind because he was ill, and he had not eaten or drunk for three days and three nights, a period of time that signifies a significant fast and would have left him in a weakened state.
The act of giving the Egyptian food serves a dual purpose: firstly, it revives the man's strength, illustrating the physical necessity of sustenance; secondly, it symbolizes the compassion and leadership qualities of David. By providing for this man, David demonstrates his character as one who cares for the vulnerable and sick, even when facing his own dire circumstances. The restoration of the Egyptian's "spirit" upon eating suggests a return to consciousness and vitality, emphasizing the transformative power of basic human kindness and hospitality, even in the midst of personal crisis.
Historically, this verse reflects the harsh realities of life in the ancient Near East, where food and water were precious and often scarce, and where acts of kindness could be a matter of life and death. It also highlights the precarious existence of those living outside the protection of established cities or rulers, as David and his men were at this time. The verse underscores themes of survival, leadership, and the importance of maintaining human dignity in the face of adversity.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H5414
There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָתַן
Transliteration: nâthan
Pronunciation: naw-than'
Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield. - Strong's Number: H6400
There are 6 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: פֶּלַח
Transliteration: pelach
Pronunciation: peh'-lakh
Description: from פָּלַח; a slice; piece. - Strong's Number: H1690
There are 5 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: דְּבֵלָה
Transliteration: dᵉbêlâh
Pronunciation: deb-ay-law'
Description: from an unused root (akin to זָבַל) probably meaning to press together; a cake of pressed figs; cake (lump) of figs. - Strong's Number: H8147
There are 647 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שְׁנַיִם
Transliteration: shᵉnayim
Pronunciation: shen-ah'-yim
Description: dual of שֵׁנִי; feminine שְׁתַּיִם; two; also (as ordinal) twofold; both, couple, double, second, twain, [phrase] twelfth, [phrase] twelve, [phrase] twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two. - Strong's Number: H6778
There are 4 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: צַמּוּק
Transliteration: tsammûwq
Pronunciation: tsam-mook'
Description: from צָמַק; a cake of dried grapes; bunch (cluster) of raisins. - Strong's Number: H398
There are 825 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָכַל
Transliteration: ʼâkal
Pronunciation: aw-kal'
Description: a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively); [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite. - Strong's Number: H7307
There are 348 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רוּחַ
Transliteration: rûwach
Pronunciation: roo'-akh
Description: from רוּחַ; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions); air, anger, blast, breath, [idiom] cool, courage, mind, [idiom] quarter, [idiom] side, spirit(-ual), tempest, [idiom] vain, (whirl-) wind(-y). - Strong's Number: H7725
There are 952 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שׁוּב
Transliteration: shûwb
Pronunciation: shoob
Description: a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again; ((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back), cease, [idiom] certainly, come again (back), [idiom] consider, [phrase] continually, convert, deliver (again), [phrase] deny, draw back, fetch home again, [idiom] fro, get (oneself) (back) again, [idiom] give (again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, [idiom] needs, be past, [idiom] pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, [phrase] say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, [idiom] surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw. - Strong's Number: H3899
There are 277 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: לֶחֶם
Transliteration: lechem
Pronunciation: lekh'-em
Description: from לָחַם; See also בֵּית לְעַפְרָה; food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it); (shew-) bread, [idiom] eat, food, fruit, loaf, meat, victuals. - Strong's Number: H8354
There are 193 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁתָה
Transliteration: shâthâh
Pronunciation: shaw-thaw'
Description: a primitive root; to imbibe (literally or figuratively); [idiom] assuredly, banquet, [idiom] certainly, drink(-er, -ing), drunk ([idiom] -ard), surely. (Prop. intensive of שָׁקָה.) - Strong's Number: H4325
There are 525 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מַיִם
Transliteration: mayim
Pronunciation: mah'-yim
Description: dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense); water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen; [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)). - Strong's Number: H7969
There are 381 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁלוֹשׁ
Transliteration: shâlôwsh
Pronunciation: shaw-loshe'
Description: or שָׁלֹשׁ; masculine שְׁלוֹשָׁה; or שְׁלֹשָׁה; a primitive number; three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multiple) thrice; [phrase] fork, [phrase] often(-times), third, thir(-teen, -teenth), three, [phrase] thrice. Compare שָׁלִישׁ. - Strong's Number: H3117
There are 1931 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יוֹם
Transliteration: yôwm
Pronunciation: yome
Description: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger. - Strong's Number: H3915
There are 223 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: לַיִל
Transliteration: layil
Pronunciation: lah'-yil
Description: or (Isaiah 21:11) לֵיל; also לַיְלָה; from the same as לוּל; properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e. night; figuratively, adversity; (mid-)night (season).