Free group study handout
1 Samuel 30: Group Study Handout
How to use: read 1 Samuel 30 aloud together, then take the questions in order. One page is enough for an evening.
Overview
When David and his men returned to Ziklag, they found it burned and their families taken prisoner (vv. 1-3). They wept in grief until they had no strength left (vv.
Key verse
“Then David said, “Do not do so, my brothers, with that which Yahweh has given to us, who has preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.”
1 Samuel 30:23 (WEB)
Outline
- 1 Samuel 30:1–3 David's Return to Ziklag
- 1 Samuel 30:4–6 Grief and Distress
- 1 Samuel 30:7–10 Seeking Divine Guidance
- 1 Samuel 30:11–15 Finding an Ally
- 1 Samuel 30:16–20 Defeating the Amalekites
- 1 Samuel 30:21–25 Sharing the Spoils
- 1 Samuel 30:26–31 Gifts to Judah
Discussion questions
- In v4, how do David and his men respond to the destruction of Ziklag?
- What does David do in v7 before pursuing the Amalekites?
- David's action in v23: what does it suggest about his leadership style during conflict?
- In v22, why do some men oppose sharing the plunder with those who stayed behind?
- When have you had to support someone who faced blame like David did in v6?
Go deeper
Passages that echo 1 Samuel 30: 1 Samuel 23, 1 Peter 5, Psalm 56.
Before next time: read 1 Samuel 31.