1 Samuel 30:4
New International Version
So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep.

New Living Translation
they wept until they could weep no more.

English Standard Version
Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep.

Berean Standard Bible
So David and the troops with him lifted up their voices and wept until they had no strength left to weep.

King James Bible
Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

New King James Version
Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

New American Standard Bible
Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep.

NASB 1995
Then David and the people who were with him lifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep.

NASB 1977
Then David and the people who were with him lifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep.

Legacy Standard Bible
So David and the people who were with him lifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep.

Amplified Bible
Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they were too exhausted to weep [any longer].

Christian Standard Bible
David and the troops with him wept loudly until they had no strength left to weep.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
David and the troops with him wept loudly until they had no strength left to weep.

American Standard Version
Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

Contemporary English Version
They started crying and kept it up until they were too weak to cry any more.

English Revised Version
Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then David and his men cried loudly until they didn't have the strength to cry anymore.

Good News Translation
David and his men started crying and did not stop until they were completely exhausted.

International Standard Version
Then David and the people who were with him lifted their voices and cried until they had no more strength left to cry.

Majority Standard Bible
So David and the troops with him lifted up their voices and wept until they had no strength left to weep.

NET Bible
Then David and the men who were with him wept loudly until they could weep no more.

New Heart English Bible
Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then David and the people that were with him, lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

World English Bible
Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voice and wept until they had no more power to weep.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And David lifts up—and the people who [are] with him—their voice and weep, until they have no power to weep.

Young's Literal Translation
And David lifteth up -- and the people who are with him -- their voice and weep, till that they have no power to weep.

Smith's Literal Translation
And David will lift up, and the people with him, their voice, and they will weep till power was not in them to weep.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
David and the people that were with him, lifted up their voices, and wept till they had no more tears.

Catholic Public Domain Version
David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices. And they mourned until the tears in them failed.

New American Bible
Then David and those who were with him wept aloud until they could weep no more.

New Revised Standard Version
Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept, until they had no more strength to weep.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And David and the people lifted their voice and wept until there was no power in them to weep
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And David and his men lifted up their voice, and wept till there was no longer any power within them to weep.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Amalekites Raid Ziklag
3When David and his men came to the city, they found it burned down and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4So David and the troops with him lifted up their voices and wept until they had no strength left to weep. 5David’s two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel, had been taken captive.…

Cross References
Psalm 6:6
I am weary from groaning; all night I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.

Psalm 42:3
My tears have been my food both day and night, while men ask me all day long, “Where is your God?”

Psalm 126:5-6
Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy. / He who goes out weeping, bearing a trail of seed, will surely return with shouts of joy, carrying sheaves of grain.

Jeremiah 31:15
This is what the LORD says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

Lamentations 2:11
My eyes fail from weeping; I am churning within. My heart is poured out in grief over the destruction of the daughter of my people, because children and infants faint in the streets of the city.

Genesis 37:34-35
Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days. / All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said. “I will go down to Sheol mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him.

2 Samuel 1:11-12
Then David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him did the same. / They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

Job 2:12-13
When they lifted up their eyes from afar, they could barely recognize Job. They began to weep aloud, and each man tore his robe and threw dust in the air over his head. / Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights, but no one spoke a word to him because they saw how intense his suffering was.

Nehemiah 1:4
When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

Esther 4:1-3
When Mordecai learned of all that had happened, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the middle of the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. / But he went only as far as the king’s gate, because the law prohibited anyone wearing sackcloth from entering that gate. / In every province to which the king’s command and edict came, there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, and lamented, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

John 11:33-35
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. / “Where have you put him?” He asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they answered. / Jesus wept.

Luke 19:41
As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it

Revelation 21:4
‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Romans 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.


Treasury of Scripture

Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

lifted up

1 Samuel 4:13
And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out.

1 Samuel 11:4
Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept.

Genesis 37:33-35
And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces…

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Able Aloud David Lifted Power Raised Strength Themselves Voice Voices Weep Weeping Wept
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Able Aloud David Lifted Power Raised Strength Themselves Voice Voices Weep Weeping Wept
1 Samuel 30
1. The Amalekites raid Ziklag
4. David asking counsel, is encouraged by God to pursue them
11. By the means of a received Egyptian he is brought to the enemies,
18. and recovers all the spoil
22. David's law to divide the spoil equally
26. He sends presents to his friends














So David and the troops with him
David, the anointed future king of Israel, was leading a group of men who were loyal to him. These troops were not just soldiers but also included their families, making them a community. This group had been living in Ziklag, a Philistine territory, due to Saul's pursuit of David. The loyalty of these men to David is significant, as it foreshadows the unity and strength of David's future kingdom. The mention of "troops" highlights the military aspect of David's leadership, which is a recurring theme in his life and reign.

lifted up their voices and wept
The act of lifting up their voices and weeping indicates a profound expression of grief and despair. In the ancient Near Eastern culture, public displays of mourning were common, often involving loud cries and lamentations. This communal weeping signifies the deep bond and shared suffering among David and his men. The loss they experienced was not just personal but collective, as their families and possessions had been taken by the Amalekites. This moment of vulnerability contrasts with David's usual portrayal as a strong and decisive leader, showing his humanity and the emotional toll of leadership.

until they had no strength left to weep
The phrase emphasizes the depth of their sorrow and exhaustion. The physical depletion from weeping suggests a total emotional and spiritual crisis. In biblical narratives, moments of extreme weakness often precede divine intervention or a turning point. This mirrors other instances in scripture where God's people reach the end of their own strength and must rely on divine help, such as Elijah's despair in 1 Kings 19. The exhaustion also sets the stage for David's subsequent actions, where he seeks strength in the Lord, highlighting the theme of reliance on God in times of distress.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
The anointed future king of Israel, currently leading a group of men in exile. He is a central figure in this account, demonstrating leadership and faith in God amidst adversity.

2. David's Troops
These are the men who followed David during his time of exile. They are loyal to him and share in his trials and tribulations.

3. Ziklag
A Philistine town given to David by Achish, the king of Gath. It serves as David's base during his time away from Saul. At this point in the account, Ziklag has been attacked and burned by the Amalekites.

4. The Amalekites
A nomadic tribe that frequently opposed Israel. They attacked Ziklag, taking the women and children captive, which led to the distress and weeping of David and his men.

5. The Event of Weeping
This is a moment of deep emotional distress for David and his men, as they face the loss of their families and possessions. It highlights their vulnerability and humanity.
Teaching Points
The Reality of Grief
Grief is a natural and human response to loss. Even strong leaders like David experience moments of deep sorrow. It's important to acknowledge and process these emotions.

Leadership in Crisis
David's response to crisis includes both emotional expression and seeking God's guidance. Effective leadership involves vulnerability and reliance on divine wisdom.

Turning to God in Distress
After the initial weeping, David seeks strength in the Lord. This teaches us to turn to God for comfort and direction when faced with overwhelming situations.

Community in Suffering
David and his men weep together, showing the importance of community support during times of distress. Sharing burdens can provide strength and solidarity.

Hope and Restoration
The account continues with David seeking God's guidance and ultimately recovering what was lost. This underscores the hope and restoration that can follow times of trial.(4) Then David and the people.--1Samuel 30:1-4 form one period, which is expanded by the introduction of several circumstantial clauses. The apodosis to "it came to pass when," &c., 1Samuel 30:1, does not follow till 1Samuel 30:4, "Then David and the people," &c.; but this is formally attached to 1Samuel 30:3. The statement, "So David and his men came," with which the protasis commenced in 1Samuel 30:1, is resumed in an altered form: "It came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag . . . the Amalekites had invaded . . . and had taken away the women captive . . . and had gone their way . . . and David and his men came into the city, and behold, it was burned. . . . Then David and the people with him lifted up their voice."--Keil.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So David
דָוִ֜ד (ḏā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

and the troops
וְהָעָ֧ם (wə·hā·‘ām)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

with him
אִתּ֛וֹ (’it·tōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among

lifted up
וַיִּשָּׂ֨א (way·yiś·śā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

their voices
קוֹלָ֖ם (qō·w·lām)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

and wept
וַיִּבְכּ֑וּ (way·yiḇ·kū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1058: To weep, to bemoan

until
עַ֣ד (‘aḏ)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

they had no
אֵין־ (’ên-)
Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

strength
כֹּ֖חַ (kō·aḥ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3581: A small reptile (of unknown species)

left to weep.
לִבְכּֽוֹת׃ (liḇ·kō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1058: To weep, to bemoan


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OT History: 1 Samuel 30:4 Then David and the people who were (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 30:3
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