(16) And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. (17) And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled. (18) And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives. (19) And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken to them: David recovered all. (20) And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drave before those other cattle, and said, This is David's spoil.
The event, in the recovery not only of all they had lost but much more, serves to show how confident they ought to be of success who trust in God's promises, who can and will in his own time accomplish all his holy will. But beside the providential instruction this part of David's history affords, there is a spiritual lesson to be gathered from it yet more sweet and precious. As David came upon the spoil in a moment they thought themselves secure, and were triumphing over their poor captives: so a greater than David, even David's Lord, came upon the great enemy of souls when he stood triumphing over our fall, and rescued us from the hand of him that was stronger than we. Beautifully it is said of Jesus that he led captivity captive, and received gifts for men; yea even for the rebellious: for we were all rebellious and undeserving of his favour, when he came to save us from the prey of the mighty. And as the soldiers in David's army called the victory David's spoil, so we shout aloud, Salvation alone to God and the Lamb! It was thine own arm, dearest Jesus, which brought salvation, for of the people; in the way of victory, there was none with thee. Isaiah 63:5.