And David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day, and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who mounted camels and fled.
1 Samuel 30:17
David's exploits are always exciting reading. This is sort of his last solo heroic action before Saul's death and his rise as God's anointed king in Israel. And it shows us the character that made him worthy of being the king. When David's family and the families of his mercenary army are captured by Amalekite raiders, David leads his grieving, angry troops to defeat these thieves and rescue their families.
During the course of this operation David's leadership is strengthened by the successful strategy that results in the rescue AND the unifying way in which he insisted that even those who served in support positions during battle were recognized equally with the front line warriors. His fairness and equity on the battlefield would carry into the kingdom.
The battle waged long. It appears to have taken nearly 24 hours of fighting to win, but there were few survivors among the enemy. David led the army into victory through enduring the fight. This character quality would mark his long reign as well. He would endure much and lead well, just as he did in this battle.
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