Numbers 31:53 - Warriors' hidden spoils revealed.

Context in Tanach

The verse appears in Shmuel I 30:22, describing the aftermath of David's victory over the Amalekites who had raided Ziklag. The "men of war" refers to David's soldiers who reclaimed their families and possessions, along with additional spoils from the battle.

Grammatical Analysis

The phrase "בָּזְזוּ אִישׁ לוֹ" ("taken spoil, every man for himself") uses the singular "אִישׁ" (man) to emphasize individual initiative in collecting spoils, as noted by Metzudat David. The plural verb "בָּזְזוּ" (they plundered) paired with the singular noun highlights a collective action with personal responsibility.

Halachic and Ethical Dimensions

• Rambam (Hilchot Melachim 8:1-2) rules that spoils of war are permitted to soldiers only when authorized by a Jewish king or Sanhedrin, implying David's men acted within proper military protocol.
• Radak suggests the spoils were taken after the communal division (v. 24), indicating a tension between individual and collective rights—a theme later resolved by David's decree that "the share of the one who stays with the baggage shall be like the share of the one who goes down to the battle" (v. 25).

Midrashic Insight

Yalkut Shimoni (Shmuel I §142) connects this episode to the broader struggle against Amalek, framing the spoils as a partial fulfillment of the mitzvah to "blot out the memory of Amalek" (Devarim 25:19). The individual zeal in gathering spoils reflects the personal obligation in this collective commandment.