Bread, water, raisins

When David returns to his Philistine outpost in Ziklag, he finds it demolished and empty (1 Samuel 30). Amalekites have attacked and taken all the women and children captive. While in pursuit, David’s men come across an Egyptian in the field.

Like the hosts in the Odyssey , David feeds first and asks questions later. David gives the Egyptian bread and water, then a fig cake and raisins. The menu is significant.

The list of foods is broken up into two halves: first bread and wine, then fig cakes and raisin clusters (“they gave” is repeated in verses 11-12). Bread and water are necessities. They are what James Jordan calls “Alpha food,” morning food, food as fuel. Figs and raisins are fruits associated with the promised land. Because they come from grapes, raisins are associated with wine. Figs and raisins are the food of the end, evening food, “Omega food.” The Egyptian’s meal moves from bread to raisins.

When David inquires, he learns that the Egyptian had been abandoned for dead by his Amalekite master. He has been in the wilderness for three days and three nights without bread and water. Three days ! Grain and fruits were created on the third day, the firstfruits from the earth, the first living things to appear in the creation. And the third day is often a moment of transition from death to life. It certainly is for the Egyptian: After eating the third-day food on the third day, his spirit, which apparently has been absent, “returned to him” (v. 12).

The Egyptian asks David to swear not to send him back to his Amalekite master. We don’t see David’s response, but we can be sure that he swore. On the third day, the Egyptian comes alive and devotes himself to a new, generous masters. On the third day, he begins to eat bread, water, figs and grapes from the hand of David the Lord’s Christ.