And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.
David told his men, 'Everyone put on your sword.' So each man strapped on his sword, and David put on his sword too. About four hundred men followed David up the mountain, while two hundred stayed behind to guard their supplies.
David is preparing for battle by arming his men and dividing his forces - most going to fight while some stay to protect their belongings.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs after Nabal, a wealthy but foolish man, insulted David and refused to give food to his men despite David's protection of Nabal's shepherds. David was a fugitive from King Saul at this time, leading a band of about 600 loyal followers who lived as outlaws in the wilderness. The division of forces was a common military strategy - leaving some men to guard camp and supplies while others went into battle.
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