שמואל ב, פרק י״ז, פסוק כ״ט

David's hasty flight from Jerusalem left him and his followers without anything, placing them in desperate need of immediate help. Recognizing their vulnerable state, three loyal supporters arrived with a generous supply of food and equipment [מצודת דוד]. Among the supplies brought to the camp were specific provisions that required careful preparation. The primary approach among commentators is that the men were given cheeses made from cow's milk, named for the heavy crushing and pressing required to make them [מצודת ציון, רד״ק]. However, another perspective suggests that these provisions were actually cuts of beef, already sliced and ready to be cooked [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

This large delivery of food was critical because of the severe physical toll the escape had taken on David and his men. Having fled the city in a rush, they had no time to pack enough food [רד״ק]. Their long walk through the wilderness left them completely drained, starving, and parched [מצודת דוד]. While the wilderness environment might have offered some grazing land for animals, drinking water was incredibly rare, causing the men to suffer deeply from thirst [רד״ק].

Beyond their hunger and thirst, the deep fatigue experienced by the group is generally understood as natural physical exhaustion from their harsh journey. Yet, the early sages offer an additional layer of meaning, suggesting that this weariness was not merely physical, but an exhaustion connected to the trauma of murder [רד״ק].