שמואל א, פרק י״ז, פסוק נ״ג

Once the enemy is thoroughly defeated and sent fleeing back toward their own territory, the Israelite fighters call off their pursuit. The primary approach among commentators is that after chasing the retreating Philistine forces, the soldiers turn back to the recently abandoned battlefield to gather the spoils of war.

Upon arriving at the enemy camp, the Israelites begin to trample through the area, looting and seizing the left-behind goods. Although the camp is now entirely empty of people, it is far from bare. Because the enemy army had been stationed there continuously for at least forty days, the camp was heavily equipped and filled with valuable supplies. The Israelites take full advantage of this, claiming the vast amount of abandoned property and wealth for themselves.