שמואל א, פרק ל׳, פסוק י״א

During a journey south, a seemingly random encounter in an open field alters the entire course of a military pursuit. An exhausted, starving man is found lying on the ground, and this fragile individual ultimately holds the key to locating the raiding enemy. Once brought back to health, he provides critical intelligence about the Amalekite attack and guides the pursuing forces directly to the enemy's celebrating camp [אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The exact identity of the soldiers who stumbled upon the man is open to interpretation. It may have been the men marching directly alongside David, or perhaps the troops who had been left behind, wandering the immediate area before the main group moved further away [רלב״ג]. Although the narrative immediately identifies the collapsed man as an Egyptian, his rescuers had no idea of his origin at the moment they found him. He is labeled an Egyptian early in the account simply in anticipation of the story's conclusion, when his true identity is finally brought to light [מצודת דוד].

Upon finding the man, the soldiers brought him to David and began administering food and drink to save his life. The method used to hydrate him was careful and deliberate, reflecting a practical understanding of his fragile physical state. Because he was suffering from extreme exhaustion and severe dehydration, giving him a large quantity of water all at once could have caused his stomach to dangerously swell, putting his life at further risk. Instead, he was given water slowly and in small, measured amounts, following the proper medical approach for treating someone in such a critical condition [מלבי״ם].