prey, spoil

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

Plunder seized by violence, as the spoils of an army or of bandits

(1 Sam. 30:19-22¹⁹And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all. ²⁰And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drave before those other cattle, and said, This is David's spoil. ²¹And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them. ²²Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart. (1 Samuel 30:19‑22)); but in Ex. 3:22²²But every woman shall borrow of her neighbor, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians. (Exodus 3:22), the sense is that of recovery without violence of unjustly taken property. David instituted very strict regulations for the division of spoils of war among his soldiers (1 Sam. 30:20-25²⁰And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drave before those other cattle, and said, This is David's spoil. ²¹And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them. ²²Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart. ²³Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the Lord hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand. ²⁴For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike. ²⁵And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day. (1 Samuel 30:20‑25)).

Concise Bible Dictionary:

The booty that was seized upon by an army when a city was taken. Except when forbidden by God, as in the case of Jericho, it was considered a lawful prize; and it was thus the Israelites suffered when their cities were captured by their enemies (Deut. 20:14¹⁴But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the Lord thy God hath given thee. (Deuteronomy 20:14); 2 Kings 21:14¹⁴And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies; (2 Kings 21:14); Isa. 42:22²²But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore. (Isaiah 42:22)).

Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew Words:

Number:

961 (find all occurrences in KJV Bible)

Transliteration:

bizzah

Phonic:

biz-zaw’

Meaning:

feminine of 957; booty

KJV Usage:

prey, spoil