John Gill Commentary 1 Samuel 30

And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to
Ziklag, on the third day
Either from their departure from there, when they went out with Achish, or rather from the time of their leaving Achish, and the camp of the Philistines; so long they were upon their march homewards, see (2 Samuel 1:1 2 Samuel 1:2); and no wonder, if it was the distance of eighty eight miles, (See Gill on 1 Samuel 29:11);

that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag ;
the southern parts of the land of the Philistines, and of Judah, as appears from (1 Samuel 30:14); taking the opportunity of the Philistines being gone into the land of Israel, and particularly of David's absence from Ziklag, to whom they bore a grudge for his invasion, destruction, and spoil of them not long ago, see (1 Samuel 27:8);

and smitten Ziklag, and burnt it with fire ;
not that they smote the inhabitants of it, there were no men in it, and the women and children they carried captive; but they demolished the buildings in it, pulled down the houses after they had rifled them, and burnt them with fire, that David and his men might dwell there no more.

And had taken the women captives, that [were] therein
There being no other to take, the men were gone with David:

they slew not any, either great or small ;
that is, of the women, whether married or unmarried, old, or maidens, or children; which was very much, since David destroyed all that came within his reach, men and women, when he invaded them, (1 Samuel 27:9) ; but perhaps this was not owing to their humanity, but to their covetousness, designing to make an advantage of them by selling them for slaves; no doubt they were restrained by the providence of God:

but carried [them] away, and went on their way ;
homewards with their captives.

So David and his men came to the city
Or however to the place where it had stood, and where it now lay in ruins:

and, behold, [it was] burnt with fire ;
the whole city was laid in ashes:

and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken
captives ;
as it appeared afterwards; for upon their first coming they knew not but they were all destroyed; and which they might reasonably suppose from their former treatment of them, unless there were any left upon the spot which could inform them how things were, which does not appear, and which must make their distress the greater.

Then David and the people that [were] with him lifted up their
voice
In doleful shrieks, and loud lamentations:

and wept, until they had no more power to weep ;
till nature was quite exhausted, and no moisture left; so the Vulgate Latin version, "till tears failed inthem"; they could shed no more.

And David's two wives were taken captives
Which is observed as one cause of his particular distress, and another follows in (1 Samuel 30:6) :

Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite :
that is, who had been his wife; for he was now dead, (1 Samuel 25:39) , and was so before she was married to David; both these came with him to Gath, and were left at Ziklag when he went with Achish, and here they were taken; see (1 Samuel 25:42 1 Samuel 25:43) (27:3) .