1 N ow when David and his men came home to Ziklag on the third day, they found that the Amalekites had made a raid on the South (the Negeb) and on Ziklag, and had struck Ziklag and burned it with fire,

And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid upon the South, and upon Ziklag, and had smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire,

2 A nd had taken the women and all who were there, both great and small, captive. They killed no one, but carried them off and went on their way.

and had taken captive the women and all that were therein, both small and great: they slew not any, but carried them off, and went their way.

3 S o David and his men came to the town, and behold, it was burned, and their wives and sons and daughters were taken captive.

And when David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captive.

4 T hen David and the men with him lifted up their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep.

Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

5 D avid’s two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail, the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.

And David's two wives were taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

6 D avid was greatly distressed, for the men spoke of stoning him because the souls of them all were bitterly grieved, each man for his sons and daughters. But David encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God.

7 D avid said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, I pray you, bring me the ephod. And Abiathar brought him the ephod.

And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.

8 A nd David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them? The Lord answered him, Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.

And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, If I pursue after this troop, shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue; for thou shalt surely overtake them, and shalt without fail recover all.

9 S o David went, he and the 600 men with him, and came to the brook Besor; there those remained who were left behind.

So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed.

10 B ut David pursued, he and 400 men, for 200 stayed behind who were too exhausted and faint to cross the brook Besor.

But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor.

11 T hey found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David, and gave him bread and he ate, and water to drink,

And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they gave him water to drink.

12 A nd a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins; and when he had eaten, his spirit returned to him, for he had eaten no food or drunk any water for three days and three nights.

And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.

13 A nd David said to him, To whom do you belong? And from where have you come? He said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me because three days ago I fell sick.

And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I fell sick.

14 W e had made a raid on the South (Negeb) of the Cherethites and upon that which belongs to Judah and upon the South (Negeb) of Caleb. And we burned Ziklag with fire.

We made a raid upon the South of the Cherethites, and upon that which belongeth to Judah, and upon the South of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.

15 A nd David said to him, Can you take me down to this band? And he said, Swear to me by God that you will neither kill me nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this band.

And David said to him, Wilt thou bring me down to this troop? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this troop.

16 A nd when he had brought David down, behold, the raiders were spread abroad over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.

And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the ground, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.

17 A nd David smote them from twilight even to the evening of the next day, and not a man of them escaped, except 400 youths who rode camels and fled.

And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, who rode upon camels and fled.

18 D avid recovered all that the Amalekites had taken and rescued his two wives.

And David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken; and David rescued his two wives.

19 N othing was missing, small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken; David recovered all.

And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken to them: David brought back all.

20 A lso David captured all the flocks and herds, and the people drove those animals before him and said, This is David’s spoil.

And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drove before those other cattle, and said, This is David's spoil.

21 A nd David came to the 200 men who were so exhausted and faint that they could not follow and had been left at the brook Besor. They came to meet David and those with him, and when he came near to the men, he saluted them.

And David came to the two hundred men, who were so faint that they could not follow David, whom also they had made 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.

22 T hen all the wicked and base men who went with David said, Because they did not go with us, we will give them nothing of the spoil we have recovered, except that every man may lead away his wife and children and depart.

Then answered all the wicked men and base fellows, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them aught of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that he may lead them away, and depart.

23 D avid said, You shall not do so, my brethren, with what the Lord has given us. He has preserved us and has delivered into our hands the troop that came against us.

Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which Jehovah hath given unto us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.

24 W ho would listen to you in this matter? For as is the share of him who goes into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. They shall share alike.

And who will hearken unto you in this matter? for as his share is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his share be that tarrieth by the baggage: they shall share alike.

25 A nd from that day to this he made it a statute and ordinance for Israel.

And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day.

26 W hen David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the spoil to the elders of Judah, his friends, saying, Here is a gift for you of the spoil of the enemies of the Lord:

And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold, a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of Jehovah:

27 F or those in Bethel, Ramoth of the Negeb, Jattir,

To them that were in Beth-el, and to them that were in Ramoth of the South, and to them that were in Jattir,

28 A roer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa,

and to them that were in Aroer, and to them that were in Siphmoth, and to them that were in Eshtemoa,

29 R acal, the cities of the Jerahmeelites, the cities of the Kenites,

and to them that were in Racal, and to them that were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to them that were in the cities of the Kenites,

30 H ormah, Bor-ashan, Athach,

and to them that were in Hormah, and to them that were in Bor-ashan, and to them that were in Athach,

31 H ebron, and for those in all the places David and his men had habitually haunted.

and to them that were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were wont to haunt.