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,

Then it happened when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev and on Ziklag, and had overthrown 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 they took captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great, without killing anyone, and 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.

When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been 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 who were with him lifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep.

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

Now David’s two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow 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.

Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord 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.

Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Please bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought 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.

David inquired of the Lord, saying, “ Shall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them?” And He said to him, “Pursue, for you will surely overtake them, and you will surely rescue 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 who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those left behind remained.

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 who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor remained behind.

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,

Now they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David, and gave him bread and he ate, and they provided 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.

They gave him a piece of fig cake and two clusters of raisins, and he ate; then his spirit revived. For he had not eaten bread or drunk water for 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.

David said to him, “To whom do you belong? And where are you from?” And he said, “I am a young man of Egypt, a servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me behind when I fell sick three days ago.

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 on the Negev of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the Negev 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.

Then David said to him, “Will you bring me down to this band?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this band.”

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.

When he had brought him down, behold, they were spread over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from 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.

David slaughtered them from the twilight until the evening of the next day; and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled.

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

So David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and 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.

But nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that they had taken for themselves; David brought it all back.

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.

So David had captured all the sheep and the cattle which the people drove ahead of the other livestock, and they said, “ This is David’s spoil.” The Spoils Are Divided

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.

When David came to the two hundred men who were too exhausted to follow David, who had also been left at the brook Besor, and they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him, then David approached the people and greeted 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 all the wicked and worthless men among those who went with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that they 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 David said, “You must not do so, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us, who has kept us and delivered into our hand the band that came against us.

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 listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike.”

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

So it has been from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to 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:

Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Behold, a gift for you from the spoil of the enemies of the Lord:

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

to those who were in Bethel, and to those who were in Ramoth of the Negev, and to those who were in Jattir,

28 A roer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa,

and to those who were in Aroer, and to those who were in Siphmoth, and to those who were in Eshtemoa,

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

and to those who were in Racal, and to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those who were in the cities of the Kenites,

30 H ormah, Bor-ashan, Athach,

and to those who were in Hormah, and to those who were in Bor-ashan, and to those who were in Athach,

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

and to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were accustomed to go.”