1 A nd it came to pass, when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid upon the south, and upon Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag and burned it with fire;

Now 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,

2 a nd had taken the women captives that were in it; both great and small: they had put none to death, but had carried them off, and went on their way.

And 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.

3 A nd David and his men came to the city, and behold, it was burnt with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters were taken captives.

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

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

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

5 A nd David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jizreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

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

6 A nd David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him; for the soul of all the people was embittered, every man because of his sons and because of his daughters; but David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God.

David 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.

7 A nd David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, Bring near to me, I pray thee, the ephod. And Abiathar brought the ephod near to David.

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

8 A nd David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he said to him, Pursue; for thou shalt assuredly overtake and shalt certainly recover.

And 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.

9 S o David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and they came to the torrent Besor; and those that were left stayed behind.

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

10 A nd David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to go over the torrent Besor.

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

11 A nd they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he ate; and they gave him water to drink,

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

12 a nd gave him a piece of fig-cake and two raisin-cakes, and he ate, and his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, for three days and three nights.

And 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.

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

And 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.

14 W e made a raid against the south of the Cherethites, and against what to Judah, and against the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.

We 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.

15 A nd David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this troop? And he said, Swear to me by God, that thou wilt neither put me to death nor deliver me up into the hand of my master, and I will bring thee down to this troop.

And 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.

16 A nd he brought him down, and behold, they were spread over the whole land, 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.

And 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.

17 A nd David smote them from the twilight even to 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.

And 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.

18 A nd David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken: and David recovered his two wives.

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

19 A nd there was nothing missed by them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil nor anything that they had taken: David brought all back.

Nothing was missing, small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken; David recovered all.

20 A nd David took all the flocks and the herds, they drove before the other cattle, and said, This is David's spoil.

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

21 A nd David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow David, and whom they had left behind at the torrent Besor; and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him; and David drew near to the people and saluted them.

And 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.

22 A nd all the wicked men, and of Belial, of those that had gone with David, answered and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead away and depart.

Then 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.

23 T hen said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which Jehovah has given us, who has preserved us, and given the troop that came against us into our hand.

David 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.

24 A nd who will hearken to you in this matter? For as his share is that goes down to the battle, so shall his share be that abides by the baggage: they shall share alike.

Who 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.

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

And from that day to this he made it a statute and ordinance for Israel.

26 A nd David came to Ziklag, and he sent of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of Jehovah:

When 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:

27 t o those in Bethel, and to those in south Ramoth, and to those in Jattir,

For those in Bethel, Ramoth of the Negeb, Jattir,

28 a nd to those in Aroer, and to those in Siphmoth, and to those in Eshtemoa,

Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa,

29 a nd to those in Rachal, and to those in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those in the cities of the Kenites,

Racal, the cities of the Jerahmeelites, the cities of the Kenites,

30 a nd to those in Hormah, and to those in Chor-ashan, and to those in Athach,

Hormah, Bor-ashan, Athach,

31 a nd to those in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men went about.

Hebron, and for those in all the places David and his men had habitually haunted.