1 Samuel 30

1 Bvt when Dauid and his men were come to Ziklag the thirde day, the Amalekites had inuaded vpon the South, euen vnto Ziklag, and had smitten Ziklag, and burnt it with fire,

And when David and his men had arrived at Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made an attack on the south side against Ziklag. And they had struck Ziklag, and burned it with fire.

2 And had taken the women that were therein, prisoners, both small and great, and slewe not a man, but caryed them away, and went their wayes.

And they had led the women in it away as captives, from the small to the great. And they had not killed anyone, but they led them away with them. And then they traveled on their journey.

3 So Dauid and his men came to the city, and beholde, it was burnt with fire, and their wiues, and their sonnes, and their daughters were taken prisoners.

Therefore, when David and his men had arrived at the city, and had found it burned with fire, and that their wives and their sons and daughters had been led away as captives,

4 Then Dauid and the people that was with him, lift vp their voyces and wept, vntill they could weepe no more.

David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices. And they mourned until the tears in them failed.

5 Dauids two wiues were taken prisoners also, Ahinoam the Izreelite, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

For indeed, the two wives of David also had been led away as captives: Ahinoam, the Jezreelite, and Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel.

6 And Dauid was in great sorowe: for the people entended to stone him, because the heartes of all the people were vexed euery man for his sonnes and for his daughters: but Dauid comforted him selfe in the Lord his God.

And David was greatly saddened. And the people were willing to stone him, because the soul of every man was bitter over his sons and daughters. But David was strengthened by the Lord his God.

7 And Dauid saide to Abiathar the Priest Ahimelechs sonne, I pray thee, bring me the Ephod. And Abiathar brought the Ephod to Dauid.

And he said to the priest Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring the ephod to me.” And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

8 Then Dauid asked counsell at the Lord, saying, Shall I follow after this companie? shall I ouertake them? And he answered him, Followe: for thou shalt surely ouertake them, and recouer all.

And David consulted the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue these robbers, and will I overtake them, or not?” And the Lord said to him: “Pursue. For without doubt, you will overtake them and find the prey.”

9 So Dauid and the sixe hundreth men that were with him, went, and came to the riuer Besor, where a part of them abode:

Therefore, David went away, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and they arrived as far as the torrent Besor. And certain ones, being weary, stayed there.

10 But Dauid and foure hundreth men followed (for two hundreth abode behinde, being too wearie to goe ouer the riuer Besor)

But David pursued, he and four hundred men. For two hundred stayed, who, being weary, were not able to cross the torrent Besor.

11 And they found an Egyptian in the fielde, and brought him to Dauid, and gaue him bread and he did eat, and they gaue him water to drinke.

And they found an Egyptian man in the field, and they led him to David. And they gave him bread, so that he might eat, and water, so that he might drink,

12 Also they gaue him a fewe figges, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirite came againe to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunke any water in three dayes, and three nightes.

and also a section of a mass of dried figs, and two clusters of dried grapes. And when he had eaten, his spirit returned, and he was refreshed. For he had not eaten bread, nor drank water, for three days and three nights.

13 And Dauid saide vnto him, To whome belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he saide, I am a yong man of Egypt, and seruant to an Amalekite: and my master left me three dayes agoe, because I fell sicke.

And so David said to him: “To whom do you belong? Or where are you from? And where are you going?” And he said: “I am a young man of Egypt, the servant of an Amalekite man. But my lord abandoned me, because I began to be sick the day before yesterday.

14 We roued vpon the South of Chereth, and vpon the coast belonging to Iudah, and vpon the South of Caleb, and we burnt Ziklag with fire.

For indeed, we broke forth to the southern side of Cherethi, and against Judah, and to the south of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.”

15 And Dauid saide vnto him, Canst thou bring me to this companie? And he said, Sweare vnto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliuer me into the handes of my master, and I will bring thee to this companie.

And David said to him, “Are you able to lead me to this battle line?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me, and that you will not deliver me into the hands of my lord, and I will lead you to this battle line.” And David swore to him.

16 And when he had brought him thither, beholde, they lay scattered abroade vpon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dauncing, because of all the great pray that they had taken out of the lande of the Philistims, and out of the land of Iudah.

And when he had led him, behold, they were stretched out on the face of the land everywhere, eating and drinking and celebrating, as if it were a feast day, because of all the prey and spoils that they had taken from the land of the Philistines, and from the land of Judah.

17 And Dauid smote them from the twilight, euen vnto the euening of the next morowe, so that there escaped not a man of them, saue foure hundreth yong men, which rode vpon camels, and fled.

And David struck them down from evening until the evening of the next day. And no one among them escaped, except four hundred youths, who had climbed on camels and fled.

18 And Dauid recouered all that the Amalekites had taken: also Dauid rescued his two wiues.

Therefore, David rescued all that the Amalekites had taken, and he rescued his two wives.

19 And they lacked nothing, small or great, sonne or daughter, or of the spoyle of all that they had taken away: Dauid recouered them all.

And nothing was missing, from small even to great, among the sons and daughters, and among the spoils, and among everything whatsoever that they had seized. David returned it all.

20 Dauid also tooke all the sheepe, and the oxen, and they draue them before his cattell, and said, This is Dauids pray.

And he took all the flocks and the herds, and he drove them before his face. And they said, “This is the prey of David.”

21 And Dauid came to the two hundreth men that were too wearie for to follow Dauid: whome they had made also to abide at the riuer Besor: and they came to meete Dauid, and to meete the people that were with him: so when Dauid came neere to the people, hee saluted them.

Then David arrived at the two hundred men, who, being weary, had stayed, for they had not been able to follow David, and he had ordered them to remain at the torrent Besor. And they went out to meet David, and the people who were with him. Then David, drawing near to the people, greeted them peacefully.

22 Then answered all the euill and wicked of the men that went with Dauid, and saide, Because they went not with vs, therefore will wee giue them none of the pray that wee haue recouered, saue to euery man his wife and his children: therefore let them carie them away and depart.

And all the wicked and iniquitous men, out of the men who had gone with David, responding, said: “Since they did not go with us, we will not give to them anything from the prey that we have rescued. But let his wife and children be enough for each of them; when they have accepted this, they may go back.”

23 Then saide Dauid, Yee shall not doe so, my brethren, with that which the Lord hath giuen vs, who hath preserued vs, and deliuered the companie that came against vs, into our handes.

But David said: “You shall not do this, my brothers, with these things that the Lord has delivered to us, for he has preserved us, and he has given into our hands the robbers who broke out among us.

24 For who will obey you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth downe to the battel, so shall his part be, that tarieth by the stuffe: they shall part alike.

And so, let no one heed you over these words. But equal shall be the portion of him who descended to the battle, and of him who remained with the supplies, and they will divide it alike.”

25 So from that day forward hee made it a statute and a lawe in Israel, vntill this day.

And this has been done from that day and thereafter. And it was established as a statute, and as if a law, in Israel even to this day.

26 When Dauid therefore came to Ziklag, he sent of the pray vnto the Elders of Iudah and to his friends, saying, See there is a blessing for you of the spoyle of the enemies of the Lord.

Then David went to Ziklag, and he sent gifts from the prey to the elders of Judah, his neighbors, saying, “Receive a blessing from the prey of the enemies of the Lord,”

27 Hee sent to them of Beth-el, and to them of South Ramoth, and to them of Iattir,

to those who were in Bethel, and who were in Ramoth toward the south, and who were in Jattir,

28 And to them of Aroer, and to them of Siphmoth, and to them of Eshtemoa,

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

29 And to them of Rachal, and to them of the cities of the Ierahmeelites, and to them of the cities of the Kenites,

and who were in Racal, and who were in the cities of Jerahmeel, and who were in the cities of Keni,

30 And to them of Hormah, and to them of Chor-ashan, and to them of Athach,

and who were in Hormah, and who were at the lake of Ashan, and who were in Athach,

31 And to them of Hebron, and to all the places where Dauid and his men had hanted.

and who were in Hebron, and to the remainder who were in those places where David had stayed, he and his men.