1 Samuel 30

1 It happened, when David and his men had come to Ziklag on the third day, that Amalek had made a raid on the Negev, and on Ziklag, and had struck Ziklag, and burned it with fire,

It came about, when David and his men had come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid upon the Negev and on Ziklag. They attacked Ziklag, burned it,

2 and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great. They did not kill any, but carried them off, and went their way.

and captured the women and everyone who was in it, both small and great. They killed no one, but carried them off as they went on their way.

3 When David and his men came to the city, look, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captive.

When David and his men came to the city, it was burned, and their wives, their sons, and their daughters were taken captive.

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

Then David and the people that were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more power to weep.

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

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

6 David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke 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 the LORD his God.

David was greatly distressed, for the people were talking about stoning him, for all the people were bitter in spirit, each man for his sons and daughters; but David strengthened himself in Yahweh, his God.

7 David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Please bring me here the ephod." Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

David said to Abiathar son of Ahimelech, the priest, “I beg you, bring the ephod here for me.” Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

8 David inquired of the LORD, saying, "If I pursue after this troop, shall I overtake them?" He answered him, "Pursue; for you shall surely overtake them, and shall without fail recover all."

David prayed to Yahweh for direction, saying, “If I pursue after this troop, will I overtake them?” Yahweh answered him, “Pursue, for you will certainly overtake them, and you will surely recover everything.”

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

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

10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they couldn't cross the Wadi Besor.

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

11 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 a field and brought him to David; they gave him bread, and he ate; they gave him water to drink;

12 They gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins. 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.

and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. When he had eaten, he gained strength again, for he had eaten no bread nor drunk any water for three days and three nights.

13 David asked him, "To whom do you belong? Where are you from?" 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? Where do you come from?” He said, “I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; my master left me because three days ago I fell sick.

14 We made a raid on the Negev of the Kerethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the Negev of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire."

We made a raid on the Negev of the Kerethites, and what belongs to Judah, and the Negev of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag.”

15 David said to him, "Will you bring me down to this troop?" He said, "Swear to me by God that you will neither kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this troop." And he swore to him.

David said to him, “Will you bring me down to this raiding party?” The Egyptian said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or betray me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this raiding party.”

16 When he had brought him down, look, they were spread around over all the ground, eating, 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.

When the Egyptian had brought David down, the raiders were spread out over all the ground, eating and drinking and dancing because of all the booty they had taken out of the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.

17 David struck them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day and he put them to death. Not a man of them escaped from there, except four hundred young men, who rode on camels and fled.

David attacked them from the twilight to the evening of the next day. Not a man escaped except for four hundred young men, who rode on camels and fled.

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

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

19 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.

Nothing was missing, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither booty, nor anything that the raiders had taken for themselves. David brought back everything.

20 He took all the flocks and the herds, which they drove before those other livestock, and said, "This is David's spoil."

David took all the flocks and the herds, which the men drove ahead of the other cattle. They said, “This is David's booty.”

21 David came to the two hundred men, who were so faint that they could not follow David, whom he also had made to stay at the Wadi Besor; and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near to the people, he greeted them.

David came to the two hundred men who had been too weak to follow him, the ones the others had made to stay at the brook Besor. These men went ahead to meet David and the people who were with him. When David came to these people, he greeted them.

22 Then every wicked and worthless one of the men who had gone with David answered, and they said, "Because they did not go with us, we will not give them anything of the spoil that we have recovered, except to each man his wife and his children. And let them take them, and depart."

Then all the wicked men and worthless fellows among those who had gone with David said, “Because these men did not go with us, we will not give them any of the booty that we have recovered. Except that each man may take his wife and children, lead them away, and go.”

23 Then David said, "You shall not do so after what the LORD has given to us, who has preserved us, and delivered into our hand the raiding party that came against us.

Then David said, “You must not act like this, my brothers, with what Yahweh has given to us. He has preserved us and given into our hand the raiders who came against us.

24 So who will listen to you in this matter? For they are not inferior to you. For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so will his share be who remains with the supplies; they will share alike."

Who will listen to you in this matter? For as the share is for anyone who goes into battle, so also will the share be for anyone who waits by the baggage; they will share and share alike.”

25 It was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.

It has been so from that day to this day, for David made it a statute and a decree for Israel.

26 When David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil to the elders of Judah and to his friends, saying, "Look, a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD."

When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the booty to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “See, here is a present for you from the booty from Yahweh's enemies.”

27 He sent it to those who were in Bethel, and to those who were in Ramath Negev, and to those who were in Jattir,

He also sent some to the elders who were in Bethel, and to those who were in Ramoth of the South, and to those who were in Jattir,

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

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

29 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 Kenizzites.

He also sent some to the elders who were in Rakal, and to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those who were in the cities of the Kenites,

30 and to those who were in Hormah, and to those who were in Bor Ashan, and to those who were in Athach,

and to those who were in Hormah, and to those who were in Bor Ashan, and to those who were in Athak,

31 and to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men used to stay.

and to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men habitually went.