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,

Now when David and his men were come to Siceleg on the third day, the Amalecites had made an invasion on the south side upon Siceleg, and had smitten Siceleg, and burnt it with fire.

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 had taken the women captives that were in it, both little and great: and they had not killed any person, but had carried them with them, and 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.

So when David and his men came to the city, and found it burnt with fire, and that their wives and their sons, and their daughters were taken captives,

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

David and the people that were with him, lifted up their voices, and wept till they had no more tears.

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

For the two wives also of David were taken captives, Achinoam the Jezrahelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel.

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 YHWH his God.

And David was greatly afflicted: for the people had a mind to stone him, for the soul of every man was bitterly grieved for his sons, and daughters: but David took courage in the Lord 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.

And he said to Abiathar the priest the son of Achimelech: Bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

8 David inquired of YHWH, 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."

And David consulted the Lord, saying: Shall I pursue after these robbers, and shall I overtake them, or not? And the Lord said to him: Pursue after them: for thou shalt surely overtake them and recover the prey.

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 that were with him, and they came to the torrent Besor: and some being weary stayed there.

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 pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred stayed, who being weary could not go over the torrent 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.

And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David: and they gave him bread to eat, and 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.

As also a piece of a cake of figs, and two bunches of raisins. And when he had eaten them his spirit returned, and he was refreshed: for he had not eaten bread, nor drunk water 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.

And David said to him: To whom dost thou belong? or whence dost thou come? and whither art thou going? He said: I am a young man of Egypt, the servant of an Amalecite, and my master left me, because I began to be sick three days ago.

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."

For we made an invasion on the south side of Cerethi, and upon Juda, and upon the south of Caleb, and we burnt Siceleg with fire.

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.

And David said to him: Canst thou bring me to this company? And he said: Swear to me by God, that thou wilt not kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee to this company. And David swore to him.

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.

And when he had brought him, behold they were lying spread upon all the ground, eating and drinking, and as it were keeping a festival day, for all the prey, and the spoils which they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Juda.

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.

And David slew them from the evening unto the evening of the next day, and there escaped not a man of them, but four hundred young men, who had gotten upon camels, and fled.

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

So David recovered all that the Amalecites had taken, and he 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.

And there was nothing missing small or great, neither of their sons or their daughters, nor of the spoils, and whatsoever they had taken: David recovered all.

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

And he took all the flocks and the herds, and made them go before him: and they said: This is the prey of David.

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.

And David came to the two hundred men, who being weary had stayed, and were not able to follow David, and he had ordered them to abide at the torrent Besor: and they came out to meet David, and the people that were with him. And David coming to the people saluted them peaceably.

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 and unjust men that had gone with David answering, said: Because they came not with us, we will not give them any thing of the prey which we have recovered: but let every man take his wife and his children, and be contented with them, and go his way.

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

But David said: You shall not do so, my brethren, with these things, which the Lord hath given us, who hath kept us, and hath delivered the robbers that invaded us into our hands.

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."

And no man shall hearken to you in this matter. But equal shall be the portion of him that went down to battle and of him that abode at the baggage, and they shall divide alike.

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

And this hath been done from that day forward, and since was made a statute, and an ordinance, and as a law in 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 YHWH."

Then David came to Siceleg, and sent presents of the prey to the ancients of Juda his neighbours, saying: Receive a blessing of the prey of the enemies of the Lord.

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,

To them that were in Bethel, and that were in Ramoth to the south, and to them that were in Jether,

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

And to them that were in Aroer and that were in Sephamoth, and that were in Esthamo,

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.

And that were in Rachal, and that were in the cities of Jerameel, and that were in the cities of Ceni,

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

And that were in Arama, and that were in the lake Asan, and that were in Athach,

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

And that were in Hebron, and to the rest that were in those places, in which David had abode with his men.