1 Samuel 30
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1David and his men arrived in Ziklag on the third day. The Amalekites had raided the Negev and attacked and burned Ziklag.1Three days later, when David and his men arrived home at their town of Ziklag, they found that the Amalekites had made a raid into the Negev and Ziklag; they had crushed Ziklag and burned it to the ground.
2They also had kidnapped the women and everyone in it from youngest to oldest. They had killed no one but had carried them off as they went on their way.2They had carried off the women and children and everyone else but without killing anyone.
3When David and his men arrived at the town, they found it burned. Their wives, sons, and daughters had been kidnapped.3When David and his men saw the ruins and realized what had happened to their families,
4David and the troops with him wept loudly until they had no strength left to weep.4they wept until they could weep no more.
5David's two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had also been kidnapped.5David’s two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel, were among those captured.
6David was in an extremely difficult position because the troops talked about stoning him, for they were all very bitter over the loss of their sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.6David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the LORD his God.
7David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the ephod." So Abiathar brought it to him,7Then he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring me the ephod!” So Abiathar brought it.
8and David asked the LORD: "Should I pursue these raiders? Will I overtake them?" The LORD replied to him, "Pursue them, for you will certainly overtake them and rescue the people."8Then David asked the LORD, “Should I chase after this band of raiders? Will I catch them?” And the LORD told him, “Yes, go after them. You will surely recover everything that was taken from you!”
9So David and the six hundred men with him went. They came to the Wadi Besor, where some stayed behind.9So David and his 600 men set out, and they came to the brook Besor.
10David and four hundred of the men continued the pursuit, while two hundred stopped because they were too exhausted to cross the Wadi Besor.10But 200 of the men were too exhausted to cross the brook, so David continued the pursuit with 400 men.
11David's men found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. They gave him some bread to eat and water to drink.11Along the way they found an Egyptian man in a field and brought him to David. They gave him some bread to eat and water to drink.
12Then they gave him some pressed figs and two clusters of raisins. After he ate he revived, for he hadn't eaten food or drunk water for three days and three nights.12They also gave him part of a fig cake and two clusters of raisins, for he hadn’t had anything to eat or drink for three days and nights. Before long his strength returned.
13Then David said to him, "Who do you belong to? Where are you from?" "I'm an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite man," he said. "My master abandoned me when I got sick three days ago.13“To whom do you belong, and where do you come from?” David asked him. “I am an Egyptian—the slave of an Amalekite,” he replied. “My master abandoned me three days ago because I was sick.
14We raided the south country of the Cherethites, the territory of Judah, and the south country of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag."14We were on our way back from raiding the Kerethites in the Negev, the territory of Judah, and the land of Caleb, and we had just burned Ziklag.”
15David then asked him, "Will you lead me to these raiders?" He said, "Swear to me by God that you won't kill me or turn me over to my master, and I will lead you to them."15“Will you lead me to this band of raiders?” David asked. The young man replied, “If you take an oath in God’s name that you will not kill me or give me back to my master, then I will guide you to them.”
16So he led him, and there were the Amalekites, spread out over the entire area, eating, drinking, and celebrating because of the great amount of plunder they had taken from the land of the Philistines and the land of Judah.16So he led David to them, and they found the Amalekites spread out across the fields, eating and drinking and dancing with joy because of the vast amount of plunder they had taken from the Philistines and the land of Judah.
17David slaughtered them from twilight until the evening of the next day. None of them escaped, except four hundred young men who got on camels and fled.17David and his men rushed in among them and slaughtered them throughout that night and the entire next day until evening. None of the Amalekites escaped except 400 young men who fled on camels.
18David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken; he also rescued his two wives.18David got back everything the Amalekites had taken, and he rescued his two wives.
19Nothing of theirs was missing from the youngest to the oldest, including the sons and daughters, and all the plunder the Amalekites had taken. David got everything back.19Nothing was missing: small or great, son or daughter, nor anything else that had been taken. David brought everything back.
20He took all the flocks and herds, which were driven ahead of the other livestock, and the people shouted, "This is David's plunder!"20He also recovered all the flocks and herds, and his men drove them ahead of the other livestock. “This plunder belongs to David!” they said.
21When David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to go with him and had been left at the Wadi Besor, they came out to meet him and to meet the troops with him. When David approached the men, he greeted them,21Then David returned to the brook Besor and met up with the 200 men who had been left behind because they were too exhausted to go with him. They went out to meet David and his men, and David greeted them joyfully.
22but all the corrupt and worthless men among those who had gone with David argued, "Because they didn't go with us, we will not give any of the plunder we recovered to them except for each man's wife and children. They may take them and go."22But some evil troublemakers among David’s men said, “They didn’t go with us, so they can’t have any of the plunder we recovered. Give them their wives and children, and tell them to be gone.”
23But David said, "My brothers, you must not do this with what the LORD has given us. He protected us and handed over to us the raiders who came against us.23But David said, “No, my brothers! Don’t be selfish with what the LORD has given us. He has kept us safe and helped us defeat the band of raiders that attacked us.
24Who can agree to your proposal? The share of the one who goes into battle is to be the same as the share of the one who remains with the supplies. They will share equally."24Who will listen when you talk like this? We share and share alike—those who go to battle and those who guard the equipment.”
25And it has been so from that day forward. David established this policy as a law and an ordinance for Israel and it still continues today.25From then on David made this a decree and regulation for Israel, and it is still followed today.
26When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, "Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the LORD's enemies."26When he arrived at Ziklag, David sent part of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends. “Here is a present for you, taken from the LORD’s enemies,” he said.
27He sent gifts to those in Bethel, in Ramoth of the Negev, and in Jattir;27The gifts were sent to the people of the following towns David had visited: Bethel, Ramoth-negev, Jattir,
28to those in Aroer, in Siphmoth, and in Eshtemoa;28Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa,
29to those in Racal, in the towns of the Jerahmeelites, and in the towns of the Kenites;29Racal, the towns of the Jerahmeelites, the towns of the Kenites,
30to those in Hormah, in Bor-ashan, and in Athach;30Hormah, Bor-ashan, Athach,
31to those in Hebron, and to those in all the places where David and his men had roamed.31Hebron, and all the other places David and his men had visited.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
1 Samuel 29
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