1 Samuel 30
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1David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it,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.
2and had taken captive the women and everyone else in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but 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 reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive.3When David and his men saw the ruins and realized what had happened to their families,
4So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep.4they wept until they could weep no more.
5David's two wives had been captured--Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel.5David’s two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel, were among those captured.
6David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his 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.
7Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelek, "Bring me the ephod." Abiathar brought it to him,7Then he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring me the ephod!” So Abiathar brought it.
8and David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?" "Pursue them," he answered. "You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue."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!”
9David and the six hundred men with him came to the Besor Valley, where some stayed behind.9So David and his 600 men set out, and they came to the brook Besor.
10Two hundred of them were too exhausted to cross the valley, but David and the other four hundred continued the pursuit.10But 200 of the men were too exhausted to cross the brook, so David continued the pursuit with 400 men.
11They found an Egyptian in a field and brought him to David. They gave him water to drink and food to eat--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.
12part of a cake of pressed figs and two cakes of raisins. He ate and was revived, for he had not eaten any food or drunk any 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.
13David asked him, "Who do you belong to? Where do you come from?" He said, "I am an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite. My master abandoned me when I became ill 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 Negev of the Kerethites, some territory belonging to Judah and the Negev 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 asked him, "Can you lead me down to this raiding party?" He answered, "Swear to me before God that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master, and I will take you down 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.”
16He led David down, and there they were, scattered over the countryside, eating, drinking and reveling because of the great amount of plunder they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from 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 fought them from dusk until the evening of the next day, and none of them got away, except four hundred young men who rode off 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, including his two wives.18David got back everything the Amalekites had taken, and he rescued his two wives.
19Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought 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, and his men drove them ahead of the other livestock, saying, "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.
21Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him and who were left behind at the Besor Valley. They came out to meet David and the men with him. As David and his men approached, he asked them how they were.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 evil men and troublemakers among David's followers said, "Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered. However, each man may take his wife and children 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.”
23David replied, "No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the LORD has given us. He has protected us and delivered into our hands the raiding party that 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 will listen to what you say? The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike."24Who will listen when you talk like this? We share and share alike—those who go to battle and those who guard the equipment.”
25David made this a statute and ordinance for Israel from that day to this.25From then on David made this a decree and regulation for Israel, and it is still followed today.
26When David reached Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends, 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.
27David sent it to those who were in Bethel, Ramoth Negev and Jattir;27The gifts were sent to the people of the following towns David had visited: Bethel, Ramoth-negev, Jattir,
28to those in Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa28Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa,
29and Rakal; to those in the towns of the Jerahmeelites and the Kenites;29Racal, the towns of the Jerahmeelites, the towns of the Kenites,
30to those in Hormah, Bor Ashan, Athak30Hormah, Bor-ashan, Athach,
31and Hebron; and to those in all the other places where he and his men had roamed.31Hebron, and all the other places David and his men had visited.
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1 Samuel 29
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