1 Samuel 30

1On the thirdH7992 dayH3117H1961 DavidH1732 and his menH582 arrivedH935 in ZiklagH6860, and the AmalekitesH6003 had raidedH6584H413 the NegevH5045, attackedH5221 ZiklagH6860, and burned it downH8313. 2They had taken captiveH7617 the womenH802 and all1 who wereH834 there, both youngH6996 andH5704 oldH1419. They had not killedH4191H3808 anyoneH376, but had carried them offH5090 as they wentH1980 on their wayH1870.

3When DavidH1732 and his menH582 cameH935 toH413 the cityH5892, they foundH2009 it burned downH8313H784 and their wivesH802 and sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323 taken captiveH7617. 4So DavidH1732 and the troopsH5971 with himH854 lifted upH5375 their voicesH6963 and weptH1058 untilH5704 they had noH369 strengthH3581 left to weepH1058.

5David’sH1732 twoH8147 wivesH802, AhinoamH293 of JezreelH3158 and AbigailH26 the widowH802 of NabalH5037 of CarmelH3761, had been taken captiveH7617. 6And DavidH1732 was greatlyH3966 distressedH3334 becauseH3588 the peopleH5971 spokeH559 of stoning himH5619, becauseH3588 the soulH5315 of every manH376 grievedH4784 forH5921 his sonsH1121 andH5921 daughtersH1323. But DavidH1732 found strengthH2388 in the LORDH3068 his GodH430.

David Destroys the Amalekites

7Then DavidH1732 saidH559 toH413 AbiatharH54 the priestH3548, the sonH1121 of AhimelechH288, “BringH5066H4994 me the ephodH646.”

So AbiatharH54 broughtH5066 itH646 toH413 himH1732, 8and DavidH1732 inquiredH7592 of the LORDH3068: “Should I pursueH7291H310 theseH2088 raidersH1416? Will I overtake themH5381?”

“Pursue themH7291,” the LORD repliedH559, “for you will surely overtake themH5381 and rescue the captivesH5337.”

9SoH1980 DavidH1732H1931 and his sixH8337 hundredH3967 menH376 wentH935 toH5704 the BrookH5158 of BesorH1308, where some stayed behindH3498H5975 10becauseH834 two hundredH3967 menH376 were too exhaustedH6296 to crossH5674 the brookH5158. But DavidH1732H1931 and fourH702 hundredH3967 menH376 continued in pursuitH7291.

11Now his men foundH4672H376 an EgyptianH4713 in the fieldH7704 and broughtH3947 himH853 toH413 DavidH1732. They gaveH5414 the man waterH4325 to drinkH8248 and foodH3899 to eatH398— 12a pieceH6400 of a fig cakeH1690 and twoH8147 clusters of raisinsH6778. So he ateH398 and was revivedH7725H7307H413, forH3588 he had notH3808 had anyH398 foodH3899H3808 or waterH4325 for threeH7969 daysH3117 and threeH7969 nightsH3915.

13Then DavidH1732 askedH559 him, “To whomH4310 do youH859 belong, and whereH335H2088 are you fromH859?”

“I amH595 an EgyptianH4713,” he repliedH559H5288, “the slaveH5650 of an AmalekiteH6003. My masterH113 abandoned meH5800 threeH7969 days agoH3117 whenH3588 I fell illH2470. 14WeH587 raidedH6584 the NegevH5045 of the CherethitesH3774H5921, the territory of JudahH3063H5921, and the NegevH5045 of CalebH3612, and we burned downH8313H784 ZiklagH6860.”

15“Will you lead meH3381 toH413 theseH2088 raidersH1416?” DavidH1732 askedH559.

And the man repliedH559, “SwearH7650 to me by GodH430 that you will notH518 kill meH4191 or deliver meH5462 into the handH3027 of my masterH113, and I will lead youH3381 toH413 them.”

16So he led David downH3381, and there were the AmalekitesH2009 spread outH5203 overH5921H6440 allH3605 the landH776, eatingH398, drinkingH8354, and celebratingH2287H3605 the greatH1419 amount of plunderH7998 they had takenH3947 from the landH776 of the PhilistinesH6430 and the landH776 of JudahH3063. 17And DavidH1732 struck them downH5221 from twilightH5399 untilH5704 the eveningH6153 of the next dayH4283. NotH3808 a manH376 escapedH4422, exceptH3588H518 fourH702 hundredH3967 youngH5288 menH376 whoH834 fledH5127, riding offH7392 onH5921 camelsH1581.

18So DavidH1732 recoveredH5337 everythingH3605 the AmalekitesH6002 had takenH3947, including his twoH8147 wivesH802. 19NothingH3808 was missingH5737, youngH6996 orH5704 oldH1419H5704, sonH1121 or daughterH1323, or anyH3605 of the plunderH7998H5704 the Amalekites had takenH3947. DavidH1732 brought everythingH3605 backH7725. 20And heH1732 tookH3947 allH3605 the flocksH6629 and herdsH1241, which his men droveH5090 ahead ofH6440 the other livestockH4735H1931, calling outH559, “ThisH2088 is David’sH1732 plunderH7998!”

The Spoils Are Divided

21When DavidH1732 cameH935 toH413 the two hundredH3967 menH582 whoH834 had been too exhaustedH6296 to followH1980 himH1732 and who were left behindH3427 at the BrookH5158 of BesorH1308, they came outH3318 to meetH7122 himH1732 and the troopsH5971 with himH854. As DavidH1732 approachedH5066 the menH5971, he greeted themH7592H7965, 22butH6030 allH3605 the wickedH7451 and worthlessH1100 menH376 among thoseH582 whoH834 had goneH1980 withH5973 DavidH1732 saidH559, “BecauseH3282 they did notH3808 goH1980 with usH5973, we will notH3808 share with themH5414 the plunderH7998 we recoveredH5337, exceptH3588H518 for eachH376 man’s wifeH802 and childrenH1121. They may take themH5090 and goH1980.”

23But DavidH1732 saidH559, “My brothersH251, you must notH3808 doH6213 thisH3651 with whatH834 the LORDH3068 has givenH5414 us. He has protectedH8104 usH853 and deliveredH5414 into our handsH3027 the raidersH1416 who cameH935 against usH5921. 24WhoH4310 will listenH8085 to your proposalH1697H2088H3588? The shareH2506 of the one who wentH3381 to battleH4421 will match the shareH2506 of the one who stayedH3427 withH5921 the suppliesH3627. They will shareH2505 alikeH3162.”

25And so it has beenH1961 from thatH1931 dayH3117 forwardH4605. David established thisH7760 statuteH2706 and ordinanceH4941 for IsraelH3478 toH5704 this veryH2088 dayH3117.

26When DavidH1732 arrivedH935 inH413 ZiklagH6860, he sentH7971 some of the plunderH7998 to his friendsH7453, the eldersH2205 of JudahH3063, sayingH559, “HereH2009 is a giftH1293 for you from the plunderH7998 of the LORD’sH3068 enemiesH341.” 27He sent gifts to thoseH834 in BethelH1008, RamothH7418 NegevH5045, and JattirH3492; 28to thoseH834 in AroerH6177, SiphmothH8224, and EshtemoaH851; 29to thoseH834 in RacalH7403 andH834 in the citiesH5892 of the JerahmeelitesH3397 andH5892 KenitesH7017; 30to thoseH834 in HormahH2767, Bor-ashanH3565, and AthachH6269; 31and to thoseH834 in HebronH2275 and in allH3605 the placesH4725 whereH834 DavidH1732H1931 and his menH582 had roamedH1980H8033.