1 Samuel 30

David’s Victory over the Amalekites

1Then it happenedH1961 when DavidH1732 and his menH376 cameH935 to 1ZiklagH6860 on the thirdH7992 dayH3117, that 2the AmalekitesH6003 had madeH6584 a raidH6584 on the 3NegevH5045 and on 4ZiklagH6860, and had 5overthrownH5221 ZiklagH6860 and burnedH8313 it with fireH784; 2and they tookH7617 captiveH7628 the womenH802 and all whoH834 were in it, bothH4480 smallH6996 and greatH1419, 67withoutH3808 killingH4191 anyoneH376, and carriedH5090 them offH5090 and wentH1980 their wayH1870. 3When DavidH1732 and his menH376 cameH935 to the cityH5892, beholdH2009, it was burnedH8313 with fireH784, and their wivesH802 and their sonsH1121 and their daughtersH1323 had been takenH7617 captiveH7628. 4Then DavidH1732 and the peopleH5971 whoH834 were with him 8liftedH5375 their voicesH6963 and weptH1058 untilH5704H834 thereH369 was noH369 strengthH3581 in them to weepH1058. 5Now 9David’sH1732 twoH8147 wivesH802 had been takenH7617 captiveH7628, AhinoamH293 the JezreelitessH3159 and AbigailH26 the 10widowH802 of NabalH5037 the CarmeliteH3761. 6Moreover DavidH1732 was greatlyH3966 distressedH6887 becauseH3588 11the peopleH5971 spokeH559 of stoningH5619 him, for allH3605 the peopleH5971 were 12embitteredH4843, eachH376 oneH376 becauseH5921 of his sonsH1121 and his daughtersH1323. But 13DavidH1732 strengthenedH2388 himself in the LordH3068 his GodH430.

7Then 14DavidH1732 saidH559 to 15AbiatharH54 the priestH3548, the sonH1121 of AhimelechH288, “PleaseH4994 bringH5066 me the ephodH646.” So AbiatharH54 broughtH5066 the ephodH646 to DavidH1732. 816DavidH1732 inquiredH7592 of the LordH3068, sayingH559, “17Shall I pursueH7291 thisH2088 bandH1416? Shall I overtakeH5381 them?” And He saidH559 to him, “PursueH7291, for you will surelyH5381 overtakeH5381 them, 18and you will surelyH5337 rescueH5337 all.” 9So DavidH1732 wentH1980, 19he and the sixH8337 hundredH3967 menH376 whoH834 were with him, and cameH935 to the brookH5158 BesorH1308, where those leftH3498 behindH3498 remainedH5975. 10But DavidH1732 pursuedH7291, he and fourH702 hundredH3967 menH376, for 20two hundredH3967 whoH834 were tooH4480 exhaustedH6296 to crossH5674 the brookH5158 BesorH1308 remainedH5975 behind.

11Now they foundH4672 an EgyptianH4713 in the fieldH7704 and broughtH3947 him to DavidH1732, and gaveH5414 him breadH3899 and he ateH398, and they providedH8248 him waterH4325 to drinkH8248. 12They gaveH5414 him a pieceH6400 of figH1690 cakeH1690 and twoH8147 clustersH6778 of raisinsH6778, and he ateH398; 21then his spiritH7307 22revivedH7725. For he had not eatenH398 breadH3899 or drunkH8354 waterH4325 for threeH7969 daysH3117 and threeH7969 nightsH3915. 13DavidH1732 saidH559 to him, “To whomH4310 do you belong? And whereH335 are you from?” And he saidH559, “I am a youngH5288 manH5288 of EgyptH4713, a servantH5650 of an AmalekiteH6003; and my masterH113 leftH5800 me behindH5800 whenH3588 I fellH2470 sickH2470 threeH7969 daysH3117 ago. 14We madeH6584 a raidH6584 on 23the 24NegevH5045 of the CherethitesH3774, and on that whichH834 belongs to JudahH3063, and on 25the 26NegevH5045 of CalebH3612, and 27we burnedH8313 ZiklagH6860 with fireH784.” 15Then DavidH1732 saidH559 to him, “Will you bringH3381 me downH3381 to thisH2088 bandH1416?” And he saidH559, “SwearH7650 to me by GodH430 that you will not killH4191 me or deliverH5462 me into the handsH3027 of my masterH113, and I will bringH3381 you downH3381 to thisH2088 bandH1416.”

16When he had broughtH3381 him downH3381, beholdH2009, they were 28spreadH5203 overH5921 allH3605 the landH776, 29eatingH398 and drinkingH8354 and 30dancingH2287 because of 31allH3605 the greatH1419 spoilH7998 that they had takenH3947 from the landH776 of the PhilistinesH6430 and from the landH776 of JudahH3063. 17DavidH1732 32slaughteredH5221 them 33from the twilightH5399 34untilH5704 the eveningH6153 of 35the nextH4283 dayH4283; and not a manH376 of them escapedH4422, exceptH3588H518 fourH702 hundredH3967 youngH5288 menH5288 whoH834 rodeH7392 on 36camelsH1581 and fledH1272. 18So DavidH1732 37recoveredH5337 allH3605 that the AmalekitesH6002 had takenH3947, and 38rescuedH5337 his twoH8147 wivesH802. 19But nothingH3808 of theirsH1992 was missingH5737, whetherH4480 smallH6996 orH5704 greatH1419, sonsH1121 or daughtersH1323, spoilH7998 orH5704 anythingH3605 that they had takenH3947 for themselvesH1992; 39DavidH1732 broughtH7725 it allH3605 backH7725. 20So DavidH1732 had 40capturedH3947 allH3605 the sheepH6629 and the cattleH1241 which the people droveH5090 aheadH6440 of 41the other livestockH4735, and they saidH559, “42ThisH2088 is David’sH1732 spoilH7998.”

The Spoils Are Divided

21When 43DavidH1732 cameH935 to the two hundredH3967 menH376 whoH834 were tooH4480 exhaustedH6296 to followH1980H310 DavidH1732, who had also been leftH3427 at the brookH5158 BesorH1308, and they wentH3318 out to meetH7122 DavidH1732 and to meetH7122 the peopleH5971 whoH834 were with him, then DavidH1732 approachedH5066 the peopleH5971 and greetedH7592H7965 them. 22Then allH3605 the wickedH7451 and worthlessH1100 menH376 amongH4480 those whoH834 wentH1980 with DavidH1732 saidH559, “BecauseH3282H834 they did not goH1980 with 44us, we will not giveH5414 them anyH4480 of the spoilH7998 that we have recoveredH5337, exceptH3588H518 to everyH376 manH376 his wifeH802 and his childrenH1121, that they may leadH5090 them awayH5090 and departH1980.” 23Then DavidH1732 saidH559, “You must not doH6213 soH3651, my brothersH251, with whatH834 the LordH3068 has givenH5414 us, who has keptH8104 us and deliveredH5414 into our handH3027 the bandH1416 that cameH935 againstH5921 us. 24And whoH4310 will listenH8085 to you in thisH2088 matterH1697? For 45as his shareH2506 is who goesH3381 downH3381 to the battleH4421, so shall his shareH2506 be who staysH3427 by the baggageH3627; they shall shareH2505 alikeH3164.” 25So it has beenH1961 from that dayH3117 forwardH4605, that he madeH7760 it a statuteH2706 and an ordinanceH4941 for IsraelH3478 to thisH2088 dayH3117.

26Now when DavidH1732 cameH935 to ZiklagH6860, he sentH7971 some of the spoilH7998 to the eldersH2205 of JudahH3063, to his friendsH7453, sayingH559, “BeholdH2009, 46a 47giftH1293 for you from the spoilH7998 of 48the enemiesH340 of the LordH3068: 27to those whoH834 were in 49BethelH1008, and to those whoH834 were in 50RamothH7418 of the 51NegevH7418, and to those whoH834 were in 52JattirH3492, 28and to those whoH834 were in 53AroerH6177, and to those whoH834 were in SiphmothH8224, and to those whoH834 were in 54EshtemoaH851, 29and to those whoH834 were in RacalH7403, and to those whoH834 were in the citiesH5892 of 55the JerahmeelitesH3397, and to those whoH834 were in the citiesH5892 of 56the KenitesH7017, 30and to those whoH834 were in 57HormahH2767, and to those whoH834 were in 58Bor-ashanH953, and to those whoH834 were in AthachH6269, 31and to those whoH834 were in 59HebronH2275, and to allH3605 the placesH4725 whereH834H8033 DavidH1732 himselfH1931 and his menH376 were accustomed to 60goH1980.”