1 Samuel 30

VIN(i) 1 When David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and set it on fire. 2 and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both young and old. They didn't kill any, but carried them off and went their way. 3 When David and his men came to Zikleg they found it completely destroyed by fire. Their wives, sons, and daughters had been taken captive. 4 Then David and his men wept aloud until they had no more power to weep. 5 And David's two wives had been seized, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail, the former wife of Nabal of Carmel. 6 David was greatly distressed, for the men spoke of stoning him because they were grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. 7 And David said to Abiathar the priest the son of Ahimelech, Bring the ephod here to me. 8 and David inquired of the LORD saying, Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them? He answered, Pursue, for you will certainly overtake them and recover all. 9 So David and his six hundred men went to the Besor Valley, where some were left behind. 10 He pursued with four hundred men, and two hundred, who halted on the bank of the brook Bosor, guarded the baggage. 11 Then they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David and 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, he revived, for he had eaten no food nor drunk any water for three days and three nights. 13 David said to him, "To whom do you belong and where are you from?" The Egyptian replied, "I'm a young Egyptian man, the slave of an Amalekite man. My master abandoned me, because I got sick three days ago. 14 We raided the Negev of the Cherethites, the territory that belongs to Judah, and the Negev of Caleb, and we set Ziklag on fire." 15 David said to him, Will you lead me down to this raiding party? 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 take you down to them. 16 So he took him down, and there they were, spread out over the surface of all the land, eating and drinking and dancing because of all of the abundant plunder which they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. 17 David fought them from twilight to the evening of the next day. Not a man of them escaped except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled. 18 David rescued everyone whom the Amalekites had captured, including his two wives. 19 There was nothing missing, small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that they had taken. David brought back everything. 20 He took all the flocks and herds, which they drove before the other livestock, and he said, This is David's spoil. 21 David came to the two hundred men who had been so exhausted that they could not follow David, who had been left behind at the brook Besor, and they went out to meet David and the people who were with him. When David came near them he greeted them. 22 But all the wicked men and troublemakers among David's followers said, Because they didn't go with us we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, just each man's wife and children; then he can take them away and depart. 23 And David said, My brothers, you shall not do so with that which the LORD has given us. For He has protected us, and has delivered into our hand the company that came against us. 24 Who will listen to what you say? The share of the one who goes down to the battle shall be the same as the share of the one who stays with the baggage; they shall share alike. 25 And so he made it a rule and an order for Israel from that day till now. 26 When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, “Behold, a present for you from the plunder of the LORD's enemies.” 27 He sent it to those who were in Bethel, Ramoth of the South, Jattir, 28 Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, 29 and Racal; to the clan of Jerahmeel, to the Kenites, 30 in Hormah, Bor-ashan, Athach, 31 Hebron, and for all those places where David and his men had frequented."