I Samuel 30

¹And when David and his men had arrived at Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made an attack on the south side against Ziklag. And they had struck Ziklag, and burned it with fire.

²And they had led the women in it away as captives, from the small to the great. And they had not killed anyone, but they led them away with them. And then they traveled on their journey.

³Therefore, when David and his men had arrived at the city, and had found it burned with fire, and that their wives and their sons and daughters had been led away as captives,

⁴David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices. And they mourned until the tears in them failed.

⁵For indeed, the two wives of David also had been led away as captives: Ahinoam, the Jezreelite, and Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel.

⁶And David was greatly saddened. And the people were willing to stone him, because the soul of every man was bitter over his sons and daughters. But David was strengthened by the Lord his God.

⁷And he said to the priest Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring the ephod to me.” And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

⁸And David consulted the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue these robbers, and will I overtake them, or not?” And the Lord said to him: “Pursue. For without doubt, you will overtake them and find the prey.”

⁹Therefore, David went away, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and they arrived as far as the torrent Besor. And certain ones, being weary, stayed there.

¹⁰But David pursued, he and four hundred men. For two hundred stayed, who, being weary, were not able to cross the torrent Besor.

¹¹And they found an Egyptian man in the field, and they led him to David. And they gave him bread, so that he might eat, and water, so that he might drink,

¹²and also a section of a mass of dried figs, and two clusters of dried grapes. And when he had eaten, his spirit returned, and he was refreshed. For he had not eaten bread, nor drank water, for three days and three nights.

¹³And so David said to him: “To whom do you belong? Or where are you from? And where are you going?” And he said: “I am a young man of Egypt, the servant of an Amalekite man. But my lord abandoned me, because I began to be sick the day before yesterday.

¹⁴For indeed, we broke forth to the southern side of Cherethi, and against Judah, and to the south of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.”

¹⁵And David said to him, “Are you able to lead me to this battle line?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me, and that you will not deliver me into the hands of my lord, and I will lead you to this battle line.” And David swore to him.

¹⁶And when he had led him, behold, they were stretched out on the face of the land everywhere, eating and drinking and celebrating, as if it were a feast day, because of all the prey and spoils that they had taken from the land of the Philistines, and from the land of Judah.

¹⁷And David struck them down from evening until the evening of the next day. And no one among them escaped, except four hundred youths, who had climbed on camels and fled.

¹⁸Therefore, David rescued all that the Amalekites had taken, and he rescued his two wives.

¹⁹And nothing was missing, from small even to great, among the sons and daughters, and among the spoils, and among everything whatsoever that they had seized. David returned it all.

²⁰And he took all the flocks and the herds, and he drove them before his face. And they said, “This is the prey of David.”

²¹Then David arrived at the two hundred men, who, being weary, had stayed, for they had not been able to follow David, and he had ordered them to remain at the torrent Besor. And they went out to meet David, and the people who were with him. Then David, drawing near to the people, greeted them peacefully.

²²And all the wicked and iniquitous men, out of the men who had gone with David, responding, said: “Since they did not go with us, we will not give to them anything from the prey that we have rescued. But let his wife and children be enough for each of them; when they have accepted this, they may go back.”

²³But David said: “You shall not do this, my brothers, with these things that the Lord has delivered to us, for he has preserved us, and he has given into our hands the robbers who broke out among us.

²⁴And so, let no one heed you over these words. But equal shall be the portion of him who descended to the battle, and of him who remained with the supplies, and they will divide it alike.”

²⁵And this has been done from that day and thereafter. And it was established as a statute, and as if a law, in Israel even to this day.

²⁶Then David went to Ziklag, and he sent gifts from the prey to the elders of Judah, his neighbors, saying, “Receive a blessing from the prey of the enemies of the Lord,”

²⁷to those who were in Bethel, and who were in Ramoth toward the south, and who were in Jattir,

²⁸and who were in Aroer, and who were in Siphmoth, and who were in Eshtemoa,

²⁹and who were in Racal, and who were in the cities of Jerahmeel, and who were in the cities of Keni,

³⁰and who were in Hormah, and who were at the lake of Ashan, and who were in Athach,

³¹and who were in Hebron, and to the remainder who were in those places where David had stayed, he and his men.

I Samuel 30

¹Now when David and his men were come to Siceleg on the third day, the Amalecites had made an invasion on the south side upon Siceleg, and had smitten Siceleg, and burnt it with fire,

²And had taken the women captives that were in it, both little and great: and they had not killed any person, but had carried them with them, and went on their way.

³So when David and his men came to the city, and found it burnt with fire, and that their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives,

⁴David and the people that were with him, lifted up their voices, and wept till they had no more tears.

⁵For the two wives also of David were taken captives, Achinoam, the Jezrahelitess, and Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel.

⁶And David was greatly afflicted: for the people had a mind to stone him, for the soul of every man was bitterly grieved for his sons and daughters: but David took courage in the Lord his God.

⁷And he said to Abiathar, the priest, the son of Achimelech: Bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

⁸And David consulted the Lord, saying: Shall I pursue after these robbers, and shall I overtake them, or not? And the Lord said to him: Pursue after them: for thou shalt surely overtake them and recover the prey.

⁹So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and they came to the torrent Besor: and some, being weary, stayed there.

¹⁰But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred stayed, who, being weary, could not go over the torrent Besor.

¹¹And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David: and they gave him bread to eat, and water to drink,

¹²As also a piece of a cake of figs, and two bunches of raisins. And when he had eaten them, his spirit returned, and he was refreshed: for he had not eaten bread, nor drunk water, three days and three nights.

¹³And David said to him: To whom dost thou belong; or whence dost thou come? and whither art thou going? He said: I am a young man of Egypt, the servant of an Amalecite: and my master left me, because I began to be sick three days ago.

¹⁴For we made an invasion on the south side of Cerethi, and upon Juda, and upon the south of Caleb, and we burnt Siceleg with fire.

¹⁵And David said to him: Canst thou bring me to this company? and he said: Swear to me by God, that thou wilt not kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee to this company. And David swore to him.

¹⁶And when he had brought him, behold they were lying spread abroad upon all the ground, eating and drinking, and as it were keeping a festival day, for all the prey and the spoils which they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Juda.

¹⁷And David slew them from the evening unto the evening of the next day, and there escaped not a man of them, but four hundred young men, who had gotten upon camels, and fled.

¹⁸So David recovered all that the Amalecites had taken, and he rescued his two wives.

¹⁹And there was nothing missing small or great, neither of their sons or their daughters, nor of the spoils, and whatsoever they had taken, David recovered all.

²⁰And he took all the flocks and the herds, and made them go before him: and they said: This is the prey of David.

²¹And David came to the two hundred men, who, being weary, had stayed, and were not able to follow David, and he had ordered them to abide at the torrent Besor: and they came out to meet David, and the people that were with him. And David coming to the people, saluted them peaceably.

²²Then all the wicked and unjust men, that had gone with David, answering, said: Because they came not with us, we will not give them any thing of the prey which we have recovered: but let every man take his wife, and his children, and be contented with them, and go his way.

²³But David said: You shall not do so, my brethren, with these things, which the Lord hath given us, who hath kept us, and hath delivered the robbers that invaded us into our hands:

²⁴And no man shall hearken to you in this matter. But equal shall be the portion of him that went down to battle, and of him that abode at the baggage, and they shall divide alike.

²⁵And this hath been done from that day forward, and since was made a statute and an ordinance, and as a law in Israel.

²⁶Then David came to Siceleg, and sent presents of the prey to the ancients of Juda, his neighbours, saying: Receive a blessing of the prey of the enemies of the Lord.

²⁷To them that were in Bethel, and that were in Ramoth to the south, and to them that were in Jether.

²⁸And to them that were in Aroer, and that were in Sephamoth, and that were in Esthamo,

²⁹And that were in Rachal, and that were in the cities of Jerameel, and that were in the cities of Ceni,

³⁰And that were in Arama, and that were in the lake Asan, and that were in Athach,

³¹And that were in Hebron, and to the rest that were in those places, in which David had abode with his men.