1Samuel 30

1 When David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had raided the Negev ^{a30:1 i.e. the southern regions of the Sinai peninsula; cf. Josh 10:40} and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and set it on fire.ISV — 1Samuel 30:1

2 They took the women in it captive, from young to old. ^{b30:2 Lit. from small to great} They did not kill anyone. Instead, they carried them off and went on their way.ISV — 1Samuel 30:2

3 David and his men came to the town, and it had been burned down. Their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive.ISV — 1Samuel 30:3

4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted their voices and cried until they had no more strength left to cry.ISV — 1Samuel 30:4

5 David’s two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, Nabal’s former ^{c30:5 The Heb. lacks former} wife, had been captured.ISV — 1Samuel 30:5

6 David was in great danger ^{d30:6 Or greatly distressed} because all the people were bitter because of their sons and daughters, and they were talking about stoning him. But David found strength ^{e30:6 Or strengthened himself} in the LORD his God.ISV — 1Samuel 30:6

7 David told Ahimelech’s son Abiathar the priest, “Bring me the ephod.” ^{f30:7 The ephod was a type of vest worn by the priest and was used to determine God’s will.} So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.ISV — 1Samuel 30:7

8 David inquired of the LORD: “Shall I pursue this raiding party? ^{g30:8 Or band} Will I overtake them?” The LORD ^{h30:8 Lit. He} told David, ^{i30:8 Lit. him} “Pursue them! You will definitely overtake them and rescue the captives.” ^{j30:8 Lit. and you will definitely rescue}ISV — 1Samuel 30:8

9 So David and 600 men who were with him set out. They came to the Wadi ^{k30:9 i.e. a seasonal stream or river that channels water during rain seasons but is dry at other times} Besor where those who were left behind stayed.ISV — 1Samuel 30:9

10 David and 400 men continued the pursuit, ^{l30:10 Lit. pursued} while the 200 men who were too exhausted to cross over the Wadi ^{m30:10 i.e. a seasonal stream or river that channels water during rain seasons but is dry at other times} Besor remained there. ^{n30:10 The Heb. lacks there}ISV — 1Samuel 30:10

11 They found an Egyptian man in the field, and they took him to David. They gave him food to eat and provided water for him.ISV — 1Samuel 30:11

12 They gave him part of a fig cake and two bunches of raisins. After he had eaten, he revived, ^{o30:12 Lit. his spirit revived} since he had neither eaten food nor had he drunk water for three days and three nights.ISV — 1Samuel 30:12

13 David told him, “To whom do you belong and where are you from?” The Egyptian ^{p30:13 Lit. He} replied, “I’m a young Egyptian man, the slave of an Amalekite man. My master abandoned me, because I got sick three days ago.ISV — 1Samuel 30:13

14 We raided the Negev ^{q30:14 Or the southern region} of the Cherethites, the territory that belongs to Judah, ^{r30:14 Lit. what belongs to Judah} and the Negev ^{s30:14 Or the southern region} of Caleb, and we set Ziklag on fire.”ISV — 1Samuel 30:14

15 David asked him, “Will you take me to this raiding party?” ^{t30:15 Or band} He said, “Swear to me by God that you won’t kill me or turn me over to my master, and I’ll take you to the raiding party.” ^{u30:15 Or band}ISV — 1Samuel 30:15

16 The Egyptian ^{v30:16 Lit. He} led him to the camp, ^{w30:16 Lit. him down} and there the Amalekites ^{x30:16 Lit. they} were spread out over the whole area, eating, drinking, and celebrating with the great amount of spoil they had taken from the territory belonging to the Philistines and to Judah.ISV — 1Samuel 30:16

17 David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day, and not one of them escaped except for 400 young men who mounted camels and fled.ISV — 1Samuel 30:17

18 David rescued everyone whom the Amalekites ^{y30:18 Lit. whom Amalek; i.e., those who lived in the town of Amalek} had captured, including ^{z30:18 Lit. captured, and David rescued} his two wives.ISV — 1Samuel 30:18

19 Nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or large, sons or daughters, spoil, or anything that they had taken for themselves—David brought back everything.ISV — 1Samuel 30:19

20 David took all the rest of ^{aa30:20 The Heb. lacks the rest of} the sheep and cattle, driving them ahead of their rescued livestock. ^{bb30:20 Lit. ahead of those livestock} People said about all this, ^{cc30:20 Lit. about them} “This is David’s spoil.”ISV — 1Samuel 30:20

21 David came to the 200 men who were too exhausted to follow him ^{dd30:21 Lit. David} and who had been left at the Wadi ^{ee30:21 i.e. a seasonal stream or river that channels water during rain seasons but is dry at other times} Besor. They came out to meet David and the people who were with him. As David approached the people, he asked them how they were doing. ^{ff30:21 Or he greeted them}ISV — 1Samuel 30:21

22 At this point, all the wicked and worthless men of the group who had gone with David answered, “Because they didn’t go with us, we won’t give them any of the spoil that we recovered, except that each person may take his wife and his children and go.”ISV — 1Samuel 30:22

23 David said, “No, you won’t do this, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us. He guarded us and gave the raiding party ^{gg30:23 Or band} that came against us into our hand.ISV — 1Samuel 30:23

24 Who will listen to you in this matter? Indeed, the share of those who went down into battle and the share of those who stayed with the supplies will be the same. They’ll share alike.”ISV — 1Samuel 30:24

25 From that day forward he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel, and it remains ^{hh30:25 The Heb. lacks and it remains} to this present ^{ii30:25 The Heb. lacks present} day.ISV — 1Samuel 30:25

26 David came to Ziklag, and he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, and to his friends, telling them, “Look, this is a gift for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORDISV — 1Samuel 30:26

27 in Bethel, Ramoth-negev, Jattir,ISV — 1Samuel 30:27

28 Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa,ISV — 1Samuel 30:28

29 Rachal, in the Jerahmeelite towns, in the Kenite towns,ISV — 1Samuel 30:29

30 in Hormah, Bor-ashan, Athach,ISV — 1Samuel 30:30

31 Hebron, and for all those places where David and his men had frequented.”ISV — 1Samuel 30:31