1 Samuel, 30

1. Now by the time David and his men reached Ziklag three days later, the Amalekites had raided the Negeb and Ziklag; they had sacked Ziklag and burnt it down.

1. Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amal'ekites had made a raid upon the Negeb and upon Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag, and burned it with fire,

2. They had taken the women prisoner, and everyone who was there, both small and great. They had not killed anyone, but had carried them off and gone away.

2. and taken captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great; they killed no one, but carried them off, and went their way.

3. When David and his men arrived, they found the town burnt down and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive.

3. And when David and his men came to the city, they found it burned with fire, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive.

4. Then David and the people with him wept aloud till they were too weak to weep any more.

4. Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept, until they had no more strength to weep.

5. David's two wives had been captured: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail widow of Nabal of Carmel.

5. David's two wives also had been taken captive, Ahin'o-am of Jezreel, and Ab'igail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.

6. David was in great trouble, since the people were talking of stoning him; the people all felt very bitter, each man for his own sons and daughters. But David took courage from Yahweh his God.

6. And David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.

7. To the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, David said, 'Bring me the ephod.' Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

7. And David said to Abi'athar the priest, the son of Ahim'elech, "Bring me the ephod." So Abi'athar brought the ephod to David.

8. David then consulted Yahweh, 'Shall I go in pursuit of these raiders? Will I overtake them?' The answer was, 'Go in pursuit; you will certainly overtake them and rescue the captives.'

8. And David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?" He answered him, "Pursue; for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue."

9. David accordingly set off with the six hundred men who were with him and reached the torrent of Besor.

9. So David set out, and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where those stayed who were left behind.

10. David then continued the pursuit with four hundred men, two hundred staying behind who were too exhausted to cross the torrent of Besor.

10. But David went on with the pursuit, he and four hundred men; two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor.

11. Out in the country they found an Egyptian and brought him to David. They gave him some bread to eat and some water to drink;

11. They found an Egyptian in the open country, and brought him to David; and they gave him bread and he ate, they gave him water to drink,

12. they also gave him a piece of fig cake and two bunches of raisins; he ate these and his spirits revived -- he had had nothing to eat or drink for three days and three nights.

12. and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. And when he had eaten, his spirit revived; for he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights.

13. David then said to him, 'Whose man are you and where do you come from?' He replied, 'I am a young Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite; my master abandoned me because I fell sick three days ago.

13. And David said to him, "To whom do you belong? And where are you from?" He said, "I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amal'ekite; and my master left me behind because I fell sick three days ago.

14. We raided the Negeb of the Cherethites, and the Negeb of Judah, and the Negeb of Caleb too, and we burnt Ziklag down.'

14. We had made a raid upon the Negeb of the Cher'ethites and upon that which belongs to Judah and upon the Negeb of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire."

15. David said, 'Will you guide me to these raiders?' He replied, 'Swear to me by God not to kill me or hand me over to my master, and I will guide you to these raiders.'

15. And David said to him, "Will you take me down to this band?" And he said, "Swear to me by God, that you will not kill me, or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this band."

16. He guided him to them, and there they were, scattered over the whole countryside, eating, drinking and celebrating, on account of the enormous booty which they had brought back from the territory of the Philistines and the territory of Judah.

16. And when he had taken him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.

17. David slaughtered them from dawn until the evening of the following day. No one escaped, except four hundred young men who mounted camels and fled.

17. And David smote them from twilight until the evening of the next day; and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who mounted camels and fled.

18. He rescued everything that the Amalekites had taken -- David also rescued his two wives.

18. David recovered all that the Amal'ekites had taken; and David rescued his two wives.

19. Nothing of theirs was lost, whether small or great, from the booty or sons and daughters -- everything that had been taken from them; David recovered everything.

19. Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken; David brought back all.

20. They captured the flocks and herds as well and drove them in front of him. 'This is David's booty,' they shouted.

20. David also captured all the flocks and herds; and the people drove those cattle before him, and said, "This is David's spoil."

21. When David reached the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him and whom he had left at the torrent of Besor, they came out to meet David and the party accompanying him; David approached with his party and greeted them.

21. Then David came to the two hundred men, who had been too exhausted to follow David, and who had been left at the brook Besor; and they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him; and when David drew near to the people he saluted them.

22. But all the rogues and scoundrels among the men who had gone with David began saying, 'Since they did not go with us, we shall not give them any of the booty which we have rescued, except that each of them can have his wife and children. Let them take them away and be off.'

22. Then all the wicked and base fellows among the men who had gone with David said, "Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil which we have recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children, and depart."

23. But David said, 'Do not behave like this, brothers, with what Yahweh has given us; he has protected us and has handed over to us the raiders who attacked us.

23. But David said, "You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us; he has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us.

24. Who would agree with you on this? No: As the share of the man who goes into battle, so is the share of the man who stays with the baggage. They will share alike.'

24. Who would listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike."

25. And from that day on, he made that a rule and custom for Israel, which obtains to the present day.

25. And from that day forward he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.

26. When David reached Ziklag, he sent parts of the booty to the elders of Judah, town by town, with this message, 'Here is a present for you, taken from the booty of Yahweh's enemies':

26. When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the spoil to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, "Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD";

27. to those in Bethel, to those in Ramoth of the Negeb,

27. it was for those in Bethel, in Ramoth of the Negeb, in Jattir,

28. to those in Jattir, to those in Aroer, to those in Siphmoth, to those in Eshtemoa,

28. in Aro'er, in Siphmoth, in Eshtemo'a,

29. to those in Carmel, to those in the towns of Jerahmeel, to those in the towns of the Kenites,

29. in Racal, in the cities of the Jerah'meelites, in the cities of the Ken'ites,

30. to those in Hormah, to those in Borashan, to those in Athach,

30. in Hormah, in Borash'an, in A'thach,

31. to those in Hebron and to all the places which David and his men had frequented.

31. in Hebron, for all the places where David and his men had roamed.