Now it happened when David and his men came home to ^aZiklag on the third day, they found that ^bthe Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev (the South country) and on ^cZiklag, and had overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire; 2 and they had taken captive the women and all who were there, both small and great. ^aThey killed no one, but carried them off to be used as slaves and went on their way. 3 When David and his men came to the town, it was burned, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive. 4 Then David and the people who were with him ^araised their voices and wept until ¹they were too exhausted to weep any longer. 5 ^aNow David’s two wives had been captured, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. 6 Further, David was greatly distressed because ^athe people spoke of stoning him, for all of them were embittered, each man for his sons and daughters. But ^bDavid felt strengthened and encouraged in the LORD his God.

7 ^aDavid said to ^bAbiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought him the ephod. 8 ^aDavid inquired of the LORD, saying, “^bShall I pursue this band of raiders? Will I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you will certainly overtake them, and ^cyou will certainly rescue the captives.” 9 So David went, ^ahe and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor; there those who could not continue remained behind. 10 But David pursued the Amalekites, he and four hundred men, for ^atwo hundred who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor stayed behind.

11 They found an Egyptian who had collapsed in the field and brought him to David, and gave him bread and he ate, and they gave him water to drink, 12 and they gave him a piece of a fig cake and two clusters of raisins; and when he had eaten, ^ahis ¹energy returned, for he had not eaten bread or had any water to drink for three days and three nights. 13 David said to him, “To whom do you belong, and where are you from?” He said, “I am a young man from Egypt, a servant of an Amalekite; and my master abandoned me as useless when I fell sick three days ago. 14 We made a raid on ^athe Negev of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on ^bthe Negev of Caleb, and ^cwe burned Ziklag with fire.” 15 Then David said to him, “Will you take me down to this band of raiders?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or turn me over to the hand of my master, and I will bring you down to this band.”

16 When he brought David down, the Amalekites had disbanded and spread over all the land, ^aeating and drinking and dancing because of ^ball the great spoil they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. 17 Then David and his men struck them down in battle ^afrom twilight until the evening of the next day; and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode ^bcamels and fled. 18 So David ^arecovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and rescued his two wives. 19 Nothing of theirs was missing whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken; ^aDavid recovered it all. 20 So David captured all the flocks and herds which the enemy had, and the people drove those animals before him and said, “^aThis is David’s spoil.”

21 ^aDavid came to the two hundred men who were so exhausted that they could not follow him and had been left at the brook Besor with the provisions. They went out to meet David and the people with him, and when he approached the people, he greeted them. 22 Then all the wicked and worthless men among those who went with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will give them none of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may take his wife and children away and leave.” 23 David said, “You must not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us. He has kept us safe and has handed over to us the band of Amalekites that came against us. 24 And who will listen to you in regard to this matter? For ^aas is the share of him who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the provisions and supplies; they shall share alike.” 25 So from that day forward he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.

26 When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the spoil to the elders of Judah, his friends, saying, “Here is ^aa blessing (gift) for you from the spoil of ^bthe enemies of the LORD: 27 For those in ^aBethel, ^bRamoth of the Negev, ^cJattir, 28 ^aAroer, Siphmoth, ^bEshtemoa, 29 Racal, the cities of ^athe Jerahmeelites, the cities of ^bthe Kenites, 30 ^aHormah, ^bBor-ashan, Athach, 31 ^aHebron, and for those elders in all the places where David himself and his men ^bwere accustomed to go.”

Then it happened when David and his men came to ^aZiklag on the third day, that ^bthe Amalekites had made a raid on the ¹Negev and on ^cZiklag and had struck Ziklag and burned it with fire; 2 and they took captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great—^athey did not put anyone to death—and carried them off and went their way. 3 Then David and his men came to the city, and behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive. 4 So David and the people who were with him ^alifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep. 5 Now ^aDavid’s two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 6 Moreover David was greatly distressed because ^athe people said to stone him, for all the people were ¹embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But ^bDavid strengthened himself in Yahweh his God.

7 Then ^aDavid said to ^bAbiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Please bring the ephod near to me.” So Abiathar brought the ephod near to David. 8 ^aAnd David asked of Yahweh, saying, “^bShall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them?” And He said to him, “Pursue, for you will surely overtake them, ^cand you will surely deliver all.” 9 So David went, ^ahe and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where those left behind remained. 10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men, for ^atwo hundred who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor remained behind.

11 Then they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David and gave him bread, and he ate, and they provided him water to drink. 12 And they gave him a piece of fig cake and two clusters of raisins, and he ate; ^athen his spirit ¹revived. For he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights. 13 And David said to him, “To whom do you belong? And where are you from?” And he said, “I am a young man of Egypt, a slave of an Amalekite; and my master forsook me when I fell sick three days ago. 14 We made a raid on ^athe ¹Negev of the Cherethites and on that which belongs to Judah and on ^bthe ²Negev of Caleb, and ^cwe burned Ziklag with fire.” 15 Then David said to him, “Will you bring me down to this band?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not put me to death or surrender me into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this band.”

16 So he brought him down, and behold, they were ¹spread over all the land, ^aeating and drinking and ²celebrating because of ^ball the great spoil that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. 17 Then David struck them ^adown from the twilight ¹until the evening of ²the next day; and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on ^bcamels and fled. 18 So David ^adelivered all that the Amalekites had taken and ¹delivered his two wives. 19 Indeed nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that they had taken for themselves; ^aDavid brought it all back. 20 And David took all the sheep and the cattle which the people drove ahead of ¹the other livestock, and they said, “^aThis is David’s spoil.”

21 Then ^aDavid came to the two hundred men who were too exhausted to follow David, who had also remained at the brook Besor, and they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him, and David approached the people and greeted them. 22 Then all the evil and vile men among those who went with David said, “Because they did not go with ¹us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have delivered, except to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away and depart.” 23 Then David said, “You must not do so, my brothers, with what Yahweh has given us, who has kept us and given into our hand the band that came against us. 24 And who will listen to you in this matter? For ^aas is the portion of the one who goes down to the battle, so shall the portion be of the one who remains by the baggage; they shall be apportioned together.” 25 So it has been from that day forward, that he made it a statute and a judgment for Israel to this day.

26 Then David came to Ziklag and sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Behold, ^aa ¹gift for you from the spoil of ^bthe enemies of Yahweh: 27 to those who were in ^aBethel, and to those who were in ^bRamoth of the ¹Negev, and to those who were in ^cJattir, 28 and to those who were in ^aAroer, and to those who were in Siphmoth, and to those who were in ^bEshtemoa, 29 and to those who were in Racal, and to those who were in the cities of ^athe Jerahmeelites, and to those who were in the cities of ^bthe Kenites, 30 and to those who were in ^aHormah, and to those who were in ^bBor-ashan, and to those who were in Athach, 31 and to those who were in ^aHebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men ^bwent about.”

Then it happened when David and his men came to ^aZiklag on the third day, that ^bthe Amalekites had made a raid on the ¹Negev and on ^cZiklag, and had ²overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire; 2 and they took captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great, ^1awithout killing anyone, and carried them off and went their way. 3 When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive. 4 Then David and the people who were with him ^alifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep. 5 Now ^aDavid’s two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the ¹widow of Nabal the Carmelite. 6 Moreover David was greatly distressed because ^athe people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were ¹embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But ^bDavid strengthened himself in the LORD his God.

7 Then ^aDavid said to ^bAbiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Please bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 ^aDavid inquired of the LORD, saying, “^bShall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them?” And He said to him, “Pursue, for you will surely overtake them, ^cand you will surely rescue all.” 9 So David went, ^ahe and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those left behind remained. 10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men, for ^atwo hundred who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor remained behind.

11 Now they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David, and gave him bread and he ate, and they provided him water to drink. 12 They gave him a piece of fig cake and two clusters of raisins, and he ate; ^athen his spirit ¹revived. For he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights. 13 David said to him, “To whom do you belong? And where are you from?” And he said, “I am a young man of Egypt, a servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me behind when I fell sick three days ago. 14 We made a raid on ^athe ¹Negev of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on ^bthe ²Negev of Caleb, and ^cwe burned Ziklag with fire.” 15 Then David said to him, “Will you bring 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 bring you down to this band.”

16 When he had brought him down, behold, they were ¹spread over all the land, ^aeating and drinking and ²dancing because of ^ball the great spoil that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. 17 David ¹slaughtered them ^afrom the twilight ²until the evening of ³the next day; and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on ^bcamels and fled. 18 So David ^arecovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and ¹rescued his two wives. 19 But nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that they had taken for themselves; ^aDavid brought it all back. 20 So David had ¹captured all the sheep and the cattle which the people drove ahead of ²the other livestock, and they said, “^aThis is David’s spoil.”

21 When ^aDavid came to the two hundred men who were too exhausted to follow David, who had also been left at the brook Besor, and they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him, then David approached the people and greeted them. 22 Then all the wicked and worthless men among those who went with David said, “Because they did not go with ¹us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away and depart.” 23 Then David said, “You must not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us, who has kept us and delivered into our hand the band that came against us. 24 And who will listen to you in this matter? For ^aas his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike.” 25 So it has been from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.

26 Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Behold, ^aa ¹gift for you from the spoil of ^bthe enemies of the LORD: 27 to those who were in ^aBethel, and to those who were in ^bRamoth of the ¹Negev, and to those who were in ^cJattir, 28 and to those who were in ^aAroer, and to those who were in Siphmoth, and to those who were in ^bEshtemoa, 29 and to those who were in Racal, and to those who were in the cities of ^athe Jerahmeelites, and to those who were in the cities of ^bthe Kenites, 30 and to those who were in ^aHormah, and to those who were in ^bBor-ashan, and to those who were in Athach, 31 and to those who were in ^aHebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were accustomed to ^bgo.”