Berean Study Bible

English Standard Version

1On the third day David and his men arrived in Ziklag, and the Amalekites had raided the Negev, attacked Ziklag, and burned it down.

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

2They had taken captive the women and all who were there, both young and old. They had not killed anyone, but had carried them off as they went on their way.

2and 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.

3When David and his men came to the city, they found it burned down and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive.

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

4So David and the troops with him lifted up their voices and wept until they had no strength left to weep.

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

5David’s two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel, had been taken captive.

5David’s two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.

6And David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of every man grieved for his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.

6And 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.

7Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought it to him,

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

8and David inquired of the LORD: “Should I pursue these raiders? Will I overtake them?” “Pursue them,” the LORD replied, “for you will surely overtake them and rescue the captives.”

8And 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.”

9So David and his six hundred men went to the Brook of Besor, where some stayed behind

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

10because two hundred men were too exhausted to cross the brook. But David and four hundred men continued in pursuit.

10But David pursued, he and four hundred men. Two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor.

11Now his men found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David. They gave the man water to drink and food to eat—

11They 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,

12a piece of a fig cake and two clusters of raisins. So he ate and was revived, for he had not had any food or water for three days and three nights.

12and 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.

13Then David asked him, “To whom do you belong, and where are you from?” “I am an Egyptian,” he replied, “the slave of an Amalekite. My master abandoned me three days ago when I fell ill.

13And 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 Amalekite, and my master left me behind because I fell sick three days ago.

14We raided the Negev of the Cherethites, the territory of Judah, and the Negev of Caleb, and we burned down Ziklag.”

14We had made a raid against the Negeb of the Cherethites and against that which belongs to Judah and against the Negeb of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.”

15“Will you lead me to these raiders?” David asked. And the man replied, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hand of my master, and I will lead you to them.”

15And 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.”

16So he led David down, and there were the Amalekites spread out over all the land, eating, drinking, and celebrating the great amount of plunder they had taken from the land of the Philistines and the land of Judah.

16And 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.

17And David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day. Not a man escaped, except four hundred young men who fled, riding off on camels.

17And David struck them down 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.

18So David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives.

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

19Nothing was missing, young or old, son or daughter, or any of the plunder the Amalekites had taken. David brought everything back.

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

20And he recovered all the flocks and herds, which his men drove ahead of the other livestock, calling out, “This is David’s plunder!”

20David also captured all the flocks and herds, and the people drove the livestock before him, and said, “This is David’s spoil.”

21When David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him from the Brook of Besor, they came out to meet him and the troops with him. As David approached the men, he greeted them,

21Then 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 came near to the people he greeted them.

22but all the wicked and worthless men among those who had gone with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered, except for each man’s wife and children. They may take them and go.”

22Then all the wicked and worthless 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 that we have recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children, and depart.”

23But David said, “My brothers, you must not do this with what the LORD has given us. He has protected us and delivered into our hands the raiders who came against us.

23But 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.

24Who will listen to your proposal? The share of the one who went to battle will match the share of the one who stayed with the supplies. They will share alike.”

24Who 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.”

25And so it has been from that day forward. David established this statute as an ordinance for Israel to this very day.

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

26When David arrived in Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the LORD’s enemies.”

26When 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.”

27He sent gifts to those in Bethel, Ramoth Negev, and Jattir;

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

28to those in Aroer, Siphmoth, and Eshtemoa;

28in Aroer, in Siphmoth, in Eshtemoa,

29to those in Racal and in the cities of the Jerahmeelites and Kenites;

29in Racal, in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, in the cities of the Kenites,

30to those in Hormah, Bor-ashan, and Athach;

30in Hormah, in Bor-ashan, in Athach,

31and to those in Hebron and in all the places where David and his men had roamed.

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

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ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.