The Amalekites Raid Ziklag 1 CPDV And 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. BSB BSB: On the third day David and his men arrived in Ziklag, and the Amalekites had raided the Negev, attacked Ziklag, and burned it down.
2 CPDV And 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. BSB BSB: They 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.
3 CPDV Therefore, 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, BSB BSB: When David and his men came to the city, they found it burned down and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive.
4 CPDV David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices. And they mourned until the tears in them failed. BSB BSB: So David and the troops with him lifted up their voices and wept until they had no strength left to weep.
5 CPDV For indeed, the two wives of David also had been led away as captives: Ahinoam, the Jezreelite, and Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel. BSB BSB: David’s two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel, had been taken captive.
6 CPDV And 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. BSB BSB: And 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.
David Destroys the Amalekites 7 CPDV And he said to the priest Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring the ephod to me.” And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. BSB BSB: Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought it to him,
8 CPDV And 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.” BSB BSB: and 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.”
9 CPDV Therefore, 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. BSB BSB: So David and his six hundred men went to the Brook of Besor, where some stayed behind
10 CPDV But David pursued, he and four hundred men. For two hundred stayed, who, being weary, were not able to cross the torrent Besor. BSB BSB: because two hundred men were too exhausted to cross the brook. But David and four hundred men continued in pursuit.
11 CPDV And 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, BSB BSB: Now his men found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David. They gave the man water to drink and food to eat—
12 CPDV and 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. BSB BSB: a 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.
13 CPDV And 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. BSB BSB: Then 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.
14 CPDV For 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.” BSB BSB: We raided the Negev of the Cherethites, the territory of Judah, and the Negev of Caleb, and we burned down Ziklag.”
15 CPDV And 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. BSB BSB: “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.”
16 CPDV And 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. BSB BSB: So 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.
17 CPDV And 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. BSB BSB: And 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.
18 CPDV Therefore, David rescued all that the Amalekites had taken, and he rescued his two wives. BSB BSB: So David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives.
19 CPDV And 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. BSB BSB: Nothing was missing, young or old, son or daughter, or any of the plunder the Amalekites had taken. David brought everything back.
20 CPDV And he took all the flocks and the herds, and he drove them before his face. And they said, “This is the prey of David.” BSB BSB: And he took all the flocks and herds, which his men drove ahead of the other livestock, calling out, “This is David’s plunder!”
The Spoils Are Divided 21 CPDV Then 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. BSB BSB: When David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him and who were left behind at the Brook of Besor, they came out to meet him and the troops with him. As David approached the men, he greeted them,
22 CPDV And 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.” BSB BSB: but 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.”
23 CPDV But 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. BSB BSB: But 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.
24 CPDV And 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.” BSB BSB: Who 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.”
25 CPDV And 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. BSB BSB: And so it has been from that day forward. David established this statute and ordinance for Israel to this very day.
26 CPDV Then 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,” BSB BSB: When 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.”
27 CPDV to those who were in Bethel, and who were in Ramoth toward the south, and who were in Jattir, BSB BSB: He sent gifts to those in Bethel, Ramoth Negev, and Jattir;
28 CPDV and who were in Aroer, and who were in Siphmoth, and who were in Eshtemoa, BSB BSB: to those in Aroer, Siphmoth, and Eshtemoa;
29 CPDV and who were in Racal, and who were in the cities of Jerahmeel, and who were in the cities of Keni, BSB BSB: to those in Racal and in the cities of the Jerahmeelites and Kenites;
30 CPDV and who were in Hormah, and who were at the lake of Ashan, and who were in Athach, BSB BSB: to those in Hormah, Bor-ashan, and Athach;
31 CPDV and who were in Hebron, and to the remainder who were in those places where David had stayed, he and his men. BSB BSB: and to those in Hebron and in all the places where David and his men had roamed.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.