1 Samuel 30

1 And it was when came David and men his Ziklag on the day third and [the] Amalekite[s] they had made a raid against [the] Negev and against Ziklag and they had struck Ziklag and they had burned it with fire.

Now when David and his men were come to Siceleg on the third day, the Amalecites had made an invasion on the south side upon Siceleg, and had smitten Siceleg, and burnt it with fire.

2 And they had taken captive the women who [were] in it from small and unto great not they had killed anyone and they had driven them away and they had gone to way their.

And had taken the women captives that were in it, both little and great: and they had not killed any person, but had carried them with them, and went on their way.

3 And he came David and men his to the city and there! [it was] burned with fire and wives their and sons their and daughters their they had been taken captive.

So when David and his men came to the city, and found it burnt with fire, and that their wives and their sons, and their daughters were taken captives,

4 And he lifted up David and the people which [was] with him voice their and they wept until that not [was] in them strength to weep.

David and the people that were with him, lifted up their voices, and wept till they had no more tears.

5 And [the] two [the] wives of David they had been taken captive Ahinoam the Jezreelite [woman] and Abigail [the] wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

For the two wives also of David were taken captives, Achinoam the Jezrahelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel.

6 And it was distress to David exceedingly for they said the people to stone him for it was bitter [the] soul of all the people everyone on (sons his *QK) and on daughters his and he strengthened himself David in Yahweh God his.

And David was greatly afflicted: for the people had a mind to stone him, for the soul of every man was bitterly grieved for his sons, and daughters: but David took courage in the Lord his God.

7 And he said David to Abiathar the priest [the] son of Ahimelech bring near! please to me the ephod and he brought near Abiathar the ephod to David.

And he said to Abiathar the priest the son of Achimelech: Bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

8 And he enquired David by Yahweh saying will I pursue? after the marauding band this ¿ will I overtake it and he said to him pursue for certainly you will overtake [it] and certainly you will rescue [them].

And David consulted the Lord, saying: Shall I pursue after these robbers, and shall I overtake them, or not? And the Lord said to him: Pursue after them: for thou shalt surely overtake them and recover the prey.

9 And he went David he and six hundred man who [were] with him and they came to [the] wadi of Besor and those [who] were left behind they remained.

So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and they came to the torrent Besor: and some being weary stayed there.

10 And he pursued David he and four hundred man and they remained two hundred man who they were [too] exhausted for passing over [the] wadi of Besor.

But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred stayed, who being weary could not go over the torrent Besor.

11 And they found a man Egyptian in the open country and they took him to David and they gave to him bread and he ate and they gave to drink him water.

And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David: and they gave him bread to eat, and water to drink,

12 And they gave to him a slice of fig cake and two bunches of raisins and he ate and it returned spirit his to him for not he had eaten food and not he had drunk water three days and three nights.

As also a piece of a cake of figs, and two bunches of raisins. And when he had eaten them his spirit returned, and he was refreshed: for he had not eaten bread, nor drunk water three days, and three nights.

13 And he said to him David [belong] to whom? you and where? from this [are] you and he said [am] a young man Egyptian I a slave of a man Amalekite and he abandoned me master my if I was sick the day three.

And David said to him: To whom dost thou belong? or whence dost thou come? and whither art thou going? He said: I am a young man of Egypt, the servant of an Amalecite, and my master left me, because I began to be sick three days ago.

14 We we had made a raid [the] Negev of the Kerethite[s] and on [that] which [belongs] to Judah and on [the] Negev of Caleb and Ziklag we had burned with fire.

For we made an invasion on the south side of Cerethi, and upon Juda, and upon the south of Caleb, and we burnt Siceleg with fire.

15 And he said to him David ¿ will you take down me to the marauding band this and he said swear! to me by God if you will kill me and if you will deliver up me in [the] hand of master my and I will take down you to the marauding band this.

And David said to him: Canst thou bring me to this company? And he said: Swear to me by God, that thou wilt not kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee to this company. And David swore to him.

16 And he took down him and there! [they were] spread out over [the] face of all the land eating and drinking and celebrating in all the plunder great which they had taken from [the] land of [the] Philistines and from [the] land of Judah.

And when he had brought him, behold they were lying spread upon all the ground, eating and drinking, and as it were keeping a festival day, for all the prey, and the spoils which they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Juda.

17 And he struck down them David from the twilight and until the evening of next day their and not he escaped of them anyone that except four hundred man young man who they rode on the camels and they fled.

And David slew them from the evening unto the evening of the next day, and there escaped not a man of them, but four hundred young men, who had gotten upon camels, and fled.

18 And he rescued David all that they had taken Amalek and [the] two wives his he rescued David.

So David recovered all that the Amalecites had taken, and he rescued his two wives.

19 And not it was missing to them from the small and unto the great and unto sons and daughters and from [the] booty and unto all that they had taken for themselves everything he brought back David.

And there was nothing missing small or great, neither of their sons or their daughters, nor of the spoils, and whatsoever they had taken: David recovered all.

20 And he took David all the sheep and the cattle they drove [them] before the livestock that and they said this [is] [the] booty of David.

And he took all the flocks and the herds, and made them go before him: and they said: This is the prey of David.

21 And he came David to two hundred the men who they had been [too] exhausted - for going - after David and they had left behind them at [the] wadi of Besor and they went out to meet David and to meet the people which [was] with him and he approached David the people and he asked of them to welfare.

And David came to the two hundred men, who being weary had stayed, and were not able to follow David, and he had ordered them to abide at the torrent Besor: and they came out to meet David, and the people that were with him. And David coming to the people saluted them peaceably.

22 And he answered every man evil and worthlessness from the men who they had gone with David and they said because that not they went with me not we will give to them any of the booty which we have recovered that except everyone wife his and children his so they may lead [them] away and they may go.

Then all the wicked and unjust men that had gone with David answering, said: Because they came not with us, we will not give them any thing of the prey which we have recovered: but let every man take his wife and his children, and be contented with them, and go his way.

23 And he said David not you must do thus O brothers my [that] which he has given Yahweh to us and he has kept us and he has given the marauding band which came on us in hand our.

But David said: You shall not do so, my brethren, with these things, which the Lord hath given us, who hath kept us, and hath delivered the robbers that invaded us into our hands.

24 And who? will he listen to you to the matter this for like [the] share of - the [one who] went down in the battle and like [the] share of the [one who] remained with the baggage alike they will share.

And no man shall hearken to you in this matter. But equal shall be the portion of him that went down to battle and of him that abode at the baggage, and they shall divide alike.

25 And it was from the day that and on-wards and he made it into a statute and into a judgment for Israel until the day this.

And this hath been done from that day forward, and since was made a statute, and an ordinance, and as a law in Israel.

26 And he came David to Ziklag and he sent some of the booty to [the] elders of Judah to friend his saying here! [is] for you a blessing from [the] booty of [the] enemies of Yahweh.

Then David came to Siceleg, and sent presents of the prey to the ancients of Juda his neighbours, saying: Receive a blessing of the prey of the enemies of the Lord.

27 For [those] who [were] in Beth-el and for [those] who [were] in Ramoth Negev and for [those] who [were] in Jattir.

To them that were in Bethel, and that were in Ramoth to the south, and to them that were in Jether,

28 And for [those] who [were] in Aroer and for [those] who [were] in Siphmoth and for [those] who [were] in Eshtemoa.

And to them that were in Aroer and that were in Sephamoth, and that were in Esthamo,

29 And for [those] who [were] in Racal and for [those] who [were] in [the] cities of the Jerahmeelite[s] and for [those] who [were] in [the] cities of the Kenite[s].

And that were in Rachal, and that were in the cities of Jerameel, and that were in the cities of Ceni,

30 And for [those] who [were] in Hormah and for [those] who [were] in Bor Ashan and for [those] who [were] in Athach.

And that were in Arama, and that were in the lake Asan, and that were in Athach,

31 And for [those] who [were] in Hebron and for all the places where he had gone about there David he and men his.

And that were in Hebron, and to the rest that were in those places, in which David had abode with his men.