| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1On the third day David and his men arrived in Ziklag, and the Amalekites had raided the Negev, attacked Ziklag, and burned it down. | 1David and his men arrived in Ziklag on the third day. The Amalekites had raided the Negev and attacked and burned down Ziklag. |
| 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. | 2They also had kidnapped the women and everyone in it from the youngest to the oldest. They had killed no one but had carried them off as they went on 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. | 3When David and his men arrived at the town, they found it burned down. Their wives, sons, and daughters had been kidnapped. |
| 4So David and the troops with him lifted up their voices and wept until they had no strength left to weep. | 4David and the troops with him wept loudly until they had no strength left 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, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had also been kidnapped. |
| 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. | 6David was in a difficult position because the troops talked about stoning him, for they were all very bitter over the loss of their sons and daughters. But David found strength 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, | 7David said to Abiathar the priest, son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the ephod." So Abiathar brought it to him, |
| 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 asked the LORD: "Should I pursue these raiders? Will I overtake them?" The LORD replied to him, "Pursue them, for you will certainly overtake them and rescue the people." |
| 9So David and his six hundred men went to the Brook of Besor, where some stayed behind | 9David and the 600 men with him went as far as the Wadi Besor, where 200 men who were to remain behind would stop. |
| 10because two hundred men were too exhausted to cross the brook. But David and four hundred men continued in pursuit. | 10They stopped because they were too exhausted to cross the Wadi Besor. David and 400 of the men continued in pursuit. |
| 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. They gave him some bread to eat and 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. | 12Then they gave him some pressed figs and two clusters of raisins. After he ate he revived, for he hadn't eaten food 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. | 13Then David said to him, "Who do you belong to? Where are you from?" "I'm an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite man," he said. "My master abandoned me when I got 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 raided the south country of the Cherethites, the territory of Judah, and the south country of Caleb, and we burned down Ziklag." |
| 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.” | 15David then asked him, "Will you lead me to these raiders?" He said, "Swear to me by God that you won't kill me or turn me over to my master, and I will lead you to them." |
| 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. | 16So he led him, and there were the Amalekites, spread out over the entire area, eating, drinking, and celebrating because of the great amount of plunder they had taken from the land of the Philistines and 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. | 17David slaughtered them from twilight until the evening of the next day. None of them escaped, except 400 young men who got on camels and fled. |
| 18So David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. | 18David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken; he also 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 of theirs was missing from the youngest to the oldest, including the sons and daughters, of all the plunder the Amalekites had taken. David got everything back. |
| 20And he recovered all the flocks and herds, which his men drove ahead of the other livestock, calling out, “This is David’s plunder!” | 20He took all the sheep and cattle, which were driven ahead of the other livestock, and the people shouted, "This is David's plunder!" |
| 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, | 21When David came to the 200 men who had been too exhausted to go with him and had been left at the Wadi Besor, they came out to meet him and to meet the troops with him. When David approached the men, 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.” | 22but all the corrupt and worthless men among those who had gone with David argued, "Because they didn't go with us, we will not give any of the plunder we recovered to them except for each man's wife and children. They may take them and go." |
| 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, "My brothers, you must not do this with what the LORD has given us. He protected us and handed over to us the raiders who 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 can agree to your proposal? The share of the one who goes into battle is to be the same as the share of the one who remains with the supplies. They will share equally." |
| 25And so it has been from that day forward. David established this statute as an ordinance for Israel to this very day. | 25And it has been so from that day forward. David established this policy as a law and an ordinance for Israel and it continues to this very 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 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." |
| 27He sent gifts to those in Bethel, Ramoth Negev, and Jattir; | 27 He sent gifts to those in Bethel, in Ramoth of the Negev, and in Jattir; |
| 28to those in Aroer, Siphmoth, and Eshtemoa; | 28to those in Aroer, in Siphmoth, and in Eshtemoa; |
| 29to those in Racal and in the cities of the Jerahmeelites and Kenites; | 29to those in Racal, in the towns of the Jerahmeelites, and in the towns of the Kenites; |
| 30to those in Hormah, Bor-ashan, and Athach; | 30to those in Hormah, in Bor-ashan, and in Athach; |
| 31and to those in Hebron and in all the places where David and his men had roamed. | 31to those in Hebron, and to those in all the places where David and his men had roamed. |
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