1 Samuel 29:8-30:10

New International Version

⁸ “But what have I done?” asked David. “What have you found against your servant from the day I came to you until now? Why can’t I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”

⁹ Achish answered, “I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel^(A) of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders^(B) have said, ‘He must not go up with us into battle.’ ¹⁰ Now get up early, along with your master’s servants who have come with you, and leave^(C) in the morning as soon as it is light.”

¹¹ So David and his men got up early in the morning to go back to the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

David Destroys the Amalekites

30 David and his men reached Ziklag^(D) on the third day. Now the Amalekites^(E) had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned^(F) it, ² and had taken captive the women and everyone else in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way.

³ When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive.^{(G) 4} So David and his men wept^(H) aloud until they had no strength left to weep. ⁵ David’s two wives^(I) had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. ⁶ David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning^(J) him; each one was bitter^(K) in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength^(L) in the Lord his God.

⁷ Then David said to Abiathar^(M) the priest, the son of Ahimelek, “Bring me the ephod.^(N)” Abiathar brought it to him, ⁸ and David inquired^(O) of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?”

“Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed^(P) in the rescue.^(Q)”

⁹ David and the six hundred men^(R) with him came to the Besor Valley, where some stayed behind. ¹⁰ Two hundred of them were too exhausted^(S) to cross the valley, but David and the other four hundred continued the pursuit.