David’s Victory over the Amalekites

30 Then it happened, when David and his men came to (A)Ziklag on the third day, that (B)the Amalekites had carried out an attack on the [a]Negev and on (C)Ziklag, and had [b]overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire; and they took captive the women and all who were in it, from the small to the great, [c](D)without killing anyone, and drove them off and went their way. When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him (E)raised their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep. Now (F)David’s two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the [d]widow of Nabal the Carmelite. Also, David was in great distress because (G)the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were [e]embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But (H)David felt strengthened in the Lord his God.

Then (I)David said to (J)Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Please bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. And (K)David inquired of the Lord, saying, “(L)Shall I pursue this band of raiders? Will I overtake them?” And He said to him, “Pursue, for you will certainly overtake them, (M)and you will certainly rescue everyone.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 30:1 I.e., South country
  2. 1 Samuel 30:1 Lit struck
  3. 1 Samuel 30:2 Lit they did not kill
  4. 1 Samuel 30:5 Lit wife
  5. 1 Samuel 30:6 Lit bitter of soul

David Destroys the Amalekites

30 David and his men reached Ziklag(A) on the third day. Now the Amalekites(B) had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned(C) it, 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.

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

Then David said to Abiathar(J) the priest, the son of Ahimelek, “Bring me the ephod.(K)” Abiathar brought it to him, and David inquired(L) of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?”

“Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed(M) in the rescue.(N)

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