1 Samuel 30:1-10

English Standard Version

David's Wives Are Captured

30 Now when David and his men came to ^(A)Ziklag on the third day, ^(B)the Amalekites had ^(C)made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag and burned it with fire ² and taken captive the women and all^[a] who were in it, both small and great. They killed no one, but carried them off and went their way. ³ And when David and his men came to the city, they found it burned with fire, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. ⁴ Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep. ⁵ David's ^(D)two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. ⁶ And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke ^(E)of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul,^[b] each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

^7 (F)And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. ^8 (G)And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue after this ^(H)band? Shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake ^(I)and shall surely rescue.” ⁹ So David set out, and ^(J)the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. ¹⁰ But David pursued, he and four hundred men. ^(K)Two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor.