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1 Samuel 30
New American Standard Bible
1 Samuel 30
New American Standard Bible
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; 2 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. 3 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. 4 Then David and the people who were with him (E)raised their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep. 5 Now (F)David’s two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the [d]widow of Nabal the Carmelite. 6 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.
7 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. 8 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.” 9 So David left, (N)he and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where some who were left behind stayed. 10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men, for (O)two hundred who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor stayed behind.
11 Now they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David, and gave him bread and he ate, and they provided him water to drink. 12 They also gave him a slice of fig cake and two cakes of raisins, and he ate; (P)then his spirit [f]revived. For he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights. 13 Then David said to him, “To whom do you belong? And where are you from?” And he said, “I am a young man of Egypt, a servant of an Amalekite; and my master abandoned me when I became sick three days ago. 14 We carried out an attack on (Q)the [g]Negev of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on (R)the [h]Negev of Caleb, and (S)we burned Ziklag with fire.” 15 Then David said to him, “Will you bring me down to this band of raiders?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master, and I will bring you down to this band.”
16 Now when he had brought him down, behold, they were dispersed over all the land, (T)eating and drinking and celebrating because of (U)all the great plunder that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. 17 And David [i]slaughtered them (V)from the twilight [j]until the evening of [k]the next day; and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on (W)camels and fled. 18 So David (X)recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and [l]rescued his two wives. 19 And nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, plunder, or anything that they had taken for themselves; (Y)David brought it all back. 20 So David had [m]captured all the sheep and the cattle which the people drove ahead of [n]the other livestock, and they said, “(Z)This is David’s plunder.”
The Plunder Is Divided
21 When (AA)David came to the two hundred men who were too exhausted to follow David and [o]had been left behind at the brook Besor, and they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him, then David approached the people and greeted them. 22 Then all the wicked and [p]worthless men among those who went with David said, “Since they did not go with [q]us, we will not give them any of the spoils that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, so that they may lead them away and leave.” 23 But David said, “You must not do so, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us, for He has protected us and handed over to us the band of raiders that came against us. 24 And who will listen to you in this matter? For (AB)as is the share of the one who goes down into the battle, so shall be the share of the one who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike.” 25 So it has been from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.
26 Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoils to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Behold, (AC)a [r]gift for you from the spoils of (AD)the enemies of the Lord: 27 to those who were in (AE)Bethel, to those who were in (AF)Ramoth of the [s]Negev, to those who were in (AG)Jattir, 28 to those who were in (AH)Aroer, to those who were in Siphmoth, to those who were in (AI)Eshtemoa, 29 to those who were in Racal, to those who were in the cities of (AJ)the Jerahmeelites, to those who were in the cities of (AK)the Kenites, 30 to those who were in (AL)Hormah, to those who were in (AM)Bor-ashan, to those who were in Athach, 31 to those who were in (AN)Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men (AO)walked.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 30:1 I.e., South country
- 1 Samuel 30:1 Lit struck
- 1 Samuel 30:2 Lit they did not kill
- 1 Samuel 30:5 Lit wife
- 1 Samuel 30:6 Lit bitter of soul
- 1 Samuel 30:12 Lit returned to him
- 1 Samuel 30:14 I.e., South country
- 1 Samuel 30:14 I.e., South country
- 1 Samuel 30:17 Lit struck
- 1 Samuel 30:17 Lit even until
- 1 Samuel 30:17 Lit their
- 1 Samuel 30:18 Lit David rescued
- 1 Samuel 30:20 Lit taken
- 1 Samuel 30:20 Lit those livestock
- 1 Samuel 30:21 Lit they left them
- 1 Samuel 30:22 Lit sons of Belial
- 1 Samuel 30:22 Lit me
- 1 Samuel 30:26 Lit blessing
- 1 Samuel 30:27 I.e., South country
1 Samuel 30
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
1 Samuel 30
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
David Avenges the Destruction of Ziklag
30 Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negeb and on Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag, burned it down,(A) 2 and taken captive the women and all[a] who were in it, both small and great; they killed none of them but carried them off and went their way. 3 When David and his men came to the city, they found it burned down 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 two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.(B) 6 David was in great danger, for the people spoke of stoning him because all the people were bitter in spirit for their sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.(C)
7 David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.(D) 8 David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.”(E) 9 So David set out, he and the six hundred men who were with him. They came to the Wadi Besor, where those stayed who were left behind.(F) 10 But David went on with the pursuit, he and four hundred men; two hundred stayed behind, too exhausted to cross the Wadi Besor.(G)
11 In the open country they found an Egyptian and brought him to David. They gave him bread, and he ate; they gave him water to drink; 12 they also gave him a piece of fig cake and two clusters of raisins. When he had eaten, his spirit revived, for he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights.(H) 13 Then David said to him, “To whom do you belong? Where are you from?” He said, “I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite. My master left me behind because I fell sick three days ago. 14 We had made a raid on the Negeb of the Cherethites and on that which belongs to Judah and on the Negeb of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag down.”(I) 15 David said to him, “Will you take me down to this raiding party?” He said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master, and I will take you down to them.”
16 When he had taken him down, they were spread out all over the ground, eating and drinking and dancing, because of the great amount of spoil they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.(J) 17 David attacked them from twilight until the evening of the next day. Not one of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who mounted camels and fled.(K) 18 David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives. 19 Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken; David brought back everything.(L) 20 David also captured all the flocks and herds, which were driven ahead of the other cattle; people said, “This is David’s spoil.”(M)
21 Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow David and who had been left at the Wadi Besor. They went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. When David drew near to the people, he saluted them.(N) 22 Then all the corrupt and worthless fellows among the men who had gone with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may take his wife and children and leave.” 23 But David said, “You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us; he has preserved us and handed over to us the raiding party that attacked us. 24 Who would listen to you in this matter? For the share of the one who goes down into the battle shall be the same as the share of the one who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike.”(O) 25 From that day forward he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel; it continues to the present day.
26 When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the spoil to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the Lord.” 27 It was for those in Bethel, in Ramoth of the Negeb, in Jattir,(P) 28 in Aroer, in Siphmoth, in Eshtemoa,(Q) 29 in Racal, in the towns of the Jerahmeelites, in the towns of the Kenites,(R) 30 in Hormah, in Bor-ashan, in Athach,(S) 31 in Hebron, all the places where David and his men had roamed.(T)
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- 30.2 Gk: Heb lacks and all
1 Samuel 30
New International Version
1 Samuel 30
New International Version
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, 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.(D) 4 So David and his men wept(E) aloud until they had no strength left to weep. 5 David’s two wives(F) 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(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.
7 Then David said to Abiathar(J) the priest, the son of Ahimelek, “Bring me the ephod.(K)” Abiathar brought it to him, 8 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)”
9 David and the six hundred men(O) with him came to the Besor Valley, where some stayed behind. 10 Two hundred of them were too exhausted(P) to cross the valley, but David and the other four hundred continued the pursuit.
11 They found an Egyptian in a field and brought him to David. They gave him water to drink and food to eat— 12 part of a cake of pressed figs and two cakes of raisins. He ate and was revived,(Q) for he had not eaten any food or drunk any water for three days and three nights.
13 David asked him, “Who do you belong to? Where do you come from?”
He said, “I am an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite.(R) My master abandoned me when I became ill three days ago. 14 We raided the Negev of the Kerethites,(S) some territory belonging to Judah and the Negev of Caleb.(T) And we burned(U) Ziklag.”
15 David asked him, “Can you lead me down to this raiding party?”
He answered, “Swear to me before God that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master,(V) and I will take you down to them.”
16 He led David down, and there they were, scattered over the countryside, eating, drinking and reveling(W) because of the great amount of plunder(X) they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from Judah. 17 David fought(Y) them from dusk until the evening of the next day, and none of them got away, except four hundred young men who rode off on camels and fled.(Z) 18 David recovered(AA) everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. 19 Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back. 20 He took all the flocks and herds, and his men drove them ahead of the other livestock, saying, “This is David’s plunder.”
21 Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted(AB) to follow him and who were left behind at the Besor Valley. They came out to meet David and the men with him. As David and his men approached, he asked them how they were. 22 But all the evil men and troublemakers among David’s followers said, “Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered. However, each man may take his wife and children and go.”
23 David replied, “No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the Lord has given us. He has protected us and delivered into our hands the raiding party that came against us. 24 Who will listen to what you say? The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.(AC)” 25 David made this a statute and ordinance for Israel from that day to this.
26 When David reached Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends, saying, “Here is a gift(AD) for you from the plunder of the Lord’s enemies.”
27 David sent it to those who were in Bethel,(AE) Ramoth(AF) Negev and Jattir;(AG) 28 to those in Aroer,(AH) Siphmoth,(AI) Eshtemoa(AJ) 29 and Rakal; to those in the towns of the Jerahmeelites(AK) and the Kenites;(AL) 30 to those in Hormah,(AM) Bor Ashan,(AN) Athak 31 and Hebron;(AO) and to those in all the other places where he and his men had roamed.
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New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New International Version (NIV) 
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