3When David and his men arrived at the town, they found it burned. Their wives, sons, and daughters had been kidnapped.

4David and the troops with him wept loudly until they had no strength left to weep.

5David’s two wives,30:5 1Sm 25:42–43 Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had also been kidnapped.

6David was in an extremely difficult position because the troops talked about stoning him,30:6 Ex 17:4 for they were all very bitter over the loss of their sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.30:6 1Sm 23:16; Ps 18:2; 27:14

7David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.”30:7 1Sm 23:6–9 So Abiathar brought it to him,

8and David asked the Lord,30:8 1Sm 23:2,4 “Should I pursue these raiders? Will I overtake them?” 30:8 Ex 15:9

9So David and the six hundred men with him30:9 1Sm 27:2 went. They came to the Wadi Besor, where some stayed behind.30:9 1Sm 30:21

10David and four hundred of the men continued the pursuit, while two hundred stopped because they were too exhausted to cross the Wadi Besor.

11David’s men found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. They gave him some bread to eat and water to drink.

12Then they gave him some pressed figs and two clusters of raisins. After he ate he revived,30:12 Jdg 15:19 for he hadn’t eaten food or drunk water for three days and three nights.

13Then David said to him, “Who do you belong to? Where are you from?”

14We raided the south country of the Cherethites,30:14 1Sm 30:16; 2Sm 8:18; Ezk 25:16 the territory of Judah, and the south country of Caleb,30:14 Jos 14:13; 21:11–12 and we burned Ziklag.”30:14 1Sm 30:1

15David then asked him, “Will you lead me to these raiders?”

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 plunder30:16 1Sm 30:14 they had taken from the land of the Philistines and the land of Judah.

17David slaughtered them from twilight until the evening of the next day.30:17 1Sm 11:11 None of them escaped, except four hundred young men who got on camels and fled.30:17 Jdg 7:12; 1Sm 15:3

18David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken; he also rescued his two wives.

19Nothing of theirs was missing from the youngest to the oldest, including the sons and daughters, and all the plunder the Amalekites had taken. David got everything back.30:19 1Sm 30:8

20He took all the flocks and herds, which were driven ahead of the other livestock, and the people shouted, “This is David’s plunder!” 30:20 1Sm 30:26–31

21When David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to go with him and had been left at the Wadi Besor,30:21 1Sm 30:9–10 they came out to meet him and to meet the troops with him. When David approached the men, he greeted them,

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 protected us and handed over to us the raiders who came against us.

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.”30:24 Nm 31:25–27; Jos 22:8

25And it has been so from that day forward. David established this policy30:25 this policy supplied for clarity as a law and an ordinance for Israel and it still continues today.

26When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a gift for you30:26 1Sm 25:27 from the plunder of the Lord’s enemies.”30:26 1Sm 18:17; 25:28

27He sent gifts30:27 He sent gifts supplied for clarity to those in Bethel,30:27 Jos 15:30; 19:4 in Ramoth of the Negev,30:27 Jos 19:8 and in Jattir;30:27 Jos 15:48; 21:14

28to those in Aroer,30:28 1Ch 11:44 in Siphmoth,30:28 1Ch 27:27 and in Eshtemoa;30:28 Jos 15:50

29to those in Racal, in the towns of the Jerahmeelites,30:29 1Sm 27:10 and in the towns of the Kenites;30:29 1Sm 15:6

30to those in Hormah,30:30 Jos 12:14; 15:30; 19:4 in Bor-ashan,30:30 Jos 15:42; 19:7 and in Athach;

31to those in Hebron,30:31 Nm 13:22; Jos 14:13–15; 21:11–13 and to those in all the places where David and his men had roamed.30:31 1Sm 23:22