1 Samuel 30

And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;

When David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day, they were met with a heartbreaking sight. The Amalekites had ruthlessly attacked the south, including Ziklag. Their beloved city was reduced to ashes, consumed by a devastating fire.

And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.

They captured the women and everyone there, young or old. Yet they killed no one, instead taking them along as they continued their journey.

So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.

David and his men arrived at the city, only to find it engulfed in flames. Their hearts sank as they realized their wives, sons, and daughters had been taken as prisoners.

Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

Overwhelmed with sorrow, David and his companions cried out, their tears flowing ceaselessly until they could cry no more.

And David’s two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

David's two beloved wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, once wed to Nabal of Carmel, were heartbreakingly seized and held captive.

And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

David was deeply upset as people threatened to stone him, their hearts heavy with grief for their children. Yet, David found strength in his faith in God.

And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.

David pleaded with Abiathar, the priest and son of Ahimelech, "Please, bring me the ephod." Moved by David's request, Abiathar promptly brought the ephod to him.

And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.

David, with a heavy heart, asked God, "Should I chase this group? Can I catch them?" God reassured him, "Go after them, David. You will definitely catch them and get everything back."

So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed.

David, along with his six hundred men, journeyed to the brook Besor. There, those who couldn't continue rested.

But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor.

David, along with 400 determined men, relentlessly chased their goal. Meanwhile, 200 of their companions were too exhausted to cross the Besor brook.

And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water;

They discovered an Egyptian in the open field, and they took him to David. They offered him bread, which he gratefully ate, and quenched his thirst with water.

And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.

They offered him a slice of fig cake and a pair of raisin bunches. As he ate, his spirit revived, for he hadn't eaten or drunk anything for three long, grueling days and nights.

And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick.

David asked him, "Who are you? Where are you from?" The man replied, "I'm a young Egyptian, a servant to an Amalekite. My master abandoned me because I fell ill three days ago."

We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.

We fiercely attacked the southern Cherethites, Judah's territory, and Caleb's southern region. We set Ziklag ablaze, engulfing it in flames.

And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company.

David asked him, "Can you guide me to this group?" The man replied, "Promise me before God that you won't kill me or hand me over to my master, then I'll lead you to them."

And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.

When he led him down, he saw them scattered across the land. They were feasting, drinking, and dancing, joyous from the vast treasures they had claimed from the lands of the Philistines and Judah.

And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled.

David fiercely battled them from dusk till the next evening. Not a single one escaped, except for four hundred young men who managed to escape on camels.

And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives.

With a heart full of determination, David reclaimed everything the Amalekites had stolen. His two beloved wives, too, were safely returned to his loving arms.

And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all.

In their lives, they lacked nothing, big or small. No sons or daughters were missing, no possessions lost. Everything they had once claimed was restored. David had retrieved it all.

And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drave before those other cattle, and said, This is David’s spoil.

David claimed all the livestock, leading them ahead of the rest, and declared with pride, "This is my reward."

And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them.

David approached the 200 exhausted men who were too weak to keep up with him and had stayed behind at Besor Brook. As he neared, they gathered their strength to greet him and his companions. David warmly acknowledged them.

Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart.

The wicked, worthless men among those who followed David spoke up, "Since they didn't join us, they won't share in the spoils we've won. They can take their wives and children and leave."

Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand.

David spoke firmly, "Brothers, we must not misuse what God has blessed us with. He protected us, and gave us victory over our enemies."

For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.

Who will listen to you in this situation? But remember, whether one fights in the battle or stays with the supplies, they both share equally. Everyone's contribution is important and valued the same.

And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day.

From that day on, he established a rule, a sacred law for Israel that remains till today.

And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD;

When David arrived in Ziklag, he generously shared the spoils of his victory with the elders of Judah, his dear friends. He said, "Here's a gift for you, taken from the foes of the Lord."

To them which were in Bethel, and to them which were in south Ramoth, and to them which were in Jattir,

For those dwelling in Bethel, for those residing in southern Ramoth, and for those living in Jattir,

And to them which were in Aroer, and to them which were in Siphmoth, and to them which were in Eshtemoa,

To those in Aroer, Siphmoth, and Eshtemoa,

And to them which were in Rachal, and to them which were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to them which were in the cities of the Kenites,

To those living in Rachal, to those residing in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those in the cities of the Kenites,

And to them which were in Hormah, and to them which were in Chorashan, and to them which were in Athach,

For those living in Hormah, Chorashan, and Athach,

And to them which were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were wont to haunt.

To those in Hebron, and all the places where David and his men often lingered.