30Two days later David and his men arrived back at Ziklag. The Amalekites had raided southern Judah and attacked Ziklag. They had burned down the townH1732H582H935H6860H7992H3117H6003H6584H5045H6860H5221H6860H8313H7842and captured all the women; they had not killed anyone, but had taken everyone with them when they left.H802H7617H4191H376H1419H6996H5090H3212H18703When David and his men arrived, they found that the town had been burned down and that their wives, sons, and daughters had been carried away.H1732H582H935H5892H8313H784H802H1121H1323H76174David and his men started crying and did not stop until they were completely exhausted.H1732H5971H5375H6963H1058H3581H10585Even David's two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail, had been taken away.H1732H8147H802H7617H293H3159H26H802H5037H37616David was now in great trouble, because his men were all very bitter about losing their children, and they were threatening to stone him; but the LORD his God gave him courage.H1732H3966H3334H5971H559H5619H5315H5971H4843H376H1121H1323H1732H2388H3068H4307David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the ephod," and Abiathar brought it to him.H1732H559H54H3548H288H1121H5066H646H54H5066H646H17328David asked the LORD, "Shall I go after those raiders? And will I catch them?" He answered, "Go after them; you will catch them and rescue the captives."H1732H7592H3068H559H7291H310H1416H5381H559H7291H5381H5381H5337H53379So David and his six hundred men started out, and when they arrived at Besor Brook, some of them stayed there.H1732H3212H8337H3967H376H935H5158H1308H3498H597510David continued on his way with four hundred men; the other two hundred men were too tired to cross the brook and so stayed behind.H1732H7291H702H3967H376H3967H5975H6296H5674H5158H130811The men with David found a young Egyptian out in the country and brought him to David. They gave him some food and water,H4672H376H4713H7704H3947H1732H5414H3899H398H8248H432512some dried figs, and two bunches of raisins. After he had eaten, his strength returned; he had not had anything to eat or drink for three full days.H5414H6400H1690H8147H6778H398H7307H7725H398H3899H8354H4325H7969H3117H7969H391513David asked him, "Who is your master, and where are you from?" "I am an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite," he answered. "My master left me behind three days ago because I got sick.H1732H559H559H5288H4713H5650H376H6003H113H5800H7969H3117H247014We had raided the territory of the Cherethites in the southern part of Judah and the territory of the clan of Caleb, and we burned down Ziklag."H6584H5045H3774H3063H5045H3612H8313H6860H78415"Will you lead me to those raiders?" David asked him. He answered, "I will if you promise me in God's name that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master."H1732H559H3381H1416H559H7650H430H4191H518H5462H3027H113H3381H141616And he led David to them. The raiders were scattered all over the place, eating, drinking, and celebrating because of the enormous amount of loot they had captured from Philistia and Judah.H3381H5203H6440H776H398H8354H2287H1419H7998H3947H776H6430H776H306317At dawn the next day David attacked them and fought until evening. Except for four hundred young men who mounted camels and got away, none of them escaped.H1732H5221H5399H6153H4283H4422H376H702H3967H5288H376H7392H1581H512718David rescued everyone and everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives;H1732H5337H6002H3947H1732H5337H8147H80219nothing at all was missing. David got back all his men's sons and daughters, and all the loot the Amalekites had taken.H5737H4480H6996H1419H1121H1323H7998H3947H1732H772520He also recovered all the flocks and herds; his men drove all the livestock in front of them and said, "This belongs to David!"H1732H3947H6629H1241H5090H6440H1931H4735H559H1732H799821Then David went back to the two hundred men who had been too weak to go with him and had stayed behind at Besor Brook. They came forward to meet David and his men, and David went up to them and greeted them warmly.H1732H935H3967H582H6296H3212H310H1732H3427H5158H1308H3318H7125H1732H7125H5971H1732H5066H5971H7592H796522But some mean and worthless men who had gone with David said, "They didn't go with us, and so we won't give them any of the loot. They can take their wives and children and go away."H6030H7451H376H1100H582H1980H1732H559H1980H5414H7998H5337H376H802H1121H5090H321223But David answered, "My brothers, you can't do this with what the LORD has given us! He kept us safe and gave us victory over the raiders.H559H1732H6213H251H3068H5414H8104H5414H1416H935H302724No one can agree with what you say! All must share alike: whoever stays behind with the supplies gets the same share as the one who goes into battle."H8085H1697H2506H3381H3381H4421H2506H3427H3627H2505H316225David made this a rule, and it has been followed in Israel ever since.H3117H4605H7760H2706H4941H3478H311726When David returned to Ziklag, he sent part of the loot to his friends, the leaders of Judah, with the message, "Here is a present for you from the loot we took from the LORD's enemies."H1732H935H6860H7971H7998H2205H3063H7453H559H1293H7998H341H306827He sent it to the people in Bethel, to the people in Ramah in the southern part of Judah, and to the people in the towns of Jattir,H834H1008H5045H7418H349228Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa,H6177H8224H85129and Racal; to the clan of Jerahmeel, to the Kenites,H7403H5892H3397H5892H701730and to the people in the towns of Hormah, Borashan, Athach,H2767H3565H626931and Hebron. He sent it to all the places where he and his men had roamed.H2275H4725H1732H582H1980
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