David Rescues the Families of Ziklag

When David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day, they found the town burned. Amalekite raiders had attacked it and carried away the women and everyone else, young and old. They had not killed them, but taken them captive. David and his men cried until they had no strength left. David was in deep distress because the men were talking about stoning him.

David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. He asked Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod, and he inquired whether he should chase the raiding troop. The Lord answered that he should pursue, because he would overtake them and recover all. So David set out with six hundred men. At the brook Besor, two hundred were too exhausted to go farther, and four hundred continued the pursuit.

In the field they found a young Egyptian servant and gave him bread, water, figs, and raisins. He had been left behind by his Amalekite master after becoming sick, and he had eaten and drunk nothing for three days and three nights. He told David that the raiders had attacked the south country and burned Ziklag. When David swore not to kill him or hand him back, he agreed to lead them to the troop.

The Egyptian led David to the Amalekites. They were spread out over the ground, eating, drinking, and dancing because of the plunder they had taken. David struck them from twilight until the evening of the next day. Only four hundred young men escaped, riding away on camels. David recovered all that had been taken, including his two wives. Nothing was missing, neither people nor goods.

David also took the flocks and herds. When he returned to the two hundred men who had stayed by the brook Besor, some of the fighters did not want to share the recovered plunder with them. But David said the Lord had preserved them and given them victory, so those who went to battle and those who stayed with the baggage should share alike.

This became a rule in Israel, and David also sent gifts from the plunder to the elders of Judah in places where he and his men had stayed.