1 Samuel 30:1–10

David Defeats the Amalekites

¹Two days later, when David and his men came to Ziklag, the Amalekites had raided the Negev, including Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it. ²Although they captured the young and old women who were there, they killed no one. Instead, they had taken ⸤the women and other prisoners⸥ and gone away. ³By the time David and his men came to the town, it had been burned down, and their wives, sons, and daughters had been taken captive. ⁴Then David and his men cried loudly until they didn’t have the strength to cry anymore. ⁵The Amalekites also captured David’s two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail (who had been Nabal’s wife) from Carmel. ⁶David was in great distress because the people in their bitterness said he should be stoned. (They were thinking of their sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.) 

⁷David told the priest Abiathar, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring me the priestly ephod.”^aSo Abiathar brought David the ephod. 

⁸Then David asked the Lord, “Should I pursue these troops? Will I catch up with them?” 

“Pursue them,” the Lord told him. “You will certainly catch up with them and rescue the captives.” 

⁹So David and his 600 men went to the Besor Valley, where some were left behind. ¹⁰David and 400 men went in pursuit, while 200 men who were too exhausted to cross the Besor Valley stayed behind.