David’s Victory over the Amalekites

1 Then it happened when David and his men came to aZiklag on the third day, that bthe Amalekites had made a raid on the 1Negev and on cZiklag, and had 2overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire;

2 and they took captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great, 1awithout killing anyone, and carried them off and went their way.

3 When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive.

4 Then David and the people who were with him alifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep.

5 Now aDavid’s two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the 1widow of Nabal the Carmelite.

6 Moreover David was greatly distressed because athe people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were 1embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But bDavid strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

7 Then aDavid said to bAbiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Please bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

8 aDavid inquired of the Lord, saying, “bShall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them?” And He said to him, “Pursue, for you will surely overtake them, cand you will surely rescue all.”