1 Samuel 30:1–8

David’s Conflict with the Amalekites

30 Now it happened, when David and his men came to aZiklag, on the third day, that the bAmalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire, 2 and had taken captive the cwomen and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way. 3 So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. 4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 5 And David’s two dwives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had been taken captive. 6 Now David was greatly distressed, for ethe people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was 1grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. fBut David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

7 gThen David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring the ephod here to me.” And hAbiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 iSo David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?”

And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.”