1 Samuel 30 - GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

David Defeats the Amalekites

30 Two 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. 2 Although 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. 3 By 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. 4 Then David and his men cried loudly until they didn’t have the strength to cry anymore. 5 The Amalekites also captured David’s two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail (who had been Nabal’s wife) from Carmel. 6 David 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.)

7 David told the priest Abiathar, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring me the priestly ephod.” [a] So Abiathar brought David the ephod.

8 Then 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.”

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

11 David’s men found an Egyptian in the open country and took him to David. They gave him food to eat and water to drink. 12 They gave him a slice of fig cake and two bunches of raisins. After he had eaten, he revived. (He hadn’t eaten any food or drunk any water for three whole days.) 13 David asked him, “To whom do you belong? Where do you come from?”

“I’m an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite,” the young man answered. “My master left me behind because I got sick three days ago. 14 We raided the portion of the Negev where the Cherethites live, the territory of Judah, the portion of the Negev where Caleb settled, and we burned down Ziklag.”

15 “Will you lead me to these troops?” David asked him.

He answered, “Take an oath in front of God that you won’t kill me or hand me over to my master, and I’ll lead you to these troops.”

16 The Egyptian led him ⌞to them⌟. They were spread out all over the land, eating, and drinking. They were celebrating because they had taken so much loot from Philistine territory and from the land of Judah. 17 From dawn until evening the next day, David attacked them. No one escaped except 400 young men who rode away on camels. 18 David rescued everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. 19 Nothing was missing—young or old, sons or daughters, the loot or anything else they had taken with them. David brought back everything. 20 He took all the sheep and the cattle. His men drove the animals ahead of him and said, “This is David’s loot.”

21 David came to the 200 men who had been too exhausted to go with him and had stayed in the Besor Valley. They came to meet David and the people with him. As David approached the men, he greeted them. 22 Then every wicked and worthless man who had gone with David said, “Since they didn’t go with us, they shouldn’t be given any of the loot we recovered. Each of them should take only his wife and children and leave.”

23 But David said, “My brothers, don’t do that with the things which the Lord has given us. He has protected us and handed the troops that attacked us over to us. 24 Besides, who is going to pay attention to what you have to say in this matter? Certainly, the share of those who go into battle must be like the share of those who stay with the supplies. They will all share alike.” 25 From that time on he made this a rule and a custom in Israel as it is to this day.

26 When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the loot to his friends, the leaders of Judah. He said, “Here is a gift for you from the loot ⌞taken from⌟ the Lord’s enemies.” 27 There were shares for those in Bethel, Ramoth in the Negev, Jattir, 28 Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, 29 Racal, the cities belonging to the Jerahmeelites, the cities belonging to the Kenites, 30 Hormah, Borashan, Athach, 31 Hebron, and to all the places David and his men visited from time to time.

Footnotes

  1. 30:7 Ephod   is a technical term for a part of the priest’s clothes. Its exact usage and shape are unknown.

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1 Samuel 30 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

30 And it cometh to pass, in the coming in of David and his men to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites have pushed unto the south, and unto Ziklag, and smite Ziklag, and burn it with fire, 2 and they take captive the women who [are] in it; from small unto great they have not put any one to...
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1 Samuel 30 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

30 And when David and his men had come into Ziklag in the third day, (they learned that) men of Amalek had made assault on the south part (of Judah,) (and) in Ziklag; and (had) smitten Ziklag, and burnt it by fire. (And when David and his men had come into Ziklag on the third day, they learned that ...
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1 Samuel 30 - World English Bible (WEB)

30 When David and his men had come to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid on the South, and on Ziklag, and had struck Ziklag, and burned it with fire, 2 and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great. They didn’t kill any, but carried them off, and ...
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1 Samuel 30 - The Voice (VOICE)

30 When David and his men reached Ziklag three days later, they discovered that the Amalekites had raided the desert hill country. They had attacked Ziklag in David’s absence, burned it, 2 and carried away the women and all the other inhabitants whom David had left behind. None of them were killed,...
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1 Samuel 30 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Raid on Amalek30 Now it came to pass, when David and his men returned to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev and on Ziklag, and had attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire; 2 taking the women in it captive, young and old, without killing anyone, but carried the...
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1 Samuel 30 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

David Avenges the Destruction of Ziklag30 Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amal′ekites had made a raid upon the Negeb and upon Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag, and burned it with fire, 2 and taken captive the women and all[a] who were in it, both small and great; the...
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1 Samuel 30 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

David Avenges the Destruction of Ziklag30 Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amal′ekites had made a raid upon the Negeb and upon Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag, and burned it with fire, 2 and taken captive the women and all[a] who were in it, both small and great; the...
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1 Samuel 30 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

David Avenges the Destruction of Ziklag30 Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negeb and on Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag, burned it down, 2 and taken captive the women and all[a] who were in it, both small and great; they killed none ...
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1 Samuel 30 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

David Avenges the Destruction of Ziklag30 Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negeb and on Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag, burned it down,(A)2 and taken captive the women and all[a] who were in it, both small and great; they killed none...
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1 Samuel 30 - New Living Translation (NLT)

David Destroys the Amalekites30 Three days later, when David and his men arrived home at their town of Ziklag, they found that the Amalekites had made a raid into the Negev and Ziklag; they had crushed Ziklag and burned it to the ground. 2 They had carried off the women and children and everyone els...
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1 Samuel 30 - New Life Version (NLV)

David’s Battle with the Amalekites30 When David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had come to fight in the Negev and Ziklag. They had destroyed Ziklag, and burned it with fire. 2 They took the women and all who were in it, without killing anyone. They carried them out and ...
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1 Samuel 30 - New King James Version (NKJV)

David’s Conflict with the Amalekites30 Now it happened, when David and his men came to (A)Ziklag, on the third day, that the (B)Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire, 2 and had taken captive the (C)women and those who were there, from small to great; t...
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1 Samuel 30 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

David destroys the Amalekites30 David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, 2 and had taken captive the women and everyone else in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them of...
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1 Samuel 30 - New International Version (NIV)

David Destroys the Amalekites30 David and his men reached Ziklag(A) on the third day. Now the Amalekites(B) had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned(C) it, 2 and had taken captive the women and everyone else in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried...
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1 Samuel 30 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

David Destroys the Amalekites30 On the third day David and his men arrived in Ziklag. The Amalekites had attacked the people of the Negev Desert. They had also attacked Ziklag and burned it. 2 They had captured the women and everyone else in Ziklag. They had taken as prisoners young people and old ...
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1 Samuel 30 - New English Translation (NET)

David Defeats the Amalekites30 On the third day David and his men came to Ziklag. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They attacked Ziklag and burned it.[a] 2 They took captive the women and all[b] who were in it, from the youngest to the oldest, but they did not kill anyone. They s...
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