1 Samuel 30 - New International Version (NIV)

David Destroys the Amalekites

30 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 them off as they went on their way.

3 When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive.(D) 4 So David and his men wept(E) aloud until they had no strength left to weep. 5 David’s two wives(F) had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6 David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning(G) him; each one was bitter(H) in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength(I) in the Lord his God.

7 Then David said to Abiathar(J) the priest, the son of Ahimelek, “Bring me the ephod.(K)” Abiathar brought it to him, 8 and David inquired(L) of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?”

“Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed(M) in the rescue.(N)

9 David and the six hundred men(O) with him came to the Besor Valley, where some stayed behind. 10 Two hundred of them were too exhausted(P) to cross the valley, but David and the other four hundred continued the pursuit.

11 They found an Egyptian in a field and brought him to David. They gave him water to drink and food to eat— 12 part of a cake of pressed figs and two cakes of raisins. He ate and was revived,(Q) for he had not eaten any food or drunk any water for three days and three nights.

13 David asked him, “Who do you belong to? Where do you come from?”

He said, “I am an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite.(R) My master abandoned me when I became ill three days ago. 14 We raided the Negev of the Kerethites,(S) some territory belonging to Judah and the Negev of Caleb.(T) And we burned(U) Ziklag.”

15 David asked him, “Can you lead me down to this raiding party?”

He answered, “Swear to me before God that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master,(V) and I will take you down to them.”

16 He led David down, and there they were, scattered over the countryside, eating, drinking and reveling(W) because of the great amount of plunder(X) they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from Judah. 17 David fought(Y) them from dusk until the evening of the next day, and none of them got away, except four hundred young men who rode off on camels and fled.(Z) 18 David recovered(AA) everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. 19 Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back. 20 He took all the flocks and herds, and his men drove them ahead of the other livestock, saying, “This is David’s plunder.”

21 Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted(AB) to follow him and who were left behind at the Besor Valley. They came out to meet David and the men with him. As David and his men approached, he asked them how they were. 22 But all the evil men and troublemakers among David’s followers said, “Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered. However, each man may take his wife and children and go.”

23 David replied, “No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the Lord has given us. He has protected us and delivered into our hands the raiding party that came against us. 24 Who will listen to what you say? The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.(AC) 25 David made this a statute and ordinance for Israel from that day to this.

26 When David reached Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends, saying, “Here is a gift(AD) for you from the plunder of the Lord’s enemies.”

27 David sent it to those who were in Bethel,(AE) Ramoth(AF) Negev and Jattir;(AG) 28 to those in Aroer,(AH) Siphmoth,(AI) Eshtemoa(AJ) 29 and Rakal; to those in the towns of the Jerahmeelites(AK) and the Kenites;(AL) 30 to those in Hormah,(AM) Bor Ashan,(AN) Athak 31 and Hebron;(AO) and to those in all the other places where he and his men had roamed.

Cross references

  1. 1 Samuel 30:1 : S 1Sa 27:6
  2. 1 Samuel 30:1 : S 1Sa 27:8
  3. 1 Samuel 30:1 : ver 14
  4. 1 Samuel 30:3 : S Ge 31:26
  5. 1 Samuel 30:4 : S Ge 27:38
  6. 1 Samuel 30:5 : S 1Sa 25:43
  7. 1 Samuel 30:6 : S Ex 17:4; Jn 8:59
  8. 1 Samuel 30:6 : S Ru 1:13
  9. 1 Samuel 30:6 : S 1Sa 23:16; Ro 4:20
  10. 1 Samuel 30:7 : S 1Sa 22:20
  11. 1 Samuel 30:7 : S 1Sa 2:28
  12. 1 Samuel 30:8 : S 1Sa 23:2
  13. 1 Samuel 30:8 : S Ge 14:16
  14. 1 Samuel 30:8 : S Ex 2:17
  15. 1 Samuel 30:9 : S 1Sa 27:2
  16. 1 Samuel 30:10 : ver 21
  17. 1 Samuel 30:12 : S Jdg 15:19
  18. 1 Samuel 30:13 : S 1Sa 14:48
  19. 1 Samuel 30:14 : 2Sa 8:18; 15:18; 20:7, 23; 1Ki 1:38, 44; 1Ch 18:17; Eze 25:16; Zep 2:5
  20. 1 Samuel 30:14 : S Jos 14:13; S 15:13
  21. 1 Samuel 30:14 : ver 1
  22. 1 Samuel 30:15 : Dt 23:15
  23. 1 Samuel 30:16 : Lk 12:19
  24. 1 Samuel 30:16 : S ver 17; S Jos 22:8
  25. 1 Samuel 30:17 : ver 16; 1Sa 11:11; 2Sa 1:1
  26. 1 Samuel 30:17 : 2Sa 1:8
  27. 1 Samuel 30:18 : S Ge 14:16
  28. 1 Samuel 30:21 : ver 10
  29. 1 Samuel 30:24 : S Nu 31:27; S Jdg 5:30
  30. 1 Samuel 30:26 : S Ge 33:11
  31. 1 Samuel 30:27 : S Jos 7:2
  32. 1 Samuel 30:27 : S Jos 10:40
  33. 1 Samuel 30:27 : S Jos 15:48
  34. 1 Samuel 30:28 : S Nu 32:34; S Jos 13:16
  35. 1 Samuel 30:28 : 1Ch 27:27
  36. 1 Samuel 30:28 : S Jos 15:50
  37. 1 Samuel 30:29 : 1Sa 27:10
  38. 1 Samuel 30:29 : S 1Sa 15:6
  39. 1 Samuel 30:30 : S Nu 14:45; S 21:3
  40. 1 Samuel 30:30 : S Jos 15:42
  41. 1 Samuel 30:31 : Nu 13:22; S Jos 10:36; 2Sa 2:1, 4

You Might Also Like:

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...
Read More

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 ...
Read More

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 ...
Read More

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,...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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 ...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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 ...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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 ...
Read More

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...
Read More