1 Samuel 30: Ziklag is burned, and David rescues everyone from the Amalekites
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What happens?
When David and his men come back to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites have burned it and carried off the women and everyone in it, killing no one. David and his men weep until they can weep no more, and the people speak of stoning David, but he finds strength in Yahweh his God. David has Abiathar the priest bring him the ephod and asks Yahweh whether to pursue, and Yahweh answers that he will surely overtake them and rescue all. Two hundred men are too worn out to cross the Besor ravine; with the other four hundred, and led by an Egyptian slave the Amalekites had left behind sick, David strikes the raiders and brings back everyone and everything. When some of his men refuse to share the plunder with those who stayed behind, David rules that all share alike, and he sends gifts from the plunder to the elders of Judah.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God's own words are in 1 of the 31 verses: Yahweh's answer to David in verse 8, after Abiathar has brought David the ephod. David's question in the same verse is his own words. David speaks to Abiathar in verse 7. David and the Egyptian speak in verses 13 to 15. In verse 20 the text says only "they said": "This is David's plunder." The evil and worthless men speak in verse 22, and David answers them in verses 23 and 24. David sends his message with the gifts in verse 26. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1When 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,
In plain English: When David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had raided the Negev (this Bible: the South) and Ziklag. They had struck Ziklag and burned it with fire,
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2and 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 went their way.
In plain English: and they had taken captive the women and everyone in it, young and old (literally: small and great). They did not kill anyone, but carried them off and went on their way.
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3When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters were taken captive.
In plain English: When David and his men came to the town, there it was, burned with fire, and their wives, their sons and their daughters had been taken captive.
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4Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voice and wept until they had no more power to weep.
In plain English: Then David and the people with him raised their voices and wept until they had no strength left to weep.
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5David’s two wives were taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
In plain English: David's two wives had been taken captive: Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel.
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6David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the souls of all the people were grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters; but David strengthened himself in Yahweh his God.
In plain English: David was in great distress, because the people spoke of stoning him, since all the people were bitter in soul (this Bible: grieved), each man for his sons and his daughters. But David found strength (this Bible: strengthened himself) in Yahweh his God.
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7David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Please bring the ephod here to me.” Abiathar brought the ephod to David.
In plain English: David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Please bring the ephod here to me." Abiathar brought the ephod to David.
Good to know: Abiathar escaped to David when Saul had the priests of Nob killed (), and he came "with an ephod in his hand" (). David asked for the ephod before, in . The dictionary gives ephod as "a girdle; specifically the ephod or highpriest's shoulder-piece; also generally, an image". The text does not say how Yahweh's answer came.
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8David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “If I pursue after this troop, will I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you will surely overtake them, and will without fail recover all.”God speaks
In plain English: David asked Yahweh, "If I chase this raiding band (this Bible: troop), will I catch up with them?" He answered him, "Chase them, for you will surely catch up with them, and you will surely rescue them (this Bible: recover all)."
Good to know: The text says David "inquired of Yahweh", and "He answered him". In and David also inquired of Yahweh, and there the text names Yahweh as the one who answered.
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9So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed.
In plain English: So David went, he and the six hundred men with him, and they came to the Besor ravine (this Bible: the brook Besor), where those who were left behind stayed.
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10But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they couldn’t go over the brook Besor.
In plain English: But David kept up the chase, he and four hundred men. Two hundred stayed behind, who were too worn out to cross the Besor ravine.
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11They found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he ate; and they gave him water to drink.
In plain English: They found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. They gave him bread, and he ate, and they gave him water to drink.
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12They gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. When he had eaten, his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, and drank no water for three days and three nights.
In plain English: They gave him a piece of a fig cake and two bunches (this Bible: clusters) of raisins. When he had eaten, his strength came back (literally: his spirit returned to him), because he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights.
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13David asked him, “To whom do you belong? Where are you from?” He said, “I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I got sick.
In plain English: David asked him, "Whom do you belong to? Where are you from?" He said, "I am a young man of Egypt, the servant (or: slave) of an Amalekite. My master left me behind, because three days ago I fell sick.
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14We made a raid on the South of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the South of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.”
In plain English: We raided the Negev of the Cherethites, the land that belongs to Judah, and the Negev of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire."
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15David said to him, “Will you bring me down to this troop?” He said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me and not deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this troop.”
In plain English: David said to him, "Will you take me down to this raiding band?" He said, "Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master, and I will take you down to this band."
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16When he had brought him down, behold, they were spread around over all the ground, eating, drinking, and dancing, because of all the great plunder that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.
In plain English: When he had taken him down, there they were, spread out over all the land, eating, drinking and celebrating (this Bible: dancing), because of all the great plunder they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.
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17David struck them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day. Not a man of them escaped from there, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled.
In plain English: David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day. Not one of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode off on camels and fled.
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18David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives.
In plain English: David rescued (this Bible: recovered) all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives.
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19There was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither plunder, nor anything that they had taken. David brought them all back.
In plain English: Nothing of theirs was missing, small or great, sons or daughters, plunder, or anything they had taken. David brought it all back.
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20David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drove before those other livestock, and said, “This is David’s plunder.”
In plain English: David took all the flocks and herds. They drove them ahead of the other livestock and said, "This is David's plunder."
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21David came to the two hundred men, who were so faint that they could not follow David, whom also they had made to stay at the brook Besor; and they went out to meet David, and to meet the people who were with him. When David came near to the people, he greeted them.
In plain English: Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too worn out to follow David, whom they had left at the Besor ravine. They came out to meet David and to meet the people with him. When David came near to the people, he greeted them (literally: asked them about their peace).
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22Then all the wicked men and worthless fellows of those who went with David answered and said, “Because they didn’t go with us, we will not give them anything of the plunder that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that he may lead them away and depart.”
In plain English: Then all the evil and worthless men among those who had gone with David said, "Because they did not go with us (literally: with me), we will not give them any of the plunder we have recovered, except that each man may take his wife and his children, lead them away, and go."
Good to know: "Worthless fellows" is the same word as in , where Nabal is called "a worthless fellow" (see the note there).
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23Then David said, “Do not do so, my brothers, with that which Yahweh has given to us, who has preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.
In plain English: But David said, "You must not do this, my brothers, with what Yahweh has given us. He has kept us safe and has given the raiding band that came against us into our hand.
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24Who will listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays with the baggage. They shall share alike.”
In plain English: Who will listen to you in this? The share of the one who goes down into battle will be the same as the share of the one who stays with the baggage. They will share alike."
Good to know: When David went after Nabal, two hundred of his men also stayed with the baggage (). After the war with Midian, Yahweh told Moses to "divide the plunder into two parts: between the men skilled in war, who went out to battle, and all the congregation" (). The text here gives David's own rule, and says in verse 25 that it became a rule for Israel.
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25It was so from that day forward that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.
In plain English: From that day on he made it a rule (this Bible: statute) and a law (this Bible: ordinance) for Israel, to this day.
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26When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, “Behold, a present for you from the plunder of Yahweh’s enemies.”
In plain English: When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, his friends, saying, "Here is a gift (literally: a blessing) for you from the plunder of Yahweh's enemies."
The Hebrew word: "Present" is berakah, which the dictionary gives as "benediction; by implication prosperity". In 1 Samuel it is in only 2 verses, and this Bible says "present" in both: here and Abigail's gift to David in .
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27He sent it to those who were in Bethel, to those who were in Ramoth of the South, to those who were in Jattir,
In plain English: He sent it to those in Bethel, to those in Ramoth of the Negev, to those in Jattir,
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28to those who were in Aroer, to those who were in Siphmoth, to those who were in Eshtemoa,
In plain English: to those in Aroer, to those in Siphmoth, to those in Eshtemoa,
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29to those who were in Racal, to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, to those who were in the cities of the Kenites,
In plain English: to those in Racal, to those in the towns of the Jerahmeelites, to those in the towns of the Kenites,
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30to those who were in Hormah, to those who were in Borashan, to those who were in Athach,
In plain English: to those in Hormah, to those in Borashan (or: Bor Ashan), to those in Athach,
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31to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men used to stay.
In plain English: to those in Hebron, and to all the places where David and his men had gone about.
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