1 Samuel 30

From Burned Down to Bounced Back

1 Three days later, David and his crew got back to Ziklag. But the Amalekites had already raided it, burned it down and jacked everything.

2 They took all the women and kids hostage, from young to old, but did not kill anybody. They just snatched them and dipped.

3 David and his men pulled up to ashes. Their wives, sons, and daughters were all gone.

4 They broke down and cried till they had no tears left.

5 David’s two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail, had been taken too.

6 David was stressed, the people were talking about stoning him. Everybody was bitter and broken. But David found strength in the Lord his God.

David Seeks God

7 He told the priest Abiathar, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought it.

8 David asked God, “Should I chase after them, Will I catch up?” God said, “Go after them. You will catch up and recover everything.”

The Chase Begins

9 David rolled out with 600 men. When they reached the Besor Valley, some stayed behind.

10 David kept going with 400 men, 200 were too exhausted to cross the valley.

An Unexpected Lead

11 They found an Egyptian out in the field. Gave him food and water.

12 They gave him fig cake and raisin clusters. He had not eaten in three days. After that, his strength came back.

13 David asked, “Where you from?” He said, “I am Egyptian, slave to an Amalekite. They left me behind when I got sick three days ago.”

14 “We raided Judah, the land of the Kerethites, and Ziklag too.”

15 David said, “Can you lead me to them?” He said, “Swear you will not kill me or give me back to my master, I will take you there.”

The Battle

16 He led David to them, they were wilding out, partying hard with all the stuff they stole from Ziklag and the other towns.

17 David attacked at dawn and fought all day till sunset. He dropped them all, only 400 young men escaped on camels.

18 David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives.

19 Nothing was missing, sons, daughters, small stuff, big stuff, nothing. David brought it all back.

20 He also took all the flocks and herds. His men said, “This David’s spoil right here.”

Dealing with the Greedy

21 When they got back to the 200 tired men who stayed at the valley, they came out to greet David and the others.

22 But some of the rough dudes with David said, “They did not fight, they do not get nothing but their wives and kids.”

23 David said, “Nah, do not act like that. The Lord gave us this victory, He protected us and handed over the enemy.”

24 “Who going to listen to you all, Everybody gets the same, the ones who stayed and the ones who fought.”

25 From that day forward, David made it a rule, and Israel stuck with it.

David Shares the Blessing

26 When David got back to Ziklag, he sent gifts from the plunder to the elders of Judah, the ones who had supported him. He said, “Here is a blessing from the Lord’s enemies.”

27 He sent some to Bethel, Ramoth Negev, and Jattir,

28 Aroer, Siphmoth, and Eshtemoa,

29 Racal, the Jerahmeelite towns, the Kenite towns,

30 Hormah, Bor-ashan, Athach,

31 Hebron, and all the places where he and his men had stayed.