And it came to pass, whenDavid and his men werecome to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smittenZiklag, and burned it withfire;
And David was greatlydistressed; for the peoplespake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but Davidencouragedhimself in the LORD his God.
And Davidenquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursueafterthistroop? shall I overtakethem? And he answered him, Pursue: for thoushaltsurelyovertakethem, and withoutfailrecover all.
And theygave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spiritcameagain to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, threedays and threenights.
And Davidsaidunto him, To whombelongestthou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my masterleft me, becausethreedays ago I fellsick.
We made an invasionupon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coastwhichbelongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burnedZiklagwithfire.
And Davidsaid to him, Canstthoubring me down to thiscompany? And he said, Swearunto me by God, thatthouwiltneitherkill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I willbringtheedown to thiscompany.
And when he had brought him down, behold, theywerespreadabroadupon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the greatspoilthatthey had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.
And Davidsmotethemfrom the twilightevenunto the evening of the next day: and thereescaped not a man of them, savefourhundredyoung men, whichrodeuponcamels, and fled.
And there was nothinglacking to them, neithersmall nor great, neithersons nor daughters, neitherspoil, nor any thingthatthey had taken to them: Davidrecovered all.
And Davidcame to the two hundred men, whichwere so faintthattheycould not followDavid, whomthey had madealso to abide at the brookBesor: and theywentforth to meetDavid, and to meet the peoplethatwerewith him: and whenDavidcamenear to the people, he salutedthem.
Thenanswered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of thosethatwentwithDavid, and said, Becausetheywent not with us, we will not givethemought of the spoilthat we haverecovered, save to every man his wife and his children, thatthey may leadthemaway, and depart.
ThensaidDavid, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, withthatwhich the LORDhathgiven us, who hathpreserved us, and delivered the companythatcameagainst us into our hand.
For who willhearkenunto you in thismatter? but as his part is thatgoethdown to the battle, so shall his part be thattarrieth by the stuff: theyshallpartalike.
And whenDavidcame to Ziklag, he sent of the spoilunto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD;