1 Samuel 30

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Before David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had raided the Negeb and Ziklag, had stormed the city, and had set it on fire.	1 Now when David and his men were come to Siceleg on the third day, the Amalecites had made an invasion on the south side upon Siceleg, and had smitten Siceleg, and burnt it with fire.
2 They had taken captive the women and all who were in the city, young and old, killing no one; they had carried them off when they left.	2 And had taken the women captives that were in it, both little and great: and they had not killed any person, but had carried them with them, and went on their way.
3 David and his men arrived at the city to find it burned to the ground and their wives, sons and daughters taken captive.	3 So when David and his men came to the city, and found it burnt with fire, and that their wives and their sons, and their daughters were taken captives,
4 Then David and those who were with him wept aloud until they could weep no more.	4 David and the people that were with him, lifted up their voices, and wept till they had no more tears.
5 David's two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel, had also been carried off with the rest.	5 For the two wives also of David were taken captives, Achinoam the Jezrahelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel.
6 Now David found himself in great difficulty, for the men spoke of stoning him, so bitter were they over the fate of their sons and daughters. But with renewed trust in the LORD his God,	6 And David was greatly afflicted: for the people had a mind to stone him, for the soul of every man was bitterly grieved for his sons, and daughters: but David took courage in the Lord his God.
7 David said to Abiathar, the priest, son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the ephod!" When Abiathar brought him the ephod,	7 And he said to Abiathar the priest the son of Achimelech: Bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.
8 David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I pursue these raiders? Can I overtake them?" The LORD answered him, "Go in pursuit, for you shall surely overtake them and effect a rescue."	8 And David consulted the Lord, saying: Shall I pursue after these robbers, and shall I overtake them, or not? And the Lord said to him: Pursue after them: for thou shalt surely overtake them and recover the prey.
9 So David went off with his six hundred men and came as far as the Wadi Besor, where those who were to remain behind halted.	9 So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and they came to the torrent Besor: and some being weary stayed there.
10 David continued the pursuit with four hundred men, but two hundred were too exhausted to cross the Wadi Besor and remained behind.	10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred stayed, who being weary could not go over the torrent Besor.
11 An Egyptian was found in the open country and brought to David. He was provided with food, which he ate, and given water to drink;	11 And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David: and they gave him bread to eat, and water to drink,
12 a cake of pressed figs and two cakes of pressed raisins were also offered to him. When he had eaten, he revived; he had not taken food nor drunk water for three days and three nights.	12 As also a piece of a cake of figs, and two bunches of raisins. And when he had eaten them his spirit returned, and he was refreshed: for he had not eaten bread, nor drunk water three days, and three nights.
13 Then David asked him, "To whom do you belong, and where do you come from?" He replied: "I am an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite. My master abandoned me because I fell sick three days ago today.	13 And David said to him: To whom dost thou belong? or whence dost thou come? and whither art thou going? He said: I am a young man of Egypt, the servant of an Amalecite, and my master left me, because I began to be sick three days ago.
14 We raided the Negeb of the Cherethites, the territory of Judah, and the Negeb of Caleb; and we set Ziklag on fire."	14 For we made an invasion on the south side of Cerethi, and upon Juda, and upon the south of Caleb, and we burnt Siceleg with fire.
15 David then asked him, "Will you lead me down to this raiding party?" He answered, "Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me to my master, and I will lead you to the raiding party."	15 And David said to him: Canst thou bring me to this company? And he said: Swear to me by God, that thou wilt not kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee to this company. And David swore to him.
16 He did lead them, and there were the Amalekites scattered all over the ground, eating, drinking, and in a festive mood because of all the rich booty they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.	16 And when he had brought him, behold they were lying spread upon all the ground, eating and drinking, and as it were keeping a festival day, for all the prey, and the spoils which they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Juda.
17 From dawn to sundown David attacked them, putting them under the ban so that none escaped except four hundred young men, who mounted their camels and fled.	17 And David slew them from the evening unto the evening of the next day, and there escaped not a man of them, but four hundred young men, who had gotten upon camels, and fled.
18 David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, and rescued his two wives.	18 So David recovered all that the Amalecites had taken, and he rescued his two wives.
19 Nothing was missing, small or great, booty or sons or daughters, of all that the Amalekites had taken. David brought back everything.	19 And there was nothing missing small or great, neither of their sons or their daughters, nor of the spoils, and whatsoever they had taken: David recovered all.
20 Moreover, David took all the sheep and oxen, and as they drove these before him, they shouted, "This is David's spoil!"	20 And he took all the flocks and the herds, and made them go before him: and they said: This is the prey of David.
21 When David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him, and whom he had left behind at the Wadi Besor, they came out to meet David and the men with him. On nearing them David greeted them.	21 And David came to the two hundred men, who being weary had stayed, and were not able to follow David, and he had ordered them to abide at the torrent Besor: and they came out to meet David, and the people that were with him. And David coming to the people saluted them peaceably.
22 But all the stingy and worthless men among those who had accompanied David spoke up to say, "Since they did not accompany us, we will not give them anything from the booty, except to each man his wife and children. Let them take those along and be on their way."	22 Then all the wicked and unjust men that had gone with David answering, said: Because they came not with us, we will not give them any thing of the prey which we have recovered: but let every man take his wife and his children, and be contented with them, and go his way.
23 But David said: "You must not do this, my brothers, after what the LORD has given us. He has protected us and delivered into our grip the band that came against us.	23 But David said: You shall not do so, my brethren, with these things, which the Lord hath given us, who hath kept us, and hath delivered the robbers that invaded us into our hands.
24 Who could agree with this proposal of yours? Rather, the share of the one who goes down to battle and that of the one who remains with the baggage shall be the same; they shall share alike."	24 And no man shall hearken to you in this matter. But equal shall be the portion of him that went down to battle and of him that abode at the baggage, and they shall divide alike.
25 And from that day forward he made it a law and a custom in Israel, as it still is today.	25 And this hath been done from that day forward, and since was made a statute, and an ordinance, and as a law in Israel.
26 When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the spoil to the elders of Judah, city by city, saying, "This is a gift to you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD":	26 Then David came to Siceleg, and sent presents of the prey to the ancients of Juda his neighbours, saying: Receive a blessing of the prey of the enemies of the Lord.
27 to those in Bethel, to those in Ramoth-negeb, to those in Jattir,	27 To them that were in Bethel, and that were in Ramoth to the south, and to them that were in Jether,
28 to those in Aroer, to those in Siphmoth, to those in Eshtemoa,	28 And to them that were in Aroer and that were in Sephamoth, and that were in Esthamo,
29 to those in Racal, to those in the Jerahmeelite cities, to those in the Kenite cities,	29 And that were in Rachal, and that were in the cities of Jerameel, and that were in the cities of Ceni,
30 to those in Hormah, to those in Borashan, to those in Athach,	30 And that were in Arama, and that were in the lake Asan, and that were in Athach,
31 to those in Hebron, and to all the places frequented by David and his men.	31 And that were in Hebron, and to the rest that were in those places, in which David had abode with his men.