1 Samuel 30

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
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 by the time David and his men reached Ziklag three days later, the Amalekites had raided theNegeb and Ziklag; they had sacked Ziklag and burnt it down.
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 They had taken the women prisoner, and everyone who was there, both smal and great. They had notkil ed anyone, but had carried them off and gone away.
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 When David and his men arrived, they found the town burnt down and their wives and sons anddaughters taken captive.
4 Then David and those who were with him wept aloud until they could weep no more.	4 Then David and the people with him wept aloud til they were too weak to weep any more.
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 David's two wives had been captured: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail widow 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 David was in great trouble, since the people were talking of stoning him; the people al felt very bitter,each man for his own sons and daughters. But David took courage from Yahweh his God.
7 David said to Abiathar, the priest, son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the ephod!" When Abiathar brought him the ephod,	7 To the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, David said, 'Bring me the ephod.' Abiathar brought the ephodto 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 David then consulted Yahweh, 'Shal I go in pursuit of these raiders? Wil I overtake them?' Theanswer was, 'Go in pursuit; you will certainly overtake them and rescue the captives.'
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 David accordingly set off with the six hundred men who were with him and reached the torrent ofBesor.
10 David continued the pursuit with four hundred men, but two hundred were too exhausted to cross the Wadi Besor and remained behind.	10 David then continued the pursuit with four hundred men, two hundred staying behind who were tooexhausted to cross the torrent of 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 Out in the country they found an Egyptian and brought him to David. They gave him some bread toeat and some 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 they also gave him a piece of fig cake and two bunches of raisins; he ate these and his spirits revived-- he had had nothing to eat or drink for 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 David then said to him, 'Whose man are you and where do you come from?' He replied, 'I am ayoung Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite; my master abandoned me because I fel 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 We raided the Negeb of the Cherethites, and the Negeb of Judah, and the Negeb of Caleb too, andwe burnt Ziklag down.'
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 David said, 'Wil you guide me to these raiders?' He replied, 'Swear to me by God not to kill me orhand me over to my master, and I wil guide you to these raiders.'
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 He guided him to them, and there they were, scattered over the whole countryside, eating, drinkingand celebrating, on account of the enormous booty which they had brought back from the territory of thePhilistines and the territory of Judah.
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 David slaughtered them from dawn until the evening of the following day. No one escaped, exceptfour hundred young men who mounted camels and fled.
18 David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, and rescued his two wives.	18 He rescued everything that the Amalekites had taken -- David also 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 Nothing of theirs was lost, whether smal or great, from the booty or sons and daughters -- everythingthat had been taken from them; David recovered everything.
20 Moreover, David took all the sheep and oxen, and as they drove these before him, they shouted, "This is David's spoil!"	20 They captured the flocks and herds as wel and drove them in front of him. 'This is David's booty,'they shouted.
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 When David reached the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him and whom hehad left at the torrent of Besor, they came out to meet David and the party accompanying him; Davidapproached with his party and greeted them.
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 But al the rogues and scoundrels among the men who had gone with David began saying, 'Sincethey did not go with us, we shal not give them any of the booty which we have rescued, except that each ofthem can have his wife and children. Let them take them away and be off.'
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, 'Do not behave like this, brothers, with what Yahweh has given us; he has protectedus and has handed over to us the raiders who attacked us.
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 Who would agree with you on this? No: As the share of the man who goes into battle, so is the shareof the man who stays with the baggage. They wil share alike.'
25 And from that day forward he made it a law and a custom in Israel, as it still is today.	25 And from that day on, he made that a rule and custom for Israel, which obtains to the present day.
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 When David reached Ziklag, he sent parts of the booty to the elders of Judah, town by town, with thismessage, 'Here is a present for you, taken from the booty of Yahweh's enemies':
27 to those in Bethel, to those in Ramoth-negeb, to those in Jattir,	27 to those in Bethel, to those in Ramoth of the Negeb,
28 to those in Aroer, to those in Siphmoth, to those in Eshtemoa,	28 to those in Jattir, to those in Aroer, to those in Siphmoth, to those in Eshtemoa,
29 to those in Racal, to those in the Jerahmeelite cities, to those in the Kenite cities,	29 to those in Carmel, to those in the towns of Jerahmeel, to those in the towns of the Kenites,
30 to those in Hormah, to those in Borashan, to those in Athach,	30 to those in Hormah, to those in Borashan, to those in Athach,
31 to those in Hebron, and to all the places frequented by David and his men.	31 to those in Hebron and to al the places which David and his men had frequented.