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MAY 14
the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and 14 We made an invasion of the southern area of
their wives, their sons, and their daughters had the Cherethites, in the territory which belongs
4
been taken captive. Then David and the peo- to Judah, and of the southern area of Caleb;
ple who were with him lifted up their voices and and we burned Ziklag with fire.”
wept, until they had no more power to weep. 15 And David said to him, “Can you take me
5 And David’s two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreel- down to this troop?”
itess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the So he said, “Swear to me by God that you
6
Carmelite, had been taken captive. Now David will neither kill me nor deliver me into the
was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of hands of my master, and I will take you down
stoning him, because the soul of all the people to this troop.”
was grieved, every man for his sons and his 16 And when he had brought him down, there
daughters. But David strengthened himself in they were, spread out over all the land, eating
the LORD his God. and drinking and dancing, because of all the
great spoil which they had taken from the land
of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.
17 Then David attacked them from twilight until
the evening of the next day. Not a man of them
30:6 distressed…grieved. Arriving home to escaped, except four hundred young men who
the reality of their great tragedy caused David 18
immense distress and provoked the wicked- rode on camels and fled. So David recovered
ness of his men to entertain the treasonous all that the Amalekites had carried away, and
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idea of stoning him. Having not inquired of David rescued his two wives. And nothing of
the Lord before his departure to support theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons
Achish in battle, David was in need of God’s or daughters, spoil or anything which they
getting his attention. strengthened himself had taken from them; David recovered all.
in the LORD his God. This was the key to 20 Then David took all the flocks and herds
David’s being a man after God’s heart (1 Sam. they had driven before those other livestock,
13:14; Acts 13:22). and said, “This is David’s spoil.”

7 Then David said to Abiathar the priest,
Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring the ephod
here to me.” And Abiathar brought the ephod 30:19 nothing…was lacking. In spite of
to David. So David inquired of the LORD, say- David’s previous failures, God showed Himself
8
to be more than gracious and abundant in His
ing, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake stewardship of the wives, children, livestock,
them?” and possessions of David and his men.
And He answered him, “Pursue, for you
shall surely overtake them and without fail
recover all.”
9 So David went, he and the six hundred 21 Now David came to the two hundred men
men who were with him, and came to the who had been so weary that they could not fol-
Brook Besor, where those stayed who were low David, whom they also had made to stay at
10
left behind. But David pursued, he and four the Brook Besor. So they went out to meet Da-
hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, vid and to meet the people who were with him.
who were so weary that they could not cross And when David came near the people, he
22
the Brook Besor. greeted them. Then all the wicked and
11 Then they found an Egyptian in the field, worthless men of those who went with David
and brought him to David; and they gave him answered and said, “Because they did not go
bread and he ate, and they let him drink water. with us, we will not give them any of the spoil
12 And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs that we have recovered, except for every
and two clusters of raisins. So when he had man’s wife and children, that they may lead
eaten, his strength came back to him; for he them away and depart.”
had eaten no bread nor drunk water for three 23 But David said, “My brethren, you shall
days and three nights. Then David said to not do so with what the LORD has given us,
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him, “To whom do you belong, and where are who has preserved us and delivered into our
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you from?” hand the troop that came against us. For who
And he said, “I am a young man from Egypt, will heed you in this matter? But as his part is
servant of an Amalekite; and my master left who goes down to the battle, so shall his part
me behind, because three days ago I fell sick. be who stays by the supplies; they shall share

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