And it came to pass, when Davidand his menwere cometo Ziklagon the thirdday, that the Amalekiteshad invadedthe south, and Ziklag, and smittenZiklag, and burnedit with fire; And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slewnotany, eithergreator small, but carried them away, and wenton their way. So Davidand his mencametothe city, and, behold, it was burnedwith fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. Then Davidand the peoplethat were withhim lifted uptheir voiceand wept, untilthey had no morepowerto weep. And David's twowiveswere taken captives, Ahinoamthe Jezreelitess, and Abigailthe wifeof Nabalthe Carmelite. And Davidwas greatlydistressed; forthe peoplespokeof stoninghim, becausethe soulof allthe peoplewas grieved, every manforhis sonsand forhis daughters: but Davidencouraged himselfin the LORDhis God. And DavidsaidtoAbiatharthe priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray thee, bring me hitherthe ephod. And Abiatharbroughtthither the ephodtoDavid. And Davidinquiredat the LORD, saying, Shall I pursueafterthistroop? shall I overtakethem? And he answeredhim, Pursue: forthou shalt surely overtake them , and without fail recover all . So Davidwent, heand the sixhundredmenthat were withhim, and cametothe brookBesor, where those that were left behindstayed. But Davidpursued, heand fourhundredmen: for two hundredabode behind, whichwere so faintthat they could not go overthe brookBesor. And they foundan Egyptianin the field, and broughthim toDavid, and gavehim bread, and he did eat; and they made him drinkwater; And they gavehim a pieceof a cake of figs, and twoclusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spiritcame againtohim: forhe had eatennobread, nordrunk any water, threedaysand threenights. And Davidsaidunto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young manof Egypt, servantto an Amalekite; and my masterleftme, becausethreedaysago I fell sick. Wemade an invasion upon the southof the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and uponthe southof Caleb; and we burnedZiklagwith fire. And Davidsaidtohim, Canst thou bring me downtothiscompany? And he said, Swearunto me by God, that thou wilt neitherkillme, nordeliverme into the handsof my master, and I will bring thee downtothiscompany. And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroaduponallthe earth, eatingand drinking, and dancing, because of allthe greatspoilthatthey had takenout of the landof the Philistines, and out of the landof Judah. And Davidsmotethem from the twilighteven untothe eveningof the next day: and there escapednota manof them, savefourhundredyoungmen, whichrodeuponcamels, and fled. And Davidrecoveredallthatthe Amalekiteshad carried away: and Davidrescuedhis twowives. And there was nothinglackingto them, neithersmallnorgreat, neithersonsnor daughters, neither spoil, norany thing thatthey had takento them: Davidrecoveredall. And Davidtookallthe flocksand the herds, which they drovebeforethose other cattle, and said, This is David's spoil. And Davidcametothe two hundredmen, whichwere so faintthat they could not followDavid, whom they had made also to abideat the brookBesor: and they went forthto meetDavid, and to meetthe peoplethat were withhim: and when Davidcame nearto the people, he salutedthem. Then answeredallthe wickedmenand men of Belial, of thosethatwentwithDavid, and said, Becausethey wentnotwithus, we will notgivethem aught of the spoilthatwe have recovered, saveto every manhis wifeand his children, that they may lead them away, and depart. Then saidDavid, Ye shall notdoso, my brethren, withthat whichthe LORDhath givenus, who hath preservedus, and deliveredthe companythat cameagainstus into our hand. For whowill hearkenunto you in thismatter? butas his part is that goeth downto the battle, so shall his part be that tarriethbythe stuff: they shall partalike. And it was so from that dayforward, that he madeit a statuteand an ordinancefor Israeluntothisday. And when DavidcametoZiklag, he sentof the spoilunto the eldersof Judah, even to his friends, saying, Beholda presentfor you of the spoilof the enemiesof the LORD; To them which were in Bethel, and to them which were in southRamoth, and to them which were in Jattir, And to them which were in Aroer, and to them which were in Siphmoth, and to them which were in Eshtemoa, And to them which were in Rachal, and to them which were in the citiesof the Jerahmeelites, and to them which were in the citiesof the Kenites, And to them which were in Hormah, and to them which were in Chor-ashan, and to them which were in Athach, And to them which were in Hebron, and to allthe placeswhereDavidhimselfand his menwere wont to haunt.