1. And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to
Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the
south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with
fire;
2. And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they
slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away,
and went on their way.
3. So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was
burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their
daughters, were taken captives.
4. Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their
voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
5. And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the
Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
6. And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of
stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved,
every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David
encouraged himself in the LORD his God.
7. And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I
pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought
thither the ephod to David.
8. And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after
this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him,
Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without
fail recover all.
9. So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with
him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left
behind stayed.
10. But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred
abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go
over the brook Besor.
11. And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to
David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him
drink water;
12. And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two
clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came
again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any
water, three days and three nights.
13. And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence
art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to
an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days
agone I fell sick.
