The War against the Amalekites
1 Two days later David and his men arrived back at Ziklag. The Amalekites had raided southern Judah and attacked Ziklag. They had burned down the town 2 and captured all the women; they had not killed anyone, but had taken everyone with them when they left. 3 When David and his men arrived, they found that the town had been burned down and that their wives, sons, and daughters had been carried away. 4 David and his men started crying and did not stop until they were completely exhausted. 5 Even David's two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail, had been taken away.
6 David was now in great trouble, because his men were all very bitter about losing their children, and they were threatening to stone him; but the Lord his God gave him courage. 7 David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod,” and Abiathar brought it to him. 8 David asked the Lord, “Shall I go after those raiders? And will I catch them?”
He answered, “Go after them; you will catch them and rescue the captives.”
9 So David and his six hundred men started out, and when they arrived at Besor Brook, some of them stayed there. 10 David continued on his way with four hundred men; the other two hundred men were too tired to cross the brook and so stayed behind. 11 The men with David found a young Egyptian out in the country and brought him to David. They gave him some food and water, 12 some dried figs, and two bunches of raisins. After he had eaten, his strength returned; he had not had anything to eat or drink for three full days. 13 David asked him, “Who is your master, and where are you from?”
“I am an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite,” he answered. “My master left me behind three days ago because I got sick. 14 We had raided the territory of the Cherethites in the southern part of Judah and the territory of the clan of Caleb, and we burned down Ziklag.”
15 “Will you lead me to those raiders?” David asked him.
He answered, “I will if you promise me in God's name that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master.” 16 And he led David to them.
The raiders were scattered all over the place, eating, drinking, and celebrating because of the enormous amount of loot they had captured from Philistia and Judah. 17 At dawn the next day David attacked them and fought until evening. Except for four hundred young men who mounted camels and got away, none of them escaped. 18 David rescued everyone and everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives; 19 nothing at all was missing. David got back all his men's sons and daughters, and all the loot the Amalekites had taken. 20 He also recovered all the flocks and herds; his men drove all the livestock in front of them and said, “This belongs to David!”
21 Then David went back to the two hundred men who had been too weak to go with him and had stayed behind at Besor Brook. They came forward to meet David and his men, and David went up to them and greeted them warmly. 22 But some mean and worthless men who had gone with David said, “They didn't go with us, and so we won't give them any of the loot. They can take their wives and children and go away.”
23 But David answered, “My brothers, you can't do this with what the Lord has given us! He kept us safe and gave us victory over the raiders. 24 No one can agree with what you say! All must share alike: whoever stays behind with the supplies gets the same share as the one who goes into battle.” 25 David made this a rule, and it has been followed in Israel ever since.
26 When David returned to Ziklag, he sent part of the loot to his friends, the leaders of Judah, with the message, “Here is a present for you from the loot we took from the Lord's enemies.” 27 He sent it to the people in Bethel, to the people in Ramah in the southern part of Judah, and to the people in the towns of Jattir, 28 Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, 29 and Racal; to the clan of Jerahmeel, to the Kenites, 30 and to the people in the towns of Hormah, Borashan, Athach, 31 and Hebron. He sent it to all the places where he and his men had roamed.
Dāvids atbrīvo Ciklagas gūstekņus
1 Kad Dāvids ar saviem vīriem trešajā dienā nonāca Ciklagā, amālēkieši bija sirojuši dienvidzemē un Ciklagā, nopostījuši Ciklagu un nodedzinājuši to ar uguni. 2 Viņi aizveda gūstā sievas, kas tur bija, un visus no maza līdz lielam, bet nevienu nenogalināja. Viņi aizgāja savu ceļu un aizveda tos visus sev līdzi. 3 Dāvids ar saviem vīriem ienāca pilsētā, un, redzi, tā bija nodedzināta ar uguni un viņu sievas, dēli un meitas aizvestas gūstā! 4 Dāvids un viņa ļaudis sāka vaimanāt un raudāja, kamēr vairs nebija spēka paraudāt. 5 Arī abas Dāvida sievas bija aizvestas gūstā – jizreēliete Ahīnoama un Abīgaila, karmelieša Nābāla atraitne. 6 Pats Dāvids bija lielos spaidos, jo ļaudis teicās viņu nomētāt akmeņiem – visi bija sarūgtināti par saviem dēliem un meitām. Tomēr Dāvids guva spēku Kungā, savā Dievā.
7 Dāvids teica priesterim Ebjātāram, Ahīmeleha dēlam: “Jel nes šurp man efodu!” Ebjātārs atnesa efodu Dāvidam, 8 un Dāvids izjautāja Kungu: “Vai man dzīties pakaļ šai bandai, vai es to panākšu?” Un viņš tam atbildēja: “Dzenies, jo tu tos noteikti panāksi un visu atgūsi!” 9 Tad Dāvids un viņa seši simti vīru devās ceļā un nonāca pie Besoras strauta, kur daļa no viņiem palika. 10 Dāvids ar četriem simtiem vīru turpināja vajāšanu, bet divi simti vīru, kas bija pārāk novārguši, lai šķērsotu Besoras strautu, palika tur. 11 Viņi uz lauka uzgāja kādu ēģiptieti un atgādāja to pie Dāvida. Viņi tam deva ēst, un tas ēda, un viņi to padzirdīja ar ūdeni. 12 Viņi iedeva tam gabalu vīģu plāceņa un divus rozīņu plāceņus. Viņš ēda un atguvās, jo neko nebija ne ēdis, ne dzēris trīs dienas un trīs naktis.
13 Tad Dāvids viņam jautāja: “Kas tu esi un no kurienes?” Puisis atbildēja: “Es esmu ēģiptietis, kāda amālēkieša vergs. Kad pirms trim dienām es saslimu, mans kungs mani pameta. 14 Mēs sirojām krētiešu dienvidzemē un tajā, kas Jūdā, un Kāleba dienvidzemē, un mēs ar uguni nodedzinājām Ciklagu.” 15 Dāvids viņam prasīja: “Vai tu mani aizvedīsi pie šīs bandas?” Viņš teica: “Zvēri man pie dieviem, ka tu mani nenonāvēsi un neatdosi manam kungam, un es tevi aizvedīšu pie šīs bandas.” 16 Viņš tos noveda lejā, un, redzi, tie bija izklīduši kur kurais – ēda, dzēra un līksmojās par milzīgo laupījumu, ko tie bija guvuši filistiešu un Jūdas zemē. 17 Dāvids tos kāva no krēslas līdz nākamās dienas vakaram, un neviens no tiem neizbēga kā vien četri simti jaunekļu, kas aizbēga jāšus uz kamieļiem. 18 Dāvids atguva visu, ko amālēkieši bija paņēmuši, Dāvids atdabūja arī abas savas sievas. 19 Neviena netrūka – ne maza, ne liela, ne dēlu, ne meitu, ne arī kas no laupījuma un visa, ko tie viņiem bija paņēmuši. To visu Dāvids atdeva ļaudīm atpakaļ. 20 Sev Dāvids ņēma visas avis un vēršus, un viņi dzina tos pa priekšu viņa ganāmpulkam, saukdami: “Šis ir Dāvida laupījums!” 21 Dāvids atgriezās pie tiem divi simti vīriem, kas bija pārāk novārguši, lai sekotu viņam, un kurus tie bija atstājuši pie Besoras strauta. Viņi iznāca pretī Dāvidam un viņa pulkam. Dāvids pienāca pie viņiem un sveicināja ar mieru.
22 Bet visi ļaunie un nelietīgie starp tiem, kas bija gājuši kopā ar Dāvidu, runāja: “Mēs ar viņiem nedalīsimies laupījumā, ko esam atguvuši, tāpēc ka šie nenāca kopā ar mums, – atdosim tikai katram viņa sievu un bērnus, lai ņem un staigā!”
23 Bet Dāvids teica: “Tā nedariet, mani brāļi, ar to, ko Kungs mums devis! Viņš mūs ir pasargājis un nodevis mūsu rokās to bandu, kas bija pret mums nākusi. 24 Kā lai paklausa jūsu vārdiem?! Tiem, kas palikuši pie mantām, pienākas tāda pati daļa kā tiem, kas gājuši karā. Lai visi dalās!” 25 Tā tas ir aizvien kopš tās dienas – viņš to padarīja par likumu un tiesu Israēlā līdz pat šai dienai.
26 Dāvids atgriezās Ciklagā un no laupījuma nosūtīja daļu Jūdas vecajiem, saviem draugiem, sacīdams: “Te jums svētības dāvana no laupījuma, kas atņemts Kunga ienaidniekiem.” 27 Nosūtīja tiem, kas Bētelē, tiem, kas Raāmot-Negebā, tiem, kas Jatīrā, 28 tiem, kas Aroērā, tiem, kas Sifmotā, tiem, kas Eštmo, 29 tiem, kas Rāhālā, tiem, kas jerahmeēliešu pilsētās, tiem, kas kēniešu pilsētās, 30 tiem, kas Hormā, tiem, kas Bor-Āšānā, tiem, kas Atāhā, 31 tiem, kas Hebronā un visur, kur Dāvids un viņa vīri bija staigājuši.
