1Sa 30:1-10 | HCSB | STEP | David and his men arrived in Ziklag on the third day . The Amalekites had raided the Negev and attacked and burned down Ziklag .

1 Samuel 30:1-10

1 David and his men ^a arrived in Ziklag ^b on the third day. The Amalekites ^c had raided the ^{▼▼Negev: An >arid region in the southern part of Israel; the Hebrew word means "south".}Negev and attacked and burned down Ziklag. 2 They also had kidnapped the women and everyone ^{▼▼LXX; MT omits and everyone} in it from the youngest to the oldest. They had killed no one but had carried them off ^f as they went on their way.

3 When David and his men arrived at the town, they found it burned down. Their wives, sons, and daughters had been kidnapped. 4 David and the troops with him wept loudly until they had no strength left to weep. 5 David’s two wives, ^g Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had also been kidnapped. 6 David was in a difficult position because the troops talked about stoning him, ^h for they were all very bitter over the loss of their sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God. ⁱ

7 David said to Abiathar the priest, son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ^{▼▼ephod: A vestlike garment, extending below the waist and worn under the breastpiece, which was used by both the priests and the high priest}ephod.” ^k So Abiathar brought it to him, 8 and David asked the Lord: ^l “Should I pursue these raiders? Will I overtake them?” ^mThe Lord replied to him, “Pursue them, for you will certainly overtake them and rescue the people.” ⁿ

9 David and the 600 men with him ^o went as far as the ^{▼▼wadi: A seasonal stream that flows only in the rainy season}Wadi Besor, where 200 men who were to remain behind would stop. ^q 10 They stopped because they were too exhausted to cross the Wadi Besor. David and 400 of the men continued in pursuit.