The Amalekites Raid Ziklag

1But when Dauid and his men were come to Ziklag the third day, the Amalekites had inuaded vppon the south, euen vnto Ziklag, and had smitten Ziklag, and burnt it with fyre. 2And had taken the women that were therein prisoners, both small and great: but slue not a man, saue carryed them away, and went their wayes. 3So Dauid and his men came to the citie, and beholde it was burnt with fyre: and their wiues, their sonnes, and their daughters were taken prisoners. 4Then Dauid & the people that were with him, lift vp their voyces and wept, vntill they could weepe no more. 5And Dauids two wiues were taken prisoners also, Ahinoam the Iezrahelite, and Abigail the wyfe of Nabal the Carmelite. 6And Dauid was in great cumbraunce: For the people entended to stone him, because the heartes of all ye people were vexed euery man for his sonnes and for his daughters: But Dauid toke a good courage to him in the Lorde his God,

David Destroys the Amalekites

7And sayde to Abiathar the priest Ahimelechs sonne: I pray thee, bring me the Ephod. And Abiathar brought the Ephod to Dauid. 8And Dauid asked councel at the Lord, saying: Shall I follow after this company? shall I ouertake them? And he aunswered him: Folowe, for thou shalt suerlie ouertake them, and recouer all. 9So Dauid and the sixe hundred men that were with him, went and came to the ryuer Befor, where a parte of them abode. 10But Dauid and foure hundred men folowed: (For two hundred abode behinde, being to weery to go ouer the ryuer Befor)

11And they founde an Egyptian in the fielde, and brought him to Dauid, and gaue him bread, & he did eate, and water to drinke. 12And gaue him a fewe fygges, and two clusters of reasinges: And when he had eaten, his spirite came againe to him: For he had eaten no bread nor druncke any water in three dayes and three nightes. 13And Dauid said vnto him: To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? He sayd: I am a young man of Egypt, and seruaunt to an Amalekite, and my maister left me, because three dayes agone I fell sicke. 14We came a rouyng vpon the south of Chretus, and vpon the coast belonging to Iuda, and toward the south of Caleb, and we burnt Ziklag with fyre. 15And Dauid saide to him: Canst thou bring me to this company? And he said: Sweare vnto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliuer me into the handes of my maister, and I will bring thee to this company.

16And when he had brought him thyther, beholde they laye scattered abrode vpon all the earth, eating, and drynking, & daunsing, because of al the great praye that they had carried away out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Iuda. 17And Dauid layde vpon them from the twylight, euen vnto the euening of the next morowe: so that there escaped not a man of them, saue foure hundred young men which rode vpon cammels, and fled. 18And Dauid recouered all that the Amalekites had carryed away, and Dauid rescued his two wyues: 19So that there was nothing lacking to them, small or great, sonne or daughter, or of the spoyle of all that they had taken away, Dauid recouered them all. 20And Dauid tooke all the sheepe, and the oxen, and they draue them before his cattaile, and saide: This is Dauids pray.

The Spoils Are Divided

21And Dauid came to the two hundred men, that were to weery for to folowe Dauid, whom they had made also to abyde at the ryuer Befor: And they came to meete Dauid & the people that were with him: And when Dauid came to the people, he saluted them. 22Then aunswered all the wicked and the vnthryftes of the men that went with Dauid, and saide: Because they went not with vs, therfore wil we geue them none of the pray that we haue recouered: But let euery man take his wife and his children, those let them carry away and departe. 23Then sayd Dauid: Ye shall not do so my brethren with that which the Lord hath geuen vs, who hath preserued vs, and delyuered the company that came against vs, into our handes. 24For who will hearke vnto you in this matter? But as his parte is that goeth downe and fighteth, so shall his parte be that tarryeth by the stuffe: they shall parte alyke. 25And so from that day forward, was that made a statute and lawe in Israel, vnto this day,

26When Dauid therefore came to Ziklag, he sent of the pray vnto the elders of Iuda and to his friendes, saying: See, there is a blessing for you of the spoyle of the enemies of the Lorde. 27He sent to them of Bethel, to them of south Ramoth, to them of Iathir, 28To them of Aroer, to them of Sephamoth, to them of Esthema, 29To them of Rachal, to them of the cities of Ierahmeel, to them of the cities of the Kenites, 30To them of Horma, to them of Chorashan, to them of Athach, 31To them that are in Hebron, and to all places where Dauid and his men were wont to haunt.