1 Samuel 30:16-31 ▼

16 And he brought him down, and behold, they were spread out over the face of all the land, eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great plunder that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.

17 And David attacked them from twilight and until the evening of the next day, and not a man escaped of them, but rather four hundred young men who rode on the camels and fled.

18 And David snatched away all that the Amalekite had carried away, and his two wives David snatched away.

19 And nothing was lacking of theirs either small and to great, and sons and daughters, and from plunder, and to all that they had taken from them. David brought back everything.

20 And David took all of the flock and of the herd they had driven before the face of these livestock, and they said, “This is the plunder of David.”

21 And David came to the two hundred men who had been so weary that they could not follow behind David, and whom they had made to stay at the Brook of Besor, and they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And David came near the people, and he asked them of welfare.

22 And all the wicked and worthless of those men who went with David answered and said, “Because that they did not go with us, we will not give to them from the plunder that we have snatched away. But rather for every man, his wife and his sons, that they may lead them away and depart.”

23 And David said, “You? shall not do so, my brothers, with what YHWH has given to us, who has preserved us and delivered the troop that came against us into our hands.

24 For who will listen to you? in this matter? But as is the portion of the one having gone down to the battle, so shall be the portion of the one having stayed with the supplies. They shall take portions together.”

25 And it came to pass from that day forward that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.

26 And David came to Ziklag, and he sent some from the plunder to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Behold, for you? a present from the plunder of the enemies of YHWH.”—

27 To those in Bethel, and to those in Ramoth of the Negev, and to those in Jattir,

28 and to those in Aroer, and to those in Siphmoth, and to those in Eshtemoa,

29 and to those in Rachal, and to those in the cities of the Jerahmeelite, and to those in the cities of the Kenite,

30 and to those in Hormah, and to those in Bor-ashan, and to those in Athach,

31 and to those in Hebron, and to all the places where David had gone up and down there—he and his men.