1 Samuel 30:6-15

King James Version

⁶And 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.

⁷And 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.

⁸And 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.

⁹So 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.

¹⁰But 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.

¹¹And 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;

¹²And 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.

¹³And 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.

¹⁴We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.

¹⁵And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company.

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1 Samuel 30:6-15

New International Version

⁶David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning^(A) him; each one was bitter^(B) in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength^(C) in the Lord his God.

⁷Then David said to Abiathar^(D) the priest, the son of Ahimelek, “Bring me the ephod.^(E)” Abiathar brought it to him, ⁸and David inquired^(F) of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?”

“Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed^(G) in the rescue.^(H)”

⁹David and the six hundred men^(I) with him came to the Besor Valley, where some stayed behind. ¹⁰Two hundred of them were too exhausted^(J) to cross the valley, but David and the other four hundred continued the pursuit.

¹¹They found an Egyptian in a field and brought him to David. They gave him water to drink and food to eat— ¹²part of a cake of pressed figs and two cakes of raisins. He ate and was revived,^(K) for he had not eaten any food or drunk any water for three days and three nights.

¹³David asked him, “Who do you belong to? Where do you come from?”

He said, “I am an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite.^(L) My master abandoned me when I became ill three days ago. ¹⁴We raided the Negev of the Kerethites,^(M) some territory belonging to Judah and the Negev of Caleb.^(N) And we burned^(O) Ziklag.”

¹⁵David asked him, “Can you lead me down to this raiding party?”

He answered, “Swear to me before God that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master,^(P) and I will take you down to them.”

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1 Samuel 30:6-15

New King James Version

⁶Now David was greatly distressed, for ^(A)the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was ^[a]grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. ^(B)But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

⁷^(C)Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring the ephod here to me.” And ^(D)Abiathar brought the ephod to David. ⁸^(E)So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?”

And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.”

⁹So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the Brook Besor, where those stayed who were left behind. ¹⁰But David pursued, he and four hundred men; ^(F)for two hundred stayed behind, who were so weary that they could not cross the Brook Besor.

¹¹Then they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David; and they gave him bread and he ate, and they let him drink water. ¹²And they gave him a piece of ^(G)a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. So ^(H)when he had eaten, his strength came back to him; for he had eaten no bread nor drunk water for three days and three nights. ¹³Then David said to him, “To whom do you belong, and where are you from?”

And he said, “I am a young man from Egypt, servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me behind, because three days ago I fell sick. ¹⁴We made an invasion of the southern area of ^(I)the Cherethites, in the territory which belongs to Judah, and of the southern area ^(J)of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.”

¹⁵And David said to him, “Can you take me down to this troop?”

So he said, “Swear to me by God that you will neither kill me nor deliver me into the hands of my ^(K)master, and I will take you down to this troop.”

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