763 - Amalekites Destroy Ziklag

Amalekites Destroy Ziklag


When David and his men arrived home, at their town of Ziklag, they found that the Amalekites had made a raid into the Negev… and Ziklag; they had crushed Ziklag and burned it to the ground. 


They had carried off the women and children and everyone else, but without killing anyone. 


When David and his men saw the ruins …and realized what had happened to their families, they wept, until they could weep no more. 


David’s two wives, Ahinoam, from Jezreel, and Abigail, the widow of Nabal, from Carmel, were among those captured. 


David was now in great danger, because all his men were very bitter, about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. 


But, David found strength, in the Lord, his God. 


Then, he said to Abiathar, the priest, 

“Bring me the ephod!” 


So, Abiathar brought it. 


Then, David asked the Lord, “Should I chase after this band of raiders? 


Will I catch them?” 


And the Lord told him, 

“Yes, go after them. 


You will surely recover everything, that was taken from you!” 


So, David, and his 600 men, set out, and they came to the brook at Besor. 


But, 200 of the men were too exhausted to cross the brook, so David continued the pursuit, with 400 men. 


Along the way, they found an Egyptian man, in a field, and brought him to David. 


They gave him some bread, to eat, and water, to drink. 


They also gave him part of a fig cake and two clusters of raisins, for he hadn’t had anything to eat or drink, for three days and nights. 


Before long, his strength returned. 


“To whom do you belong, and where do you come from?” David asked him. 


“I am an Egyptian—the slave, of an Amalekite,” he replied. 


“My master abandoned me, three days ago, because I was sick. 


We were on our way back, from raiding the Kerethites, in the Negev, the territory of Judah, and the land of Caleb, and we had just burned Ziklag.” 


“Will you lead me to this band of raiders?” David asked. 


The young man replied, 

“If you take an oath, in God’s name, that you will not kill me …or give me back to my master, then I will guide you to them.” 


1 Samuel 30:1–15 (NLT)


Praise be to God!


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