1. And when David and his men had arrived at Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made an attack on the south side against Ziklag. And they had struck Ziklag, and burned it with fire.
2. And they had led the women in it away as captives, from the small to the great. And they had not killed anyone, but they led them away with them. And then they traveled on their journey.
3. Therefore, when David and his men had arrived at the city, and had found it burned with fire, and that their wives and their sons and daughters had been led away as captives,
4. David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices. And they mourned until the tears in them failed.
5. For indeed, the two wives of David also had been led away as captives: Ahinoam, the Jezreelite, and Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel.
6. And David was greatly saddened. And the people were willing to stone him, because the soul of every man was bitter over his sons and daughters. But David was strengthened by the Lord his God.
7. And he said to the priest Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, "Bring the ephod to me." And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.
8. And David consulted the Lord, saying, "Shall I pursue these robbers, and will I overtake them, or not?" And the Lord said to him: "Pursue. For without doubt, you will overtake them and find the prey."
9. Therefore, David went away, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and they arrived as far as the torrent Besor. And certain ones, being weary, stayed there.
10. But David pursued, he and four hundred men. For two hundred stayed, who, being weary, were not able to cross the torrent Besor.
11. And they found an Egyptian man in the field, and they led him to David. And they gave him bread, so that he might eat, and water, so that he might drink,
12. and also a section of a mass of dried figs, and two clusters of dried grapes. And when he had eaten, his spirit returned, and he was refreshed. For he had not eaten bread, nor drank water, for three days and three nights.