8. Then David prayed to the Lord. “Should I chase the people who took our families? Will I catch them?” The Lord answered, “Chase them. You will catch them, and you will save your families.”
9-10. David took the 600 men with him and went to Besor Ravine. About 200 of his men stayed there because they were too weak and tired to continue. But David and the other 400 men continued to chase the Amalekites.
11. David’s men found an Egyptian in a field and took him to David. They gave the Egyptian some water to drink and some food to eat.
12. The Egyptian had not had any food or water for three days and nights, so they gave him a piece of fig cake and two clusters of raisins. He felt better after eating.
13. David asked the Egyptian, “Who is your master? Where do you come from?” The Egyptian answered, “I am an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite. Three days ago I got sick, and my master left me behind.
14. We had attacked the Negev area where the Kerethites live. We also attacked Judah and the Negev area where Caleb’s people live. We burned Ziklag.”
15. David asked the Egyptian, “Will you lead me to the people who took our families?” The Egyptian answered, “If you make a special promise before God, I will help you find them. But you must promise that you will not kill me or give me back to my master.”
16. The Egyptian led David to the Amalekites. They were lying around on the ground, eating and drinking. They were celebrating with the many things they had taken from the Philistines and from Judah.