1. Before David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had raided the Negeb and Ziklag. They stormed Ziklag, and set it on fire.
2. They took captive the women and all who were in the city, young and old, killing no one, and they herded them off when they left.
3. David and his men arrived at the city to find it burned to the ground and their wives, sons, and daughters taken captive.
4. Then David and those who were with him wept aloud until they could weep no more.
5. David’s two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel, had also been carried off.
6. Now David found himself in great danger, for the soldiers spoke of stoning him, so bitter were they over the fate of their sons and daughters. David took courage in the Lord his God
7. and said to Abiathar, the priest, son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod!” When Abiathar brought him the ephod,
8. David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue these raiders? Can I overtake them?” The Lord answered him: Go in pursuit, for you will certainly overtake them and bring about a rescue.
9. So David went off with his six hundred as far as the Wadi Besor, where those who were to remain behind halted.
10. David continued the pursuit with four hundred, but two hundred were too exhausted to cross the Wadi Besor and remained behind.
11. An Egyptian was found in the open country and brought to David. They gave him food to eat and water to drink;