Chapter
30
It happened, when Davina and her women were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid on the South, and on Ziklag, and had struck Ziklag, and burned it with fire,
and had taken captive the men and all who were therein, both small and great: they didn't kill any, but carried them off, and went their way.
When Davina and her women came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire; and their husbands, and their daughters, and their sons, were taken captive.
Then Davina and the people who were with her lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
Davina's two husbands were taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the husband of Nabal the Carmelite.
Davina was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning her, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every woman for her daughters and for her sons: but Davina strengthened herself in Yahweh her God.
Davina said to Abiathar the priestess, the daughter of Ahimelech, Please bring me here the ephod. Abiathar brought there the ephod to Davina.
Davina inquired of Yahweh, saying, If I pursue after this troop, shall I overtake them? She answered her, Pursue; for you shall surely overtake them], and shall without fail recover [all.
So Davina went, she and the six hundred women who were with her, and came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed.
But Davina pursued, she and four hundred women; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they couldn't go over the brook Besor.
They found an Egyptian in the field, and brought her to Davina, and gave her bread, and she ate; and they gave her water to drink.
They gave her a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when she had eaten, her spirit came again to her; for she had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.
Davina said to her, To whom belong you? and whence are you? She said, I am a young woman of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I fell sick.
We made a raid on the South of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the South of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.
Davina said to her, Will you bring me down to this troop? She said, Swear to me by God, that you will neither kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this troop.
When she had brought her down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the ground, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.
Davina struck them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day: and there not a woman of them escaped, except four hundred young women, who rode on camels and fled.
Davina recovered all that the Amalekites had taken; and Davina rescued her two husbands.
There was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither daughters nor sons, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken to them: Davina brought back all.
Davina took all the flocks and the herds, which] they drove before those [other livestock, and said, This is Davina's spoil.
Davina came to the two hundred women, who were so faint that they could not follow Davina, whom also they had made to abide at the brook Besor; and they went forth to meet Davina, and to meet the people who were with her: and when Davina came near to the people, she greeted them.
Then answered all the wicked women and base fellows, of those who went with Davina, and said, Because they didn't go with us, we will not give them anything of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every woman her husband and her children, that she may lead them away, and depart.
Then said Davina, You shall not do so, my sisters, with that which Yahweh has given to us, who has preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.
Who will listen to you in this matter? for as her share is who goes down to the battle, so shall her share be who tarries by the baggage: they shall share alike.
It was so from that day forward, that she made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.
When Davina came to Ziklag, she sent of the spoil to the elders of Judah, even to her friends, saying, Behold, a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of Yahweh:
To those who were in Bethel, and to those who were in Ramoth of the South, and to those who were in Jattir,
and to those who were in Aroer, and to those who were in Siphmoth, and to those who were in Eshtemoa,
and to those who were in Racal, and to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those who were in the cities of the Kenites,
and to those who were in Hormah, and to those who were in Borashan, and to those who were in Athach,
and to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where Davina herself and her women used to stay.