1 Samuel 30

David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it,

وَمَا إِنْ وَصَلَ دَاوُدُ وَرِجَالُهُ إِلَى صِقْلَغَ فِي الْيَوْمِ الثَّالِثِ حَتَّى وَجَدُوا أَنَّ الْعَمَالِقَةَ قَدْ أَغَارُوا عَلَى النَّقَبِ وَهَاجَمُوا صِقْلَغَ وَأَحْرَقُوهَا بِالنَّارِ،

and had taken captive the women and everyone else in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way.

بَعْدَ أَنْ أَخَذُوا كُلَّ مَنْ فِيهَا مِنْ نِسَاءٍ وَأَطْفَالٍ أَسْرَى حَرْبٍ، وَلَمْ يَقْتُلُوا صَغِيراً وَلا كَبِيراً.

When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive.

وَعِنْدَمَا دَخَلَ دَاوُدُ وَرِجَالُهُ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ وَجَدُوهَا مَحْرُوقَةً، وَأُسِرَتْ نِسَاؤُهُمْ وَبَنَاتُهُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُهُمْ.

So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep.

فَعَلَتْ أَصْوَاتُهُمْ بِالْبُكَاءِ حَتَّى أَصَابَهُمُ الإِعْيَاءُ.

David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel.

وَكَانَتِ امْرَأَتَا دَاوُدَ أَخِينُوعَمُ الْيَزْرَعِيلِيَّةُ وَأَبِيجَايِلُ أَرْمَلَةُ نَابَالَ الْكَرْمَلِيِّ مِنْ جُمْلَةِ الْمَسْبِيَّاتِ.

David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.

وَتَفَاقَمَ ضِيقُ دَاوُدَ لأَنَّ الرِّجَالَ، مِنْ فَرْطِ مَا حَلَّ بِهِمْ مِنْ مَرَارَةٍ وَأَسىً عَلَى أَبْنَائِهِمْ وَبَنَاتِهِمْ، طَالَبُوا بِرَجْمِهِ، غَيْرَ أَنَّ دَاوُدَ تَشَبَّثَ وَتَقَوَّى بِالرَّبِّ إِلَهِهِ.

Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelek, “Bring me the ephod.” Abiathar brought it to him,

ثُمَّ قَالَ دَاوُدُ لأَبِيَاثَارَ الْكَاهِنِ ابْنِ أَخِيمَالِكَ: «أَحْضِرْ إِلَيَّ الأَفُودَ». فَأَحْضَرَهُ.

and David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?”

“Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.”

وَاسْتَشَارَ دَاوُدُ الرَّبَّ قَائِلاً: «إِذَا تَعَقَّبْتُ هَؤُلاءِ الْغُزَاةَ فَهَلْ أُدْرِكُهُمْ؟» فَقَالَ لَهُ: «الْحَقْهُمْ، فَإِنَّكَ تُدْرِكُهُمْ وَتُنْقِذُ الأَسْرَى».

David and the six hundred men with him came to the Besor Valley, where some stayed behind.

فَانْطَلَقَ دَاوُدُ وَالسِّتُّ مِئَةِ رَجُلٍ الَّذِينَ مَعَهُ حَتَّى بَلَغُوا وَادِي الْبَسُورِ، فَتَخَلَّفَ قَوْمٌ مِنْهُمْ هُنَاكَ.

Two hundred of them were too exhausted to cross the valley, but David and the other four hundred continued the pursuit.

أَمَّا دَاوُدُ فَوَاصَلَ طَرِيقَهُ مَعَ أَرْبَعِ مِئَةِ رَجُلٍ، بَعْدَ أَنْ تَخَلَّفَ مِئَتَا رَجُلٍ إعْيَاءً عَنْ عُبُورِ وَادِي الْبَسُورِ.

They found an Egyptian in a field and brought him to David. They gave him water to drink and food to eat—

فَصَادَفُوا رَجُلاً مِصْرِيًّا مُلْقىً فِي الْحَقْلِ، فَأَحْضَرُوهُ إِلَى دَاوُدَ، فَقَدَّمُوا إِلَيْهِ طَعَاماً وَمَاءً فَأَكَلَ وَشَرِبَ.

part of a cake of pressed figs and two cakes of raisins. He ate and was revived, for he had not eaten any food or drunk any water for three days and three nights.

ثُمَّ أَعْطَوْهُ قُرْصاً مِنْ تِينٍ وَعُنْقُودَيْنِ مِنْ زَبِيبٍ. وَبَعْدَ أَنْ أَكَلَهَا انْتَعَشَتْ رُوحُهُ، لأَنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ قَدْ أَكَلَ طَعَاماً وَلا شَرِبَ مَاءً مُنْذُ ثَلاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ وَثَلاثِ لَيَالٍ.

David asked him, “Who do you belong to? Where do you come from?”

He said, “I am an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite. My master abandoned me when I became ill three days ago.

فَسَأَلَهُ دَاوُدُ: «مَنْ هُوَ سَيِّدُكَ وَمِنْ أَيْنَ أَنْتَ؟» فَأَجَابَ: «أَنَا رَجُلٌ مِصْرِيٌّ، عَبْدٌ لِرَجُلٍ عَمَالِيقِيٍّ، وَقَدْ تَخَلَّى سَيِّدِي عَنِّي مُنْذُ ثَلاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ لأَنِّي مَرِضْتُ.

We raided the Negev of the Kerethites, some territory belonging to Judah and the Negev of Caleb. And we burned Ziklag.”

فَإِنَّنَا قَدْ أَغَرْنَا عَلَى جَنُوبِيِّ بِلادِ الْكَرِيتِيِّينَ وَعَلَى جَنُوبِيِّ أَرْضِ يَهُوذَا وَجَنَوبِيِّ كَالَبَ وَأَحْرَقْنَا صِقْلَغَ بِالنَّارِ»

David asked him, “Can you lead me down to this raiding party?”

He answered, “Swear to me before God that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master, and I will take you down to them.”

فَسَأَلَهُ دَاوُدُ: «هَلْ تَدُلُّنِي عَلَى مَكَانِ هَؤُلاءِ الْغُزَاةِ؟» فَأَجَابَهُ: «احْلِفْ لِي بِاللهِ أَنَّكَ لَا تَقْتُلُنِي وَلا تُسَلِّمُنِي إِلَى سَيِّدِي، فَأَدُلَّكَ عَلَى مَكَانِ هَؤُلاءِ الْغُزَاةِ».

He led David down, and there they were, scattered over the countryside, eating, drinking and reveling because of the great amount of plunder they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from Judah.

وَقَادَهُمْ إِلَى مُعَسْكَرِ عَمَالِيقَ فَوَجَدُوهُمْ مُنْتَشِرِينَ فِي الْحُقُولِ يَأْكُلُونَ وَيَشْرَبُونَ وَيَرْقُصُونَ مِنْ جَرَّاءِ مَا أَصَابُوهُ مِنْ غَنِيمَةٍ عَظِيمَةٍ نَهَبُوهَا مِنْ أَرْضِ الْفِلِسْطِينِيِّينَ وَمِنْ أَرْضِ يَهُوذَا.

David fought them from dusk until the evening of the next day, and none of them got away, except four hundred young men who rode off on camels and fled.

فَهَاجَمَهُمْ دَاوُدُ مِنَ الْغُرُوبِ حَتَّى مَسَاءِ الْيَوْمِ التَّالِي، وَلَمْ يَنْجُ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ سِوَى أَرْبَعِ مِئَةِ غُلَامٍ رَكِبُوا جِمَالاً وَهَرَبُوا.

David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives.

وَاسْتَرَدَّ دَاوُدُ مَا اسْتَوْلَى عَلَيْهِ الْعَمَالِقَةُ وَأَنْقَذَ زَوْجَتَيْهِ.

Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back.

وَلَمْ يُفْقَدْ لَهُمْ شَيْءٌ لَا صَغِيرٌ وَلا كَبِيرٌ، وَلا أَبْنَاءٌ وَلا بَنَاتٌ وَلا غَنِيمَةٌ وَلا أَيُّ شَيْءٍ مِمَّا اسْتَوْلَى عَلَيْهِ الْعَمَالِقَةُ، بَلِ اسْتَرَدَّهَا دَاوُدُ جَمِيعَهَا.

He took all the flocks and herds, and his men drove them ahead of the other livestock, saying, “This is David’s plunder.”

وَأَخَذَ دَاوُدُ غَنَمَ الْعَمَالِقَةِ وَبَقَرَهُمْ فَسَاقَهَا رِجَالُهُ أَمَامَ الْمَاشِيَةِ الأُخْرَى الَّتِي اغْتَنَمَهَا الْغُزَاةُ قَائِلِينَ: «هَذِهِ غَنِيمَةُ دَاوُدَ».

Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him and who were left behind at the Besor Valley. They came out to meet David and the men with him. As David and his men approached, he asked them how they were.

وَعَادَ دَاوُدُ إِلَى الْمِئَتَيْ رَجُلٍ الَّذِينَ أَعْيَوْا عَنِ الْمَسِيرِ وَرَاءَهُ فَخَلَّفُوهُمْ عِنْدَ وَادِي الْبَسُورِ، فَخَرَجُوا لاِسْتِقْبَالِ دَاوُدَ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ مِنَ الشَّعْبِ، فَتَقَدَّمَ دَاوُدُ إِلَيْهِمْ لِيَطْمَئِنَّ عَلَى سَلامَتِهِمْ.

But all the evil men and troublemakers among David’s followers said, “Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered. However, each man may take his wife and children and go.”

غَيْرَ أَنَّ فِئَةً مِنَ المُشَاغِبِينَ مِنْ رِجَالِ دَاوُدَ مِمَّنِ اشْتَرَكُوا مَعَهُ فِي الْحَرْبِ اعْتَرَضُوا قَائِلِينَ: «لِيَأْخُذْ كُلُّ رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمُ امْرَأَتَهُ وَأَبْنَاءَهُ وَيَمْضِ، أَمَّا الْغَنِيمَةُ الَّتِي اسْتَرْدَدْنَاهَا، فَلا نُعْطِيهُمْ مِنْهَا لأَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَذْهَبُوا مَعَنَا».

David replied, “No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the Lord has given us. He has protected us and delivered into our hands the raiding party that came against us.

فَقَالَ دَاوُدُ: «لا تَفْعَلُوا هَكَذَا يَا إِخْوَتِي، لأَنَّ الرَّبَّ قَدْ أَنْعَمَ عَلَيْنَا وَحَفِظَنَا وَنَصَرَنَا عَلَى الْغُزَاةِ الَّذِينَ أَغَارُوا عَلَيْنَا.

Who will listen to what you say? The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.”

وَمَنْ يُوَافِقُكُمْ عَلَى هَذَا الأَمْرِ؟ لأَنَّ نَصِيبَ الْمُقِيمِ عِنْدَ الأَمْتِعَةِ لِحِرَاسَتِهَا كَنَصِيبِ مَنْ خَاضَ الْحَرْبَ، إِذْ تُقْسَمُ الْغَنِيمَةُ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالسَّوِيَّةِ».

David made this a statute and ordinance for Israel from that day to this.

وَمُنْذُ ذَلِكَ الْحِينِ جَعَلَ دَاوُدُ هَذِهِ الْفَرِيضَةَ سُنَّةً تَسْرِي عَلَى إِسْرَائِيلَ إِلَى هَذَا الْيَوْمِ.

When David reached Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends, saying, “Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the Lord’s enemies.”

وَعِنْدَمَا رَجَعَ دَاوُدُ إِلَى صِقْلَغَ أَرْسَلَ جُزْءاً مِنَ الْغَنِيمَةِ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ مِنْ شُيُوخِ يَهُوذَا قَائِلاً: «هَذِهِ لَكُمْ هَدِيَّةُ بَرَكَةٍ مِنْ غَنَائِمِ أَعْدَاءِ الرَّبِّ».

David sent it to those who were in Bethel, Ramoth Negev and Jattir;

وَقَدْ بَعَثَ بِها إِلَى الَّذِينَ فِي بَيْتِ إِيلٍ، وَفِي رَامُوتَ الْجَنُوبِ، وَفِي يَتِّيرَ.

to those in Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa

وَفِي عَرُوعِيرَ، وَفِي سِفْمُوثَ، وَفِي أَشْتِمُوعَ.

and Rakal; to those in the towns of the Jerahmeelites and the Kenites;

وَفِي رَاخَالَ، وَفِي مُدُنِ الْيَرْحَمْئِيلِيِّينَ، وَفِي مُدُنِ الْقَيْنِيِّينَ،

to those in Hormah, Bor Ashan, Athak

وَفِي حُرْمَةَ وَفِي كُورِ عَاشَانَ، وَفِي عَتَاكَ،

and Hebron; and to those in all the other places where he and his men had roamed.

وَفِي حَبْرُونَ، وَإِلَى سَائِرِ الأَمَاكِنِ الَّتِي تَرَدَّدَ عَلَيْهَا دَاوُدُ وَرِجَالُهُ.