Chapter 30

1And it was, when David and his men came to Ziklag, that on the third day, the Amalekites had raided the South and Ziklag, and they had smote Ziklag and burned it with fire.   אוַיְהִ֞י בְּבֹ֨א דָוִ֧ד וַאֲנָשָׁ֛יו צִֽקְלַ֖ג בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֑י וַעֲמָלֵקִ֣י פָֽשְׁט֗וּ אֶל־נֶ֙גֶב֙ וְאֶל־צִ֣קְלַ֔ג וַיַּכּוּ֙ אֶת־צִ֣קְלַ֔ג וַיִּשְׂרְפ֥וּ אֹתָ֖הּ בָּאֵֽשׁ:
2And they had captured the women who were therein, but they slew no one, neither big nor small, but led them away and went on their way.   בוַיִּשְׁבּ֨וּ אֶת־הַנָּשִׁ֚ים אֲשֶׁר־בָּהּ֙ מִקָּטֹ֣ן וְעַד־גָּד֔וֹל לֹ֥א הֵמִ֖יתוּ אִ֑ישׁ וַיִּֽנְהֲג֔וּ וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ לְדַרְכָּֽם:
3And David and his men came to the city, and behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been captured.   גוַיָּבֹ֨א דָוִ֚ד וַֽאֲנָשָׁיו֙ אֶל־הָעִ֔יר וְהִנֵּ֥ה שְׂרוּפָ֖ה בָּאֵ֑שׁ וּנְשֵׁיהֶ֛ם וּבְנֵיהֶ֥ם וּבְנֹתֵיהֶ֖ם נִשְׁבּֽוּ:
4And David and all the people who were with him, raised their voice and wept, until they had no strength to weep.   דוַיִּשָּׂ֨א דָוִ֜ד וְהָעָ֧ם אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֛וֹ אֶת־קוֹלָ֖ם וַיִּבְכּ֑וּ עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁ֧ר אֵין־בָּהֶ֛ם כֹּ֖חַ לִבְכּֽוֹת:
5And David's two wives were captured: Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.   הוּשְׁתֵּ֥י נְשֵֽׁי־דָוִ֖ד נִשְׁבּ֑וּ אֲחִינֹ֙עַם֙ הַיִּזְרְעֵלִ֔ית וַאֲבִיגַ֕יִל אֵ֖שֶׁת נָבָ֥ל הַֽכַּרְמְלִֽי:
6And David was in dire straits, for the people spoke of stoning him, for the soul of all the people was grieved, each man concerning his sons and concerning his daughters; but David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.   ווַתֵּ֨צֶר לְדָוִ֜ד מְאֹ֗ד כִּֽי־אָמְר֚וּ הָעָם֙ לְסָקְל֔וֹ כִּֽי־מָ֙רָה֙ נֶ֣פֶשׁ כָּל־הָעָ֔ם אִ֖ישׁ עַל־בָּנָ֣יו (כתיב בָּנָ֣ו) וְעַל־בְּנֹתָ֑יו וַיִּתְחַזֵּ֣ק דָּוִ֔ד בַּיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהָֽיו:
7And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Bring near to me now the ephod." And Abiathar brought the ephod near to David.   זוַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֗ד אֶל־אֶבְיָתָ֚ר הַכֹּהֵן֙ בֶּן־אֲחִימֶ֔לֶךְ הַגִּֽישָׁה־נָּ֥א לִ֖י הָאֵפ֑וֹד וַיַּגֵּ֧שׁ אֶבְיָתָ֛ר אֶת־הָאֵפ֖וֹד אֶל־דָּוִֽד:
8And David enquired of the Lord saying, "Shall I pursue this troop? Will I overtake them?" And He said to him, "Pursue, for you shall overtake and you shall rescue."   חוַיִּשְׁאַ֨ל דָּוִ֚ד בַּֽיהֹוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אֶרְדֹּ֛ף אַחֲרֵ֥י הַגְּדוּד־הַזֶּ֖ה הַֽאַשִּׂגֶ֑נּוּ וַיֹּ֚אמֶר לוֹ֙ רְדֹ֔ף כִּֽי־הַשֵּׂ֥ג תַּשִּׂ֖יג וְהַצֵּ֥ל תַּצִּֽיל:
9And David went, he and six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the Brook Besor, and those who were left behind stayed.   טוַיֵּ֣לֶךְ דָּוִ֗ד ה֚וּא וְשֵׁשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת אִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֔וֹ וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ עַד־נַ֣חַל הַבְּשֹ֑וֹר וְהַנּֽוֹתָרִ֖ים עָמָֽדוּ:
and they came to the Brook Besor: six hundred men.   ויבואו עד נחל הבשור: שש מאות איש:
and those who were left behind stayed: When they reached the Brook Besor, there were among them some who were faint, and some of them remained there.   והנותרים עמדו: כשהגיעו לנחל הבשור, היו בהם עייפים, ונותרו שם מקצתן:
10And David pursued, he and four hundred men, and there remained two hundred men who refrained from crossing the Brook Besor.   יוַיִּרְדֹּ֣ף דָּוִ֔ד ה֖וּא וְאַרְבַּע־מֵא֣וֹת אִ֑ישׁ וַיַּֽעַמְדוּ֙ מָאתַ֣יִם אִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר פִּגְּר֔וּ מֵעֲבֹ֖ר אֶת־נַ֥חַל הַבְּשֹֽוֹר:
who refrained: (Heb. (פגרו, who refrained. And I say that this is Aramaic, the translation of ונהרסו (Ez. 30:4) and they will be destroyed.   אשר פגרו: אשר נמנעו, ואומר אני לשון ארמי הוא, תרגום של ונהרסו:
11And they found an Egyptian man in the field and brought him to David. And they gave him bread and he ate, and they gave him water to drink.   יאוַֽיִּמְצְא֚וּ אִישׁ־מִצְרִי֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה וַיִּקְח֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ אֶל־דָּוִ֑ד וַיִּתְּנוּ־ל֥וֹ לֶ֙חֶם֙ וַיֹּ֔אכַל וַיַּשְׁקֻ֖הוּ מָֽיִם:
12And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins. When he had eaten, his spirit returned to him: for he had eaten no bread nor drunk any water three days and three nights.   יבוַיִּתְּנוּ־לוֹ֩ פֶ֨לַח דְּבֵלָ֜ה וּשְׁנֵ֚י צִמֻּקִים֙ וַיֹּ֔אכַל וַתָּ֥שָׁב רוּח֖וֹ אֵלָ֑יו כִּ֠י לֹֽא־אָ֚כַל לֶ֙חֶם֙ וְלֹא־שָׁ֣תָה מַ֔יִם שְׁלשָׁ֥ה יָמִ֖ים וּשְׁלשָׁ֥ה לֵילֽוֹת:
13And David said to him, "To whom do you belong, and from where are you?" And he said, "I am an Egyptian youth, a slave of an Amalekite man. And my master left me, for three days ago today I feel sick.   יגוַיֹּ֨אמֶר ל֚וֹ דָוִד֙ לְֽמִי־אַ֔תָּה וְאֵ֥י מִזֶּ֖ה אָ֑תָּה וַיֹּ֜אמֶר נַ֧עַר מִצְרִ֣י אָנֹ֗כִי ֤עֶבֶד לְאִ֣ישׁ עֲמָֽלֵקִ֔י וַיַּעַזְבֵ֧נִי אֲדֹנִ֛י כִּ֥י חָלִ֖יתִי הַיּ֥וֹם שְׁלשָֽׁה:
14We made a raid upon the south of the Cherethites and upon that which belongs to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire."   ידאֲנַ֡חְנוּ פָּשַׁ֜טְנוּ נֶ֧גֶב הַכְּרֵתִ֛י וְעַל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִֽיהוּדָ֖ה וְעַל־נֶ֣גֶב כָּלֵ֑ב וְאֶת־צִקְלַ֖ג שָׂרַ֥פְנוּ בָאֵֽשׁ:
The south of the Cherethites: To the south of the Philistines, for we find elsewhere that the Philistines are called a nation of Cherethites [as it says,] “the inhabitants of the seacoast, the nation of the Cherethites! [The word of the Lord is against you, Canaan land of the Philistines]…” (Zeph. 2:5).   נגב הכרתי: לדרום של פלשתים, מצינו במקום אחר פלשתים נקראים גוי כרתים, (צפניה ב ה): יושבי חבל הים גוי כרתים:
15And David said to him, "Will you bring me down to this troop?" And he said, "Swear to me by God that you will not put me to death, and that you will not deliver me into my master's hand, and I shall bring you down to this troop."   טווַיֹּ֚אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ דָּוִ֔ד הֲתוֹרִדֵ֖נִי אֶל־הַגְּד֣וּד הַזֶּ֑ה וַיֹּ֡אמֶר הִשָּׁבְעָה֩ לִּ֨י בֵֽאלֹהִ֜ים אִם־תְּמִיתֵ֗נִי וְאִם־תַּסְגִּרֵ֙נִי֙ בְּיַד־אֲדֹנִ֔י וְאוֹרִֽדְךָ֖ אֶל־הַגְּד֥וּד הַזֶּֽה:
16And he brought him down, and behold, they were scattered over the entire landscape, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil which they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.   טזוַיֹּ֣רִדֵ֔הוּ וְהִנֵּ֥ה נְטֻשִׁ֖ים עַל־פְּנֵ֣י כָל־הָאָ֑רֶץ אֹכְלִ֚ים וְשֹׁתִים֙ וְחֹ֣גְגִ֔ים בְּכָל֙ הַשָּׁלָ֣ל הַגָּד֔וֹל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָקְח֛וּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים וּמֵאֶ֥רֶץ יְהוּדָֽה:
17And David smote them from evening until evening to their morrow, and no man of them escaped except four hundred young men who rode on camels, and fled.   יזוַיַּכֵּ֥ם דָּוִ֛ד מֵהַנֶּ֥שֶׁף וְעַד־הָעֶ֖רֶב לְמָֽחֳרָתָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־נִמְלַ֚ט מֵהֶם֙ אִ֔ישׁ כִּי֩ אִם־אַרְבַּ֨ע מֵא֧וֹת אִֽישׁ־נַ֛עַר אֲשֶׁר־רָכְב֥וּ עַל־הַגְּמַלִּ֖ים וַיָּנֻֽסוּ:
their morrow: The Amalekites are accustomed to being defeated on the morrow (On the second day of battle), as it is stated (Ex. 17:9): “Tomorrow I shall stand etc.” Therefore, it is stated: on their morrow.   למחרתם: למודים הם עמלקים ללקות ביום מחר, כמו שנאמר (שמות יז ט): מחר אנכי נצב וגו', לכך נאמר למחרתם:
18And David rescued all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives.   יחוַיַּצֵּ֣ל דָּוִ֔ד אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָקְח֖וּ עֲמָלֵ֑ק וְאֶת־שְׁתֵּ֥י נָשָׁ֖יו הִצִּ֥יל דָּוִֽד:
19And there was nothing missing to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, nor anything which they had taken to themselves. David recovered everything.   יטוְלֹ֣א נֶעְדַּר־לָ֠הֶם מִן־הַקָּטֹ֨ן וְעַד־הַגָּד֜וֹל וְעַד־בָּנִ֚ים וּבָנוֹת֙ וּמִשָּׁלָ֔ל וְעַ֛ד כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָקְח֖וּ לָהֶ֑ם הַכֹּ֖ל הֵשִׁ֥יב דָּוִֽד:
20And David took all the sheep and the cattle. They led before those cattle and said, "This is David's spoil."   כוַיִּקַּ֣ח דָּוִ֔ד אֶת־כָּל־הַצֹּ֖אן וְהַבָּקָ֑ר נָהֲג֗וּ לִפְנֵי֙ הַמִּקְנֶ֣ה הַה֔וּא וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ זֶ֖ה שְׁלַ֥ל דָּוִֽד:
all the sheep and the cattle: which the troop had captured from the south of Judah and from the south of Caleb.   את כל הצאן והבקר: ששבה הגדוד מנגב יהודה ומנגב כלב:
They led: men who were leading and marching before those cattle, to honor and praise themselves, (by saying,) “This is David’s spoil.”   נהגו: אנשים מנהיגים והולכים לפני המקנה ההוא, להתכבד ולהתהלל, זה שלל דוד:
21And David came to the two hundred men who had refrained from going after David and they had stationed them at the Brook Besor, and they came out toward David and toward the people who were with him. And David approached the people and greeted them.   כאוַיָּבֹ֣א דָוִ֗ד אֶל־מָאתַ֨יִם הָאֲנָשִׁ֜ים אֲשֶֽׁר־פִּגְּר֣וּ | מִלֶּ֣כֶת | אַחֲרֵ֣י דָוִ֗ד וַיּֽשִׁיבֻם֙ בְּנַ֣חַל הַבְּשֹ֔וֹר וַיֵּֽצְאוּ֙ לִקְרַ֣את דָּוִ֔ד וְלִקְרַ֖את הָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֑וֹ וַיִּגַּ֚שׁ דָּוִד֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וַיִּשְׁאַ֥ל לָהֶ֖ם לְשָׁלֽוֹם:
22Then every evil and unscrupulous man of the men who had gone with David, spoke up, and said, "Since they did not go with me, let us not give them of the spoil which we have rescued, but each man his wife and his children, and let them lead them away and depart."   כבוַיַּ֜עַן כָּל־אִֽישׁ־רָ֣ע וּבְלִיַּ֗עַל מֵֽהָאֲנָשִׁים֘ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָלְכ֣וּ עִם־דָּוִד֒ וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ ֤יַעַן אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־הָלְכ֣וּ עִמִּ֔י לֹֽא־נִתֵּ֣ן לָהֶ֔ם מֵהַשָּׁלָ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִצַּ֑לְנוּ כִּֽי־אִם־אִ֚ישׁ אֶת־אִשְׁתּוֹ֙ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֔יו וְיִנְהֲג֖וּ וְיֵלֵֽכוּ:
23And David said, "Do not do so, my brethren, with that which the Lord has given us, and He guarded us and delivered the troop which came upon us, into our hand.   כגוַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֔ד לֹֽא־תַעֲשֹ֥וּ כֵ֖ן אֶחָ֑י אֵ֠ת אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֨ן יְהֹוָ֥ה לָ֙נוּ֙ וַיִּשְׁמֹ֣ר אֹתָ֔נוּ וַיִּתֵּ֗ן אֶֽת־הַגְּד֛וּד הַבָּ֥א עָלֵ֖ינוּ בְּיָדֵֽנוּ:
24And who will listen to you concerning this matter, for as the share of him who goes down into battle, so is the share of him who stays with the luggage; they shall share alike."   כדוּמִי֙ יִשְׁמַ֣ע לָכֶ֔ם לַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֞י כְּחֵ֣לֶק | הַיֹּרֵ֣ד בַּמִּלְחָמָ֗ה וּֽכְחֵ֛לֶק הַיּשֵׁ֥ב עַל־הַכֵּלִ֖ים יַחְדָּ֥ו יַחֲלֹֽקוּ:
25And it was from that day on, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel until this day.   כהוַיְהִ֕י מֵֽהַיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא וָמָ֑עְלָה וַיְשִׂמֶ֜הָ לְחֹ֚ק וּלְמִשְׁפָּט֙ לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה:
from that day on: (lit., from that day and above) It is not stated: from that day on, but ‘from that day and above (i.e., before).’ Abraham had already instituted this statute when he said, “Aside from that which the youths have eaten,” those are the ones who stayed with the luggage, “and the share of the men” who went to war.   מהיום ההוא ומעלה: לא נאמר והלאה, אלא ומעלה, כבר הנהיג אברהם בחוק זה (בראשית יד כד): 'בלעדי רק אשר אכלו הנערים' וגו', הם היושבים על הכלים, 'וחלק האנשים', ההולכים במלחמה בבראשית רבה (מג ט):
26And David came to Ziklag and sent of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, "Here is a present for you from the spoils of the enemies of the Lord."   כווַיָּבֹ֚א דָוִד֙ אֶל־צִ֣קְלַ֔ג וַיְשַׁלַּ֧ח מֵֽהַשָּׁלָ֛ל לְזִקְנֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה לְרֵעֵ֣הוּ לֵאמֹ֑ר הִנֵּ֚ה לָכֶם֙ בְּרָכָ֔ה מִשְּׁלַ֖ל אֹיְבֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:
to his friends: (לרעהו), to his friends.   לרעהו: לאוהביו:
27To those who were in Bethel, and to those who were in Ramoth of the South, and to those who were in Jattir.   כזלַאֲשֶׁ֧ר בְּבֵֽית־אֵ֛ל וְלַאֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּרָמֽוֹת־נֶ֖גֶב וְלַאֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּיַתִּֽר:
28And to those who were in Aroer, and to those who were in Siphmoth, and to those who were in Eshtemoa.   כחוְלַאֲשֶׁ֧ר בַּעֲרֹעֵ֛ר וְלַאֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּשִֹֽפְמ֖וֹת וְלַאֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּאֶשְׁתְּמֹֽעַ:
29And to those who were in Rachal, and to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those who were in the cities of the Kenites.   כטוְלַאֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּרָכָ֗ל וְלַֽאֲשֶׁר֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י הַיְּרַחְמְאֵלִ֔י וְלַאֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּעָרֵ֥י הַקֵּינִֽי:
30And to those who were in Hormah, and to those who were in Cor-ashan, and to those who were in Athach.   לוְלַאֲשֶׁ֧ר בְּחָרְמָ֛ה וְלַאֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּבוֹר־עָשָׁ֖ן וְלַאֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּעֲתָֽךְ:
31And to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places which David and his men had frequented.   לאוְלַאֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּחֶבְר֑וֹן וּֽלְכָל־הַמְּקֹמ֛וֹת אֲשֶֽׁר־הִתְהַלֶּךְ־שָׁ֥ם דָּוִ֖ד ה֥וּא וַאֲנָשָֽׁיו:
had frequented: for they would hide him from Saul.   אשר התהלך שם דוד: שהיו מחבאים אותו מפני שאול: