6
David was in serious trouble: the people were talking about stoning him to death, because all the people were in such deep grief, each man over his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in ADONAI his God.
7
David said to Avyatar the cohen, the son of Achimelekh, "Please bring the ritual vest here to me."Avyatar brought the vest to David.
8
Then David consulted ADONAI. He asked, "Should I go in pursuit of these raiders? Will I catch up with them?" And [ADONAI] answered him, "Go in pursuit, because you will overtake them and recover everyone and everything."
9
So David went, he and the six hundred men with him. They came to Vadi B'sor, where those who were to stay behind waited.
10
Then David continued in pursuit with four hundred men, while two hundred too exhausted to cross Vadi B'sor stayed behind.
11
They found an Egyptian in the countryside and brought him to David. They gave him some bread to eat and water to drink;
12
they also gave him a lump of dried figs and two bunches of raisins. After eating, he revived; because he hadn't eaten anything or drunk any water for three days and nights.
13
David asked him, "To whom do you belong, and where are you from?" He answered, "I'm an Egyptian boy, the slave of an 'Amaleki. My master abandoned me three days ago, because I got sick.
14
We raided the Negev of the K'reti, the Negev of Y'hudah and the Negev of Kalev; and we burned down Ziklag."
15
David asked him, "Will you lead me down to this raiding party?" He said, "If you will swear by God to me that you won't kill me or hand me back to my master, I will lead you down to the raiders."
16
He led them down, and there they were, spread out all over the ground, eating, drinking and celebrating how much spoil they had taken from the territory of the P'lishtim and the territory of Y'hudah.