1 Samuel 30

30 ¹For di third day, David and im men reach Ziklag; di Amalekite people don raid di Negev and Ziklag, dem attack am and burn am, ²dem capture di women and everybody wey dey inside, small and big; dem no kill anybody, but dem drive dem comot and comot dem road. ³David and im men reach di city, e don burn with fire—dem don carry im wives, sons and daughters as prisoners. ⁴David and im people raise dem voice and cry sotay dem no get strength again to cry. ⁵Dem also capture David two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, Nabal of Carmel widow. ⁶David worry well well—di people dey talk say make dem stone am, as each man belle dey pain am over im sons and daughters—but David strong himself for our Papa.

⁷David tell Abiathar di priest, Ahimelech im son, “Bring di ephod give me.” Abiathar bring di ephod give David.

⁸David ask our Papa, “Make I chase dis raiders? I go catch dem?” “Chase dem,” our Papa talk. “For true you go catch dem and rescue everybody.”

⁹So David and im 600 men come reach di Besor Valley, wia some of dem stay behind. ¹⁰David pursue with 400 men; 200 stay back, dem tire too much to cross di Besor Valley. ¹¹Dem find one Egyptian man for di bush, dem bring am go meet David, and dem give am bread and water. ¹²Dem give am piece of fig cake and two cluster of raisins. E chop, and im strength come back—e never chop bread or drink water for three days and three nights. ¹³David ask am, “Na who own you? You come from wia?” E talk, “I be young Egyptian man, one Amalekite slave. My master leave me three days ago—I dey sick.

¹⁴We raid di Cherethite Negev, di land wey belong to Judah, and Caleb Negev, and we burn Ziklag with fire.”

¹⁵David ask am, “You go carry me go down to dis raiding band?” E talk, “Swear to me by God say you no go kill me or hand me over give my master, and I go carry you go meet dem.”

¹⁶Di Egyptian man carry David go down, and see dem for ground, dem scatter everywhere for di land, dey chop, dey drink, dey celebrate over all di plenty plunder wey dem carry from Philistine and Judean land. ¹⁷David strike dem from di time wey day dey break till di next evening; na only 400 young men wey climb camel run comot escape. ¹⁸David recover everything wey di Amalekite people don carry, and e rescue im two wives. ¹⁹Notin miss—small, big, sons, daughters, plunder, or anytin else wey dem carry—David bring everything back. ²⁰David take all di flock and herd; im men drive am for front of di oda animals, dey talk, “Na dis be David own plunder.”

²¹David reach di 200 men wey tire too much to follow am, wey dem leave for di Besor Valley. Dem come out to meet David and im people; e greet dem as e dey come near. ²²But all di wicked, useless men among David followers talk, “Since dem no go with us, we no go give dem any of di plunder wey we recover—na only each man wife and children, make dem carry go.”

²³But David talk, “My brothers, no do dis kind tin with wetin our Papa give us. Na im guard us and put di raiders wey come against us for our hand. ²⁴Who go gree with wetin una dey talk for dis matter? Di one wey go into battle and di one wey stay with di load go share di same way.” ²⁵From dat day, David make am statute and ordinance for Israel, wey dey stand till today.

²⁶When David reach Ziklag, e send some of di plunder go give Judah elders, im friends, dey talk, “See gift for una from di plunder of our Papa im enemies.” ²⁷E send am go dem wey dey Bethel, and dem wey dey Ramoth of di Negev, and dem wey dey Jattir; ²⁸and dem wey dey Aroer, Siphmoth, and Eshtemoa; ²⁹and dem wey dey Rachal, and di towns of di Jerahmeelite people and di Kenite people; ³⁰and dem wey dey Hormah, Bor-ashan, and Athach; ³¹and dem wey dey Hebron and all di places wia David and im men bin dey waka.