David thought to himself, “One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul.

The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.”

So David and the six hundred men with him left and went over to Achish son of Maok king of Gath. . . . When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him. 1 Samuel 27:1-4

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, 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. When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep.

David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters.

BACK ON TRACK

David thought to himself, . . . . 1 Samuel 27:1

One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand. 1 Samuel 27:1

RECOGNITION

David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. . . . But David found strength in the Lord his God. 1 Samuel 30:4, 6

REPENTANCE

David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?” 1 Samuel 30:8

REQUEST

“Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.” 1 Samuel 30:8

RECEIVE

[The Amalekites] 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. 1 Samuel 30:16
David fought them from dusk until the evening of the next day. . . . 1 Samuel 30:17

RESPOND

David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back. 1 Samuel 30:18-19