This is a simplified version of the Bible story found in 1 Samuel 30:1-30, written for children to understand. For the original version, please refer to the Bible passage.
Once upon a time, a man named David and his friends went out to fight some bad guys called the Amalekites. While they were away, the Amalekites attacked David’s home and took away all the women and children, including David’s two wives! When David and his friends came back, they were very sad to see that their homes were destroyed and their families were gone.
David’s friends were so mad that they wanted to hurt him because they thought it was his fault. But David was brave and went to talk to God about what to do. He asked a priest to bring him a special clothing called an “ephod,” and he used it to talk to God.
God told David to go after the Amalekites, so he gathered his friends and went after them. They walked for a while and found a man who worked for the Amalekites, but he was sick and left behind. David and his friends were nice to him and gave him food and water.
The man told David where the Amalekites were, so David and his friends went to fight them. They fought for a long time, and finally, they won! They got back all their families and everything the Amalekites took, like their animals and things.
When David and his men came back from defeating the Amalekites and rescuing their families and possessions, they found that 200 of their men were too exhausted to go with them. David and his men shared everything they got back with everyone, including those who stayed behind.
Some of David’s men wanted to keep everything for themselves and not share with those who stayed behind, but David said that everyone who helped, even those who were too tired to fight, deserved to share everything they got back because it was God who helped them win. So, David made it a rule for Israel that those who went to battle and those who stayed behind would share alike.
Biblical Lessons
- When bad things happen, we can talk to God and ask for help.
- We should be kind to others, even if they work for our enemies.
- God helps us win battles and overcome difficult situations.