And David inquired of the Lord,.... That is, by Abiathar, who reported his questions to the Lord in his name:
saying, shall I pursue after this troop? the large company of the Amalekites, as it appears by what follows they were:
shall I overtake them? two questions are here put together, and answers returned to them, contrary to a notion of the Jews;
and he answered him, pursue; which respects the first question:
for thou shall surely overtake [them]; which is an answer to the second question, and a full one, giving full assurance of overtaking; to which is added more than what was inquired about;
and without fail recover [all]; their wives, sons, and daughters, and the spoil that was taken; or "in delivering thou shall deliver" p, out of the hands of the Amalekites, whatsoever they had taken.
p הצל תציל "eruendo erues", Pagninus, Montanus; "eripiendo erepturus es", Piscator.