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; (See Gill on 1 Samuel 23:11);
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" F16, out of the hands of the Amalekites, whatsoever they had taken.