David's pursuit of the Amalekite raiders who attacked Ziklag culminates in a carefully planned and decisive victory. Because the raiders had only taken captives without killing anyone during their initial invasion, David is able to rescue every single prisoner and recover all the stolen property completely unharmed [אברבנאל].
The exact timing of this military strike is a matter of discussion among commentators. One approach suggests the attack began in the early morning hours, just before dawn. After pursuing the enemy throughout the night, David struck at first light while the Amalekites were scattered across the field [רלב״ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This timing was deeply strategic. Facing a massive enemy force with only a small group of warriors, David waited for the cover of twilight or darkness to hide his limited numbers. This tactic sowed panic and confusion within the enemy camp, allowing David's men to strike continuously until the evening [מלבי״ם, אברבנאל]. Conversely, another perspective argues that the battle actually began in the evening and raged for a full twenty-four hours, concluding the following night [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, רד״ק, רלב״ג].
The timeframe of this victory, described simply as the day after the destruction of Ziklag [רלב״ג], also carries a deeper symbolic meaning. A midrashic tradition notes that the Amalekites are historically destined to be defeated on the "morrow." This echoes the very first battle between the Israelites and Amalek, where Moses famously declared that he would stand on top of the hill "tomorrow" [רש״י, רד״ק, אברבנאל].
By the end of the fierce battle, the victory was nearly absolute; not a single enemy foot soldier managed to escape [מצודת דוד]. The only survivors were a specific group of four hundred young men who fled on camels. Their survival depended on a crucial combination of advantages: they possessed the physical strength and speed of youth, and they rode swift camels accustomed to desert travel. Any older men riding camels, or young men attempting to flee on foot, lacked these combined advantages and perished in the attack [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].