It is not clear why the Amalekites decided to burn down Ziklag with fire. Even though this strategy was typical of ancient Near Eastern warfare, we can assume that they left the other towns intact. It is possible that they did so as an act of retaliation against David, seeing as he had raided the Amalekites from Ziklag (cf. 1 Samuel 27:8).1 However, it is unclear how they would have known that he was responsible if there were no survivors left to tell the tale (cf. 1 Samuel 27:9). More likely they were simply taking advantage of the war between Saul and the Philistines.2 kjkj
1 Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag and burned it with fire