大卫与亚比该

25 撒母耳死了,以色列人都聚在一起哀悼他,把他安葬在拉玛他自己的坟地里。之后,大卫到了巴兰的旷野。 玛云有个富翁拥有三千只绵羊和一千只山羊,他的产业在迦密。当时他正在迦密剪羊毛。 他名叫拿八,是迦勒族人,妻子名叫亚比该,既聪慧又漂亮。拿八粗暴凶恶。 大卫在旷野得知拿八正在剪羊毛, 就派十个部下到迦密去见拿八,吩咐他们以他的名义向拿八问安, 对拿八说:“愿你和你全家平安,愿你一切顺利! 我听说你正在剪羊毛。你的牧人与我们在迦密的时候,我们没有欺负过他们,他们没有丢过任何东西。 你问问你的仆人就知道了。请你恩待我的部下,因为今天是好日子,求你随手赏一点东西给晚辈我和我的部下。”

大卫的部下就去把大卫的话告诉拿八,等候他的答复。 10 拿八说:“大卫是谁?耶西的儿子是谁?这些日子有很多仆人逃离主人, 11 我怎能把饼、水和为剪羊毛者预备的肉分给一群来历不明的人呢?” 12 大卫的部下回去把拿八的话禀告大卫。 13 大卫听了,就吩咐众人备刀,他自己也带了刀去拿八那里。大卫带了四百人去,留下二百人看守营地。

14 拿八的一个仆人告诉拿八的妻子亚比该说:“大卫从旷野派人来向我们主人问安,主人却辱骂他们。 15 大卫的仆人对我们很好,从来不欺负我们。我们跟他们一起在田野的时候,从来没有丢过任何东西。 16 我们在他们附近牧羊的时候,他们昼夜不断地保护我们。 17 所以,请你赶快想个法子,不然主人和他全家恐怕都会大难临头。主人是个凶暴的人,没有人敢跟他说话。”

18 亚比该连忙用驴驮上二百块饼、两皮袋酒、五只宰好了的羊、三十七升烤麦、一百块葡萄饼和二百块无花果饼, 19 又吩咐仆人说:“你们先去吧!我随后就来。”她没有把这事告诉丈夫拿八。 20 她骑着驴下山的时候,就看见大卫和他的部下迎面而来。 21 大卫曾说:“我在旷野保护这人的羊群,使它们不致丢失,真是枉费功夫。他竟以怨报德。 22 如果我让他家里一个男子活到明早,愿上帝重重地惩罚我!”

23 亚比该看见大卫,连忙下驴俯伏下拜。 24 她俯伏在大卫脚前说:“我主啊,我愿意承担一切的罪过,请听婢女说。 25 请不要理会拿八那个恶徒,他人如其名[a],是个名符其实的蠢人。当时婢女没有见到你派来的使者。 26 我主啊,既然耶和华阻止你亲手杀人报仇,我就凭永活的耶和华和你的性命起誓,愿你的仇敌和伤害你的人都像拿八一样没有好下场。 27 现在,请把婢女带来的礼物分给你的部下吧。 28 请饶恕婢女的罪过,耶和华必使你的子孙世代做王,因为你是在为耶和华而战,愿你一生没有过错。 29 你就是被人追杀,也会在你的上帝耶和华的保护下安然无恙。你敌人的性命却要像石头一样被耶和华用投石器抛出去。 30-31 如果你现在没有杀人报仇,伤害无辜,到了耶和华照应许赐福给你、立你做以色列王的时候,你就不会心里不安了。我主啊,耶和华赐福给你的时候,求你不要忘了婢女。”

32 大卫对亚比该说:“以色列的上帝耶和华当受称颂!祂今天派你来见我。 33 你很有见识,你今天拦阻我亲手杀人复仇,值得称赞。 34 我凭阻止我杀你的以色列的上帝——永活的耶和华起誓,若不是你赶来迎接我,拿八家中不会有一个男子活到明天早上。” 35 大卫接受了亚比该的礼物,对她说:“安心回家吧,我答应你的请求。”

36 她回到家时,拿八正在大摆宴席,排场如御宴。她见拿八心情愉快,喝得酩酊大醉,就什么也没告诉他,等第二天早上再说。 37 次日清晨,拿八酒醒以后,他妻子把发生的一切告诉他,他吓得昏死过去,身体僵硬如石。 38 过了十天,耶和华击打拿八,他就死了。

39 大卫听见拿八的死讯,就说:“赞美耶和华!拿八羞辱我,祂为我申了冤,又阻止仆人行恶。祂使拿八得到了报应。”后来,大卫差遣使者去向亚比该求婚。 40 他的使者就启程到迦密去向亚比该传达大卫的心意。 41 亚比该听了,立刻俯伏在地上说:“婢女愿意效劳,为我主的仆人洗脚。” 42 她连忙骑上驴,带了五个侍女,跟随大卫的使者前去,做了大卫的妻子。 43 大卫已经娶了耶斯列人亚希暖,她们二人就同做大卫的妻子。 44 扫罗已经把自己的女儿——大卫的妻子米甲嫁给了迦琳人拉亿的儿子帕提。

Footnotes

  1. 25:25 拿八”意思是“愚蠢”。

David, Nabal and Abigail

25 Now Samuel died,(A) and all Israel assembled and mourned(B) for him; and they buried him at his home in Ramah.(C) Then David moved down into the Desert of Paran.[a]

A certain man in Maon,(D) who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy.(E) He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing(F) in Carmel. His name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail.(G) She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband was surly and mean in his dealings—he was a Calebite.(H)

While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep. So he sent ten young men and said to them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel and greet him in my name. Say to him: ‘Long life to you! Good health(I) to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours!(J)

“‘Now I hear that it is sheep-shearing time. When your shepherds were with us, we did not mistreat(K) them, and the whole time they were at Carmel nothing of theirs was missing. Ask your own servants and they will tell you. Therefore be favorable toward my men, since we come at a festive time. Please give your servants and your son David whatever(L) you can find for them.’”

When David’s men arrived, they gave Nabal this message in David’s name. Then they waited.

10 Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who(M) is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. 11 Why should I take my bread(N) and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?”

12 David’s men turned around and went back. When they arrived, they reported every word. 13 David said to his men(O), “Each of you strap on your sword!” So they did, and David strapped his on as well. About four hundred men went(P) up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.(Q)

14 One of the servants told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “David sent messengers from the wilderness to give our master his greetings,(R) but he hurled insults at them. 15 Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat(S) us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing.(T) 16 Night and day they were a wall(U) around us the whole time we were herding our sheep near them. 17 Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked(V) man that no one can talk to him.”

18 Abigail acted quickly. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs[b] of roasted grain,(W) a hundred cakes of raisins(X) and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys.(Y) 19 Then she told her servants, “Go on ahead;(Z) I’ll follow you.” But she did not tell(AA) her husband Nabal.

20 As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them. 21 David had just said, “It’s been useless—all my watching over this fellow’s property in the wilderness so that nothing of his was missing.(AB) He has paid(AC) me back evil(AD) for good. 22 May God deal with David,[c] be it ever so severely,(AE) if by morning I leave alive one male(AF) of all who belong to him!”

23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground.(AG) 24 She fell at his feet and said: “Pardon your servant, my lord,(AH) and let me speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. 25 Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name means Fool(AI),(AJ) and folly goes with him. And as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my lord sent. 26 And now, my lord, as surely as the Lord your God lives and as you live, since the Lord has kept you from bloodshed(AK) and from avenging(AL) yourself with your own hands, may your enemies and all who are intent on harming my lord be like Nabal.(AM) 27 And let this gift,(AN) which your servant has brought to my lord, be given to the men who follow you.

28 “Please forgive(AO) your servant’s presumption. The Lord your God will certainly make a lasting(AP) dynasty for my lord, because you fight the Lord’s battles,(AQ) and no wrongdoing(AR) will be found in you as long as you live. 29 Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life,(AS) the life of my lord will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God, but the lives of your enemies he will hurl(AT) away as from the pocket of a sling.(AU) 30 When the Lord has fulfilled for my lord every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him ruler(AV) over Israel, 31 my lord will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lord your God has brought my lord success, remember(AW) your servant.”(AX)

32 David said to Abigail, “Praise(AY) be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. 33 May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed(AZ) this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. 34 Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal(BA) would have been left alive by daybreak.”

35 Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted(BB) your request.”

36 When Abigail went to Nabal, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high(BC) spirits and very drunk.(BD) So she told(BE) him nothing at all until daybreak. 37 Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone.(BF) 38 About ten days later, the Lord struck(BG) Nabal and he died.

39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise be to the Lord, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal’s wrongdoing down on his own head.”

Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife. 40 His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, “David has sent us to you to take you to become his wife.”

41 She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, “I am your servant and am ready to serve you and wash the feet of my lord’s servants.” 42 Abigail(BH) quickly got on a donkey and, attended by her five female servants, went with David’s messengers and became his wife. 43 David had also married Ahinoam(BI) of Jezreel, and they both were his wives.(BJ) 44 But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Paltiel[d](BK) son of Laish, who was from Gallim.(BL)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 25:1 Hebrew and some Septuagint manuscripts; other Septuagint manuscripts Maon
  2. 1 Samuel 25:18 That is, probably about 60 pounds or about 27 kilograms
  3. 1 Samuel 25:22 Some Septuagint manuscripts; Hebrew with David’s enemies
  4. 1 Samuel 25:44 Hebrew Palti, a variant of Paltiel

大卫与亚比该

25 撒母耳死了,以色列人都聚在一起哀悼他,把他安葬在拉玛他自己的坟地里。之后,大卫到了巴兰的旷野。 玛云有个富翁拥有三千只绵羊和一千只山羊,他的产业在迦密。当时他正在迦密剪羊毛。 他名叫拿八,是迦勒族人,妻子名叫亚比该,既聪慧又漂亮。拿八粗暴凶恶。 大卫在旷野得知拿八正在剪羊毛, 就派十个部下到迦密去见拿八,吩咐他们以他的名义向拿八问安, 对拿八说:“愿你和你全家平安,愿你一切顺利! 我听说你正在剪羊毛。你的牧人与我们在迦密的时候,我们没有欺负过他们,他们没有丢过任何东西。 你问问你的仆人就知道了。请你恩待我的部下,因为今天是好日子,求你随手赏一点东西给晚辈我和我的部下。”

大卫的部下就去把大卫的话告诉拿八,等候他的答复。 10 拿八说:“大卫是谁?耶西的儿子是谁?这些日子有很多仆人逃离主人, 11 我怎能把饼、水和为剪羊毛者预备的肉分给一群来历不明的人呢?” 12 大卫的部下回去把拿八的话禀告大卫。 13 大卫听了,就吩咐众人备刀,他自己也带了刀去拿八那里。大卫带了四百人去,留下二百人看守营地。

14 拿八的一个仆人告诉拿八的妻子亚比该说:“大卫从旷野派人来向我们主人问安,主人却辱骂他们。 15 大卫的仆人对我们很好,从来不欺负我们。我们跟他们一起在田野的时候,从来没有丢过任何东西。 16 我们在他们附近牧羊的时候,他们昼夜不断地保护我们。 17 所以,请你赶快想个法子,不然主人和他全家恐怕都会大难临头。主人是个凶暴的人,没有人敢跟他说话。”

18 亚比该连忙用驴驮上二百块饼、两皮袋酒、五只宰好了的羊、三十七升烤麦、一百块葡萄饼和二百块无花果饼, 19 又吩咐仆人说:“你们先去吧!我随后就来。”她没有把这事告诉丈夫拿八。 20 她骑着驴下山的时候,就看见大卫和他的部下迎面而来。 21 大卫曾说:“我在旷野保护这人的羊群,使它们不致丢失,真是枉费功夫。他竟以怨报德。 22 如果我让他家里一个男子活到明早,愿上帝重重地惩罚我!”

23 亚比该看见大卫,连忙下驴俯伏下拜。 24 她俯伏在大卫脚前说:“我主啊,我愿意承担一切的罪过,请听婢女说。 25 请不要理会拿八那个恶徒,他人如其名[a],是个名符其实的蠢人。当时婢女没有见到你派来的使者。 26 我主啊,既然耶和华阻止你亲手杀人报仇,我就凭永活的耶和华和你的性命起誓,愿你的仇敌和伤害你的人都像拿八一样没有好下场。 27 现在,请把婢女带来的礼物分给你的部下吧。 28 请饶恕婢女的罪过,耶和华必使你的子孙世代做王,因为你是在为耶和华而战,愿你一生没有过错。 29 你就是被人追杀,也会在你的上帝耶和华的保护下安然无恙。你敌人的性命却要像石头一样被耶和华用投石器抛出去。 30-31 如果你现在没有杀人报仇,伤害无辜,到了耶和华照应许赐福给你、立你做以色列王的时候,你就不会心里不安了。我主啊,耶和华赐福给你的时候,求你不要忘了婢女。”

32 大卫对亚比该说:“以色列的上帝耶和华当受称颂!祂今天派你来见我。 33 你很有见识,你今天拦阻我亲手杀人复仇,值得称赞。 34 我凭阻止我杀你的以色列的上帝——永活的耶和华起誓,若不是你赶来迎接我,拿八家中不会有一个男子活到明天早上。” 35 大卫接受了亚比该的礼物,对她说:“安心回家吧,我答应你的请求。”

36 她回到家时,拿八正在大摆宴席,排场如御宴。她见拿八心情愉快,喝得酩酊大醉,就什么也没告诉他,等第二天早上再说。 37 次日清晨,拿八酒醒以后,他妻子把发生的一切告诉他,他吓得昏死过去,身体僵硬如石。 38 过了十天,耶和华击打拿八,他就死了。

39 大卫听见拿八的死讯,就说:“赞美耶和华!拿八羞辱我,祂为我申了冤,又阻止仆人行恶。祂使拿八得到了报应。”后来,大卫差遣使者去向亚比该求婚。 40 他的使者就启程到迦密去向亚比该传达大卫的心意。 41 亚比该听了,立刻俯伏在地上说:“婢女愿意效劳,为我主的仆人洗脚。” 42 她连忙骑上驴,带了五个侍女,跟随大卫的使者前去,做了大卫的妻子。 43 大卫已经娶了耶斯列人亚希暖,她们二人就同做大卫的妻子。 44 扫罗已经把自己的女儿——大卫的妻子米甲嫁给了迦琳人拉亿的儿子帕提。

Footnotes

  1. 25:25 拿八”意思是“愚蠢”。

David, Nabal and Abigail

25 Now Samuel died,(A) and all Israel assembled and mourned(B) for him; and they buried him at his home in Ramah.(C) Then David moved down into the Desert of Paran.[a]

A certain man in Maon,(D) who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy.(E) He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing(F) in Carmel. His name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail.(G) She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband was surly and mean in his dealings—he was a Calebite.(H)

While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep. So he sent ten young men and said to them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel and greet him in my name. Say to him: ‘Long life to you! Good health(I) to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours!(J)

“‘Now I hear that it is sheep-shearing time. When your shepherds were with us, we did not mistreat(K) them, and the whole time they were at Carmel nothing of theirs was missing. Ask your own servants and they will tell you. Therefore be favorable toward my men, since we come at a festive time. Please give your servants and your son David whatever(L) you can find for them.’”

When David’s men arrived, they gave Nabal this message in David’s name. Then they waited.

10 Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who(M) is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. 11 Why should I take my bread(N) and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?”

12 David’s men turned around and went back. When they arrived, they reported every word. 13 David said to his men(O), “Each of you strap on your sword!” So they did, and David strapped his on as well. About four hundred men went(P) up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.(Q)

14 One of the servants told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “David sent messengers from the wilderness to give our master his greetings,(R) but he hurled insults at them. 15 Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat(S) us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing.(T) 16 Night and day they were a wall(U) around us the whole time we were herding our sheep near them. 17 Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked(V) man that no one can talk to him.”

18 Abigail acted quickly. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs[b] of roasted grain,(W) a hundred cakes of raisins(X) and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys.(Y) 19 Then she told her servants, “Go on ahead;(Z) I’ll follow you.” But she did not tell(AA) her husband Nabal.

20 As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them. 21 David had just said, “It’s been useless—all my watching over this fellow’s property in the wilderness so that nothing of his was missing.(AB) He has paid(AC) me back evil(AD) for good. 22 May God deal with David,[c] be it ever so severely,(AE) if by morning I leave alive one male(AF) of all who belong to him!”

23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground.(AG) 24 She fell at his feet and said: “Pardon your servant, my lord,(AH) and let me speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. 25 Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name means Fool(AI),(AJ) and folly goes with him. And as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my lord sent. 26 And now, my lord, as surely as the Lord your God lives and as you live, since the Lord has kept you from bloodshed(AK) and from avenging(AL) yourself with your own hands, may your enemies and all who are intent on harming my lord be like Nabal.(AM) 27 And let this gift,(AN) which your servant has brought to my lord, be given to the men who follow you.

28 “Please forgive(AO) your servant’s presumption. The Lord your God will certainly make a lasting(AP) dynasty for my lord, because you fight the Lord’s battles,(AQ) and no wrongdoing(AR) will be found in you as long as you live. 29 Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life,(AS) the life of my lord will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God, but the lives of your enemies he will hurl(AT) away as from the pocket of a sling.(AU) 30 When the Lord has fulfilled for my lord every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him ruler(AV) over Israel, 31 my lord will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lord your God has brought my lord success, remember(AW) your servant.”(AX)

32 David said to Abigail, “Praise(AY) be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. 33 May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed(AZ) this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. 34 Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal(BA) would have been left alive by daybreak.”

35 Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted(BB) your request.”

36 When Abigail went to Nabal, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high(BC) spirits and very drunk.(BD) So she told(BE) him nothing at all until daybreak. 37 Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone.(BF) 38 About ten days later, the Lord struck(BG) Nabal and he died.

39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise be to the Lord, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal’s wrongdoing down on his own head.”

Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife. 40 His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, “David has sent us to you to take you to become his wife.”

41 She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, “I am your servant and am ready to serve you and wash the feet of my lord’s servants.” 42 Abigail(BH) quickly got on a donkey and, attended by her five female servants, went with David’s messengers and became his wife. 43 David had also married Ahinoam(BI) of Jezreel, and they both were his wives.(BJ) 44 But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Paltiel[d](BK) son of Laish, who was from Gallim.(BL)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 25:1 Hebrew and some Septuagint manuscripts; other Septuagint manuscripts Maon
  2. 1 Samuel 25:18 That is, probably about 60 pounds or about 27 kilograms
  3. 1 Samuel 25:22 Some Septuagint manuscripts; Hebrew with David’s enemies
  4. 1 Samuel 25:44 Hebrew Palti, a variant of Paltiel