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Davide, Nabala ndi Abigayeli

25 Samueli anamwalira, ndipo Aisraeli onse anasonkhana kudzalira maliro ake ndipo anamuyika mʼmanda ku mudzi kwawo ku Rama.

Ndipo Davide anapita ku chipululu cha Parani. Kunali munthu wina wolemera kwambiri ku Maoni amene malo ake a ntchito anali ku Karimeli. Iyeyu anali ndi mbuzi 1,000 ndi nkhosa 3,000. Dzina lake linali Nabala ndipo anali wa fuko la Kalebe. Dzina la mkazi wake linali Abigayeli. Anali mkazi wanzeru ndi wokongola, koma mwamuna wake, wa banja la Kalebe, anali wowuma mtima ndi wamwano pa zochita zake.

Davide anamva akanali ku chipululu kuti Nabala akumeta nkhosa. Choncho anatuma anyamata khumi nawawuza kuti, “Pitani kwa Nabala ku Karimeli ndipo mukamulonjere mʼdzina langa. Mukamuwuze kuti, ‘Mtendere ukhale ndi inu, banja lanu pamodzi ndi zonse zimene muli nazo.

“ ‘Tsono ndamva kuti muli ndi anthu ometa nkhosa. Pamene abusa anu anali nafe kuno, sitinawachite china chilichonse choyipa, ndipo sanasowe kanthu pa nthawi yonse imene anali ku Karimeli. Muwafunse antchito anu ndipo akuwuzani. Kotero akomereni mtima anyamata anga, pakuti tabwera pa nthawi yachikondwerero. Chonde apatseniko antchito anuwo ndi mwana wanu Davide chilichonse chimene mungakhale nacho.’ ”

Anyamata a Davide aja atafika, anamuwuza Nabala zonse zimene Davide anayankhula. Ndipo anadikira yankho.

10 Nabala anayankha anyamata a Davide kuti, “Kodi Davide ndi ndani? Mwana wa Yese ndi ndani? Masiku ano pali antchito ambiri amene akuthawa kwa mabwana awo. 11 Nditengerenji buledi, madzi ndi nyama zimene ndaphera anthu anga ometa nkhosa ndi kuzipereka kwa anthu amene sindikudziwa kumene achokera?”

12 Choncho anyamata a Davide aja anatembenuka nabwerera. Atafika anafotokozera Davide mawu onse a Nabala. 13 Davide anawuza anthu ake kuti, “Aliyense amangirire lupanga lake!” Choncho aliyense anamangirira lupanga lake. Davidenso anamangirira lupanga lake. Anthu pafupifupi 400 ndiwo anapita ndi Davide, pamene anthu 200 anatsala ndi katundu.

14 Tsono mmodzi mwa antchito anawuza Abigayeli mkazi wa Nabala kuti, “Davide anatumiza amithenga kuchokera ku chipululu kudzalonjera mbuye wathu, koma iye anawalalatira. 15 Komatu anthuwa anatichitira zabwino kwambiri. Sanatizunze, ndipo nthawi yonse imene tinali nawo ku busa sitinasowe kanthu. 16 Ankatitchinjiriza ngati mpanda usiku ndi usana nthawi yonse tinkaweta nkhosa. 17 Tsono onani chimene mungachite, chifukwa zimenezi zingadzetse tsoka pa mbuye wathu pamodzi ndi nyumba yake. Paja mbuye athu aja ndi munthu wa khalidwe loyipa moti palibe amene angathe kuyankhula naye.”

18 Ndipo Abigayeli sanataye nthawi. Iye anatenga malofu a buledi 200, matumba a chikopa awiri a vinyo, nkhosa zisanu zowotcheratu, makilogalamu 17 a tirigu wokazinga, makeke a mphesa zowuma 100, ndiponso makeke a nkhuyu 200, ndipo anazisenzetsa abulu. 19 Kenaka anawuza antchito ake kuti, “Tsogolani, ine ndikutsatirani.” Koma sanawuze mwamuna wake Nabala.

20 Mayi uja atakwera pa bulu wake ndi kufika pa tsinde la phiri, anangoona Davide ndi ankhondo ake akubwera kunali iye. Choncho anakumana nawo. 21 Nthawiyi nʼkuti Davide atanena kuti, “Kani ndinalondera pachabe katundu wa munthu uyu mʼchipululu muja! Ndipotu palibe kanthu nʼkamodzi komwe kake kamene kanasowa. Tsono wandibwezera zoyipa mʼmalo mwa zabwino. 22 Mulungu andilange kwambiri ngati pofika mmawa nditakhale nditasiyako ngakhale munthu mmodzi mwa onse amene ali nawo.”

23 Abigayeli ataona Davide, anatsika pa bulu wake mofulumira ndipo anadzigwetsa pansi pamaso pa Davide. 24 Ali chigonere choncho pa mapazi a Davide anati, “Mbuye wanga, kulakwa kukhale pa ine ndekha. Chonde lolani kuti mdzakazi wanune ndiyankhule nanu, ndipo mumve mawu a ine mdzakazi wanu. 25 Mbuye wanga musasamale za mwamuna wanga Nabala, munthu wa khalidwe loyipa. Iyeyu ali monga dzina lake liliri. Monga dzina lake litanthauza kuti chitsiru, ndiye kuti zake zonse ndi zauchitsiru basi. Koma ine mdzakazi wanu, sindinawaone anthu amene mbuye wanga munawatuma. 26 Tsono mbuye wanga muli apa, ndikulumbira pali Yehova wamoyo amene wakuletsani kuti musakhetse magazi a munthu ndi kulipsira nokha, kuti adani anu amene afuna kukuchitani zoyipa adzakhale ngati Nabala. 27 Choncho, nazi mphatso zimene mdzakazi wanu ndabwera nazo kwa mbuye wanga kuti zipatsidwe kwa anyamata amene muli nawo. 28 Chonde khululukani zolakwa za ine mdzakazi wanu. Ndithu Yehova adzakhazikitsa banja la mbuye wanga mu ufumu, popeza mukumenya nkhondo ya Yehova. Choncho choyipa sichidzapezeka mwa inu masiku onse a moyo wanu. 29 Ngati munthu wina akuwukirani ndi kukulondani, Yehova Mulungu wanu adzateteza moyo wa mbuye wanga monga mmene munthu asungira chuma mʼphukusi, koma moyo wa adani anu adzawutaya kutali monga momwe munthu amaponyera mwala ndi legeni. 30 Yehova adzakuchitirani mbuye wanga zabwino zonse zimene anakulonjezani. Adzakuyikani kukhala wolamulira Aisraeli. 31 Zikadzatero, inu mbuye wanga simudzakhala ndi chikumbumtima choti munakhetsa magazi kapena kulipsira popanda chifukwa. Koma Yehova akadzakuchitirani zabwino zonsezi musadzandiyiwale ine mdzakazi wanu.”

32 Tsono Davide anawuza Abigayeli kuti, “Alemekezeke Yehova Mulungu wa Israeli, amene wakutuma iwe lero kuti ukumane nane. 33 Yehova akudalitseni chifukwa cha nzeru zanu pondiletsa lero kuti ndisakhetse magazi ndi kubwezera adani anga ndi manja anga. 34 Kunena zoona, pali Yehova Wamoyo, Mulungu wa Israeli, amene wandiletsa kuti ndisakupwetekeni, mukanapanda kubwera msanga kudzakumana nane, palibe munthu aliyense wamwamuna wa Nabala akanasiyidwa wamoyo pakucha mmawa.”

35 Ndipo Davide analandira kwa mayiyo zimene anamutengera ndipo anati, “Pitani kwanu mu mtendere. Ine ndamva mawu anu ndipo ndavomera zimene mwapempha.”

36 Abigayeli atabwerera kwa Nabala anamupeza ali mʼnyumba akuchita mphwando ngati la mfumu. Iye anali atakondwa kwambiri popeza anali ataledzera kwambiri. Choncho mkazi wakeyo sanamuwuze kalikonse mpaka mmawa kutacha. 37 Tsono mmawa, mowa utamuchoka Nabala, mkazi wake anamuwuza zonse. Pomwepo mtima wake unaleka kugunda ndipo unawuma gwaa ngati mwala. 38 Patapita masiku khumi, Yehova anakantha Nabala ndipo anafa.

39 Pamene Davide anamva kuti Nabala wamwalira, iye anati, “Alemekezeke Yehova, walipsira Nabala chipongwe chimene anandichita ndipo anandiletsa ine mtumiki wake kuti ndisachite choyipa. Yehova wabwezera pamutu pa Nabala choyipa chimene iye anachita.”

Kenaka Davide anatumiza mawu kwa Abigayeli, kumupempha kuti akhale mkazi wake. 40 Anyamata a Davide atafika ku Karimeli anawuza Abigayeli kuti, “Davide watituma kwa iwe kuti tikutenge ukhale mkazi wake.”

41 Abigayeli anagwada nagunditsa nkhope yake pansi ndipo anati, “Ine mdzakazi wa mbuye wanga ndakonzeka kutumikira ngakhale kusambitsa mapazi a anyamata ake.” 42 Motero Abigayeli ananyamuka mofulumira nakwera bulu wake. Tsono iye pamodzi ndi anamwali ake asanu amene ankamutumikira, anatsagana ndi amithenga a Davide aja ndipo anakakhala mkazi wake wa Davide. 43 Davide nʼkuti atakwatiranso Ahinoamu wa ku Yezireeli ndipo onse awiri anali akazi ake. 44 Koma Sauli anali atakwatitsa Mikala, mkazi wa Davide kwa Paliti mwana wa Laisi wa ku Galimu.

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