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Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife was Abigail. The woman was clever and beautiful, but the man was surly and mean; he was a Calebite.

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His name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail.(A) She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband was surly and mean in his dealings—he was a Calebite.(B)

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A fool will no longer be called noble
    nor a villain said to be honorable.(A)
For fools speak folly,
    and their minds plot iniquity:
to practice ungodliness,
    to utter error concerning the Lord,
to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied,
    and to deprive the thirsty of drink.(B)
The villainies of villains are evil;
    they devise wicked devices
to ruin the poor with lying words,
    even when the plea of the needy is right.(C)

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No longer will the fool(A) be called noble
    nor the scoundrel be highly respected.
For fools speak folly,(B)
    their hearts are bent on evil:(C)
They practice ungodliness(D)
    and spread error(E) concerning the Lord;
the hungry they leave empty(F)
    and from the thirsty they withhold water.
Scoundrels use wicked methods,(G)
    they make up evil schemes(H)
to destroy the poor with lies,
    even when the plea of the needy(I) is just.(J)

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30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.(A)
31 Give her a share in the fruit of her hands,
    and let her works praise her in the city gates.

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30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
    and let her works bring her praise(A) at the city gate.

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14 The wise woman[a] builds her house,
    but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.

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Footnotes

  1. 14.1 Heb Wisdom of women

14 The wise woman builds her house,(A)
    but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.

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Ode to a Woman of Strength

10 A woman of strength who can find?
    She is far more precious than jewels.(A)

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Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

10 [a]A wife of noble character(A) who can find?(B)
    She is worth far more than rubies.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:10 Verses 10-31 are an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

For the wicked boast of the desires of their heart;
    those greedy for gain curse and renounce the Lord.(A)

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He boasts(A) about the cravings of his heart;
    he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.(B)

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17 Now, therefore, know this and consider what you should do, for evil has been decided against our master and against all his house; he is so ill-natured that no one can speak to him.”

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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(A) man that no one can talk to him.”

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10 But Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants today who are breaking away from their masters.(A) 11 Shall I take my bread and my water and the meat that I have butchered for my shearers and give it to men who come from I do not know where?”

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10 Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who(A) 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(B) and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?”

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Caleb Occupies His Portion

13 But to Caleb son of Jephunneh, Joshua[a] gave a portion among the people of Judah according to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron (Arba was the father of Anak).(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 15.13 Heb he

13 In accordance with the Lord’s command to him, Joshua gave to Caleb(A) son of Jephunneh a portion in Judah—Kiriath Arba(B), that is, Hebron.(C) (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)(D)

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26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.(A)

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26 She speaks with wisdom,
    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.(A)

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14 We had made a raid on the Negeb of the Cherethites and on that which belongs to Judah and on the Negeb of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag down.”(A)

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14 We raided the Negev of the Kerethites,(A) some territory belonging to Judah and the Negev of Caleb.(B) And we burned(C) Ziklag.”

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