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?”

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

¹⁴ One of the servants told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “David sent messengers from the wilderness to give our master his greetings,^(F) but he hurled insults at them. ¹⁵ Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat^(G) us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing.^{(H) 16} Night and day they were a wall^(I) 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^(J) man that no one can talk to him.”