² A man in Maon^(A) had a business in Carmel;^(B) he was a very rich man with 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats and was shearing his sheep in Carmel. ³ The man’s name was Nabal, and his wife’s name, Abigail. The woman was intelligent and beautiful, but the man, a Calebite,^(C) was harsh and evil in his dealings.

¹⁴ One of Nabal’s young men informed Abigail, Nabal’s wife: “Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master,^(A) but he yelled at them. ¹⁵ The men treated us well. When we were in the field, we weren’t harassed^(B) and nothing of ours was missing the whole time we were living among them. ¹⁶ They were a wall around us, both day and night,^(C) the entire time we were herding the sheep. ¹⁷ Now consider carefully what you must do, because there is certain to be trouble for our master and his entire family. He is such a worthless fool nobody can talk to him!”

²³ When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey and fell with her face to the ground in front of David.^{(A) 24} She fell at his feet and said, “The guilt is mine, my lord, but please let your servant speak to you directly. Listen to the words of your servant. ²⁵ My lord should pay no attention to this worthless man Nabal, for he lives up to his name:^[a] His name is Nabal,^[b] and stupidity is all he knows.^[c] I, your servant, didn’t see my lord’s young men whom you sent. ²⁶ Now my lord, as surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, it is the Lord who kept you from participating in bloodshed and avenging yourself^(B) by your own hand. May your enemies and those who want trouble for my lord be like Nabal.^{(C) 27} Accept this gift^(D) your servant has brought to my lord, and let it be given to the young men who follow my lord. ²⁸ Please forgive your servant’s offense,^(E) for the Lord is certain to make a lasting dynasty for my lord^(F) because he fights the Lord’s battles.^(G) Throughout your life, may evil^[d] not be found in you.^(H)

³² Then David said to Abigail, “Praise to the Lord God of Israel,^(A) who sent you to meet me today! ³³ Your discernment is blessed, and you are blessed. Today you kept me from participating in bloodshed and avenging myself by my own hand.^{(B) 34} Otherwise, as surely as the Lord God of Israel lives, who prevented me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, Nabal wouldn’t have had any men^[a] left by morning light.” ³⁵ Then David accepted what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace.^(C) See, I have heard what you said and have granted your request.”^(D)