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1 Samuel 25
New Life Version

The Death of Samuel

25 Now Samuel died. All Israel gathered together and was filled with sorrow for him. They buried him at his house in Ramah.

Then David got ready and went down to the desert of Paran. 2 There was a man in Maon who worked in Carmel. The man was very rich. He had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats. He was cutting the wool from his sheep in Carmel. 3 The man’s name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. The woman was of good understanding and beautiful. But the man was bad and sinful in his ways. He was a Calebite. 4 David heard in the desert that Nabal was cutting the wool from his sheep. 5 So David sent ten young men, saying to them, “Go up to Carmel. Visit Nabal and greet him for me. 6 Say to him, ‘Have a long life. Peace be to you. Peace be to your family. And peace be to all that you have. 7 I have heard that you have men who cut the wool from your sheep. Now your shepherds have been with us, and we have not done them any wrong. And they have not missed anything all the time they were in Carmel. 8 Ask your young men and they will tell you. So let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we have come on a special day. I ask you to give whatever you have ready to your servants and to your son David.’”

9 When David’s young men came, they said all this to Nabal in David’s name. Then they waited. 10 But Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants these days who are leaving their owners. 11 Should I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my wool cutters, and give it to men when I do not know where they came from?” 12 So David’s young men turned away and returned to David and told him all this. 13 David said to his men, “Every man put on his sword!” So every man put on his sword, and David put on his sword also. About 400 men went up behind David, while 200 stayed with their things.

14 But one of the young men told Nabal’s wife Abigail, “See, David sent men from the desert to greet our owner, and he spoke against them. 15 But David’s men were very good to us. They did not do anything wrong to us. And we did not miss anything when we were in the fields, as long as we went with them. 16 They were a wall to us night and day, all the time we were with them taking care of the sheep. 17 So know this and think about what you should do. For bad plans have been made against our owner and all his family. He is such a sinful man that no one can speak to him.”

18 In a hurry Abigail took 200 loaves of bread, two bottles of wine, five sheep ready to eat, five baskets of dry grain, 100 vines of dried grapes and 200 loaves of figs, and loaded them on donkeys. 19 She said to her young men, “Go on before me. See, I am coming after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal. 20 As she went on her donkey and came down hidden by the mountain, David and his men came down toward her, and she met them. 21 Now David had said, “It was for nothing that I have watched over all this man has in the desert, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him. He has paid me bad for good. 22 May God do the same to David and more, if I leave until morning as much as one male alive of all who belong to him.”

23 When Abigail saw David, she got off her donkey in a hurry. Then she put her face to the ground in front of David. 24 She fell at his feet and said, “Let the sin be on me alone, my lord. I beg you, let your woman servant speak to you. Listen to the words of your woman servant. 25 I beg you, do not let my lord think about this sinful man, Nabal. For he is like his name. Nabal is his name and he is foolish. But I your woman servant did not see my lord’s young men whom you sent. 26 So now, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, let the Lord keep you from being guilty of blood. Let Him keep you from punishing with your own hand. And let those who hate you and those who want to hurt my lord be like Nabal. 27 Now let this gift which your woman servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28 I beg you, forgive the sin of your woman servant. For the Lord will be sure to make my lord a family that will last. Because my lord is fighting the Lord’s battles. Sin will not be found in you as long as you live. 29 If men rise up to come after you and try to kill you, then the life of my lord will be taken care of by the Lord your God. But He will throw away the lives of those who hate you, as a rock is thrown from a sling. 30 The Lord will do to my lord all the good that He has promised you. He will make you ruler over Israel. 31 Then my lord will have no reason to feel sorry or guilty because of killing without cause or punishing by my lord’s own hand. When the Lord does good things for my lord, remember your woman servant.”

32 Then David said to Abigail, “Thanks be to the Lord God of Israel, Who sent you this day to meet me. 33 May thanks be given for your wisdom, and thanks be to you. You have kept me this day from being guilty of blood, and from punishing with my own hand. 34 The Lord God of Israel has kept me from hurting you. And as the Lord lives, if you had not been quick to come to meet me, for sure not one male would have been left to Nabal until the morning.” 35 So David received what she had brought him. He said to her, “Go up to your house in peace. See, I have listened to you and have done what you asked.”

36 Abigail came to Nabal and saw that he was having a special supper in his house, like the special supper of a king. Nabal’s heart was full of joy, because he was very drunk. So she did not tell him anything until the morning. 37 But in the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things. And his heart died within him so that he became like a stone. 38 The Lord made Nabal die about ten days later.

39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Thanks be to the Lord, Who has punished Nabal for putting me to shame. He has kept His servant from sin. And the Lord has turned the sin of Nabal upon himself.” Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to be his wife. 40 When David’s servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, “David has sent us to you, to take you as his wife.” 41 She stood up and then put her face to the ground, and said, “See, your woman servant will serve you by washing the feet of my lord’s servants.” 42 Then she got ready in a hurry and traveled on a donkey, with her five young women who followed her. She followed the men David had sent, and became his wife.

43 David had taken Ahinoam of Jezreel also. They both became his wives.

44 Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was from Gallim.

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1 Samuel 25
New King James Version

Death of Samuel

25 Then (A)Samuel died; and the Israelites gathered together and (B)lamented for him, and buried him at his home in Ramah. And David arose and went down (C)to the Wilderness of [a]Paran.

David and the Wife of Nabal

2 Now there was a man (D)in Maon whose business was in (E)Carmel, and the man was very rich. He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 3 The name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. And she was a woman of good understanding and beautiful appearance; but the man was harsh and evil in his doings. He was of the house of (F)Caleb.

4 When David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was (G)shearing his sheep, 5 David sent ten young men; and David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, go to Nabal, and greet him in my name. 6 And thus you shall say to him who lives in prosperity: (H)‘Peace be to you, peace to your house, and peace to all that you have! 7 Now I have heard that you have shearers. Your shepherds were with us, and we did not hurt them, (I)nor was there anything missing from them all the while they were in Carmel. 8 Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore [b]let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we come on (J)a feast day. Please give whatever comes to your hand to your servants and to your son David.’ ”

9 So when David’s young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all these words in the name of David, and waited.

10 Then Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, (K)“Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants nowadays who break away each one from his master. 11 (L)Shall I then take my bread and my water and my [c]meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men when I do not know where they are from?”

12 So David’s young men turned on their heels and went back; and they came and told him all these words. 13 Then David said to his men, “Every man gird on his sword.” So every man girded on his sword, and David also girded on his sword. And about four hundred men went with David, and two hundred (M)stayed with the supplies.

14 Now one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, “Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master; and he [d]reviled them. 15 But the men were very good to us, and (N)we were not hurt, nor did we miss anything as long as we accompanied them, when we were in the fields. 16 They were (O)a wall to us both by night and day, all the time we were with them keeping the sheep. 17 Now therefore, know and consider what you will do, for (P)harm is determined against our master and against all his household. For he is such a (Q)scoundrel[e] that one cannot speak to him.”

18 Then Abigail made haste and (R)took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five sheep already dressed, five seahs of roasted grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and loaded them on donkeys. 19 And she said to her servants, (S)“Go on before me; see, I am coming after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.

20 So it was, as she rode on the donkey, that she went down under cover of the hill; and there were David and his men, coming down toward her, and she met them. 21 Now David had said, “Surely in vain I have protected all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belongs to him. And he has (T)repaid me evil for good. 22 (U)May God do so, and more also, to the enemies of David, if I (V)leave (W)one male of all who belong to him by morning light.”

23 Now when Abigail saw David, she (X)dismounted quickly from the donkey, fell on her face before David, and bowed down to the ground. 24 So she fell at his feet and said: “On me, my lord, on me let this iniquity be! And please let your maidservant [f]speak in your ears, and hear the words of your maidservant. 25 Please, let not my lord [g]regard this scoundrel Nabal. For as his name is, so is he: [h]Nabal is his name, and folly is with him! But I, your maidservant, did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent. 26 Now therefore, my lord, (Y)as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, since the Lord has (Z)held you back from coming to bloodshed and from (AA)avenging[i] yourself with your own hand, now then, (AB)let your enemies and those who seek harm for my lord be as Nabal. 27 And now (AC)this present which your maidservant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28 Please forgive the trespass of your maidservant. For (AD)the Lord will certainly make for my lord an enduring house, because my lord (AE)fights the battles of the Lord, (AF)and evil is not found in you throughout your days. 29 Yet a man has risen to pursue you and seek your life, but the life of my lord shall be (AG)bound in the bundle of the living with the Lord your God; and the lives of your enemies He shall (AH)sling out, as from the pocket of a sling. 30 And it shall come to pass, when the Lord has done for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you (AI)ruler over Israel, 31 that this will be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. But when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your maidservant.”

32 Then David said to Abigail: (AJ)“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! 33 And blessed is your advice and blessed are you, because you have (AK)kept me this day from coming to bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand. 34 For indeed, as the Lord God of Israel lives, who has (AL)kept me back from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, surely (AM)by morning light no males would have been left to Nabal!” 35 So David received from her hand what she had brought him, and said to her, (AN)“Go up in peace to your house. See, I have heeded your voice and (AO)respected your person.”

36 Now Abigail went to Nabal, and there he was, (AP)holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk; therefore she told him nothing, little or much, until morning light. 37 So it was, in the morning, when the wine had gone from Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became like a stone. 38 Then it happened, after about ten days, that the Lord (AQ)struck Nabal, and he died.

39 So when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, (AR)“Blessed be the Lord, who has (AS)pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has (AT)kept His servant from evil! For the Lord has (AU)returned the wickedness of Nabal on his own head.”

And David sent and proposed to Abigail, to take her as his wife. 40 When the servants of David had come to Abigail at Carmel, they spoke to her saying, “David sent us to you, to ask you to become his wife.”

41 Then she arose, bowed her face to the earth, and said, “Here is your maidservant, a servant to (AV)wash the feet of the servants of my lord.” 42 So Abigail rose in haste and rode on a donkey, [j]attended by five of her maidens; and she followed the messengers of David, and became his wife. 43 David also took Ahinoam (AW)of Jezreel, (AX)and so both of them were his wives.

44 But Saul had given (AY)Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to [k]Palti the son of Laish, who was from (AZ)Gallim.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 25:1 So with MT, Syr., Tg., Vg.; LXX Maon
  2. 1 Samuel 25:8 be gracious to the young men
  3. 1 Samuel 25:11 Lit. slaughter
  4. 1 Samuel 25:14 scolded or scorned at
  5. 1 Samuel 25:17 Lit. son of Belial
  6. 1 Samuel 25:24 speak to you
  7. 1 Samuel 25:25 pay attention to
  8. 1 Samuel 25:25 Lit. Fool
  9. 1 Samuel 25:26 Lit. saving yourself
  10. 1 Samuel 25:42 Lit. with five of her maidens at her feet
  11. 1 Samuel 25:44 Paltiel, 2 Sam. 3:15
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1 Samuel 25
English Standard Version

The Death of Samuel

25 (A)Now Samuel died. And all Israel assembled (B)and mourned for him, and they buried him (C)in his house at (D)Ramah.

David and Abigail

Then David rose and went down to (E)the wilderness of Paran. 2 And there was a man in (F)Maon whose business was in (G)Carmel. The man was very rich; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. (H)He was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 3 Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. The woman was discerning and beautiful, but the man was harsh and badly behaved; (I)he was a Calebite. 4 David heard in the wilderness that Nabal (J)was shearing his sheep. 5 So David sent ten young men. And David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal and greet him in my name. 6 And thus you shall greet him:[a] (K)‘Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. 7 I hear that you have shearers. Now your shepherds have been with us, and we did them no harm, (L)and they missed nothing all the time they were in Carmel. 8 Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we come (M)on a feast day. Please give whatever you have at hand to your servants and to your son David.’”

9 When David's young men came, they said all this to Nabal in the name of David, and then they waited. 10 And Nabal answered David's servants, (N)“Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? (O)There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters. 11 Shall I take (P)my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it to (Q)men who come from I do not know where?” 12 So David's young men turned away and came back and told him all this. 13 And David said to his men, “Every man strap on his sword!” And every man of them strapped on his sword. David also strapped on his sword. And (R)about four hundred men went up after David, (S)while two hundred (T)remained with the baggage.

14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, “Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he railed at them. 15 Yet the men were very good to us, and we suffered no harm, (U)and we did not miss anything when we were in the fields, as long as we went with them. 16 They were (V)a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 17 Now therefore know this and consider what you should do, (W)for harm is determined against our master and against all his house, and he is such (X)a worthless man that one cannot speak to him.”

18 Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves and two skins of wine and five sheep already prepared and five seahs[b] of parched grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys. 19 And she said to her young men, “Go on before me; behold, I come after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal. 20 And as she rode on the donkey and came down under cover of the mountain, behold, David and his men came down toward her, and she met them. 21 Now David had said, “Surely in vain have I guarded all that this fellow has in the wilderness, (Y)so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him, and he has (Z)returned me evil for good. 22 (AA)God do so to the enemies of David[c] and more also, if by morning I leave so much as one male of all who belong to him.”

23 When Abigail saw David, she hurried (AB)and got down from the donkey (AC)and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground. 24 She fell at his feet and said, (AD)“On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. 25 Let not my lord regard (AE)this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal[d] is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent. 26 Now then, my lord, (AF)as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because (AG)the Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from (AH)saving with your own hand, now then (AI)let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal. 27 And now let this (AJ)present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28 Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the Lord will certainly make my lord (AK)a sure house, because my lord (AL)is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live. 29 If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord your God. And the lives of your enemies (AM)he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling. 30 And when the Lord has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you and has appointed you prince[e] over Israel, 31 my lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for having shed blood without cause or for my lord (AN)working salvation himself. And when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.”

32 And David said to Abigail, (AO)“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! 33 Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, (AP)who have kept me this day from bloodguilt (AQ)and from working salvation with my own hand! 34 For as surely (AR)as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, (AS)who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there had not been left to Nabal so much as one male.” 35 Then David received from her hand what she had brought him. And he said to her, (AT)“Go up in peace to your house. See, I have obeyed your voice, and I have granted your petition.”

36 And Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, (AU)he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal's heart (AV)was merry within him, for he was very drunk. So she told him nothing (AW)at all until the morning light. 37 In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 38 And about ten days later (AX)the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.

39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, (AY)“Blessed be the Lord who has (AZ)avenged the insult I received at the hand of Nabal, (BA)and has kept back his servant from wrongdoing. (BB)The Lord has returned the evil of Nabal on his own head.” Then David sent and (BC)spoke to Abigail, to take her as his wife. 40 When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, “David has sent us to you to take you to him as his wife.” 41 And she rose (BD)and bowed with her face to the ground and said, “Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.” 42 And Abigail hurried and rose and mounted a donkey, and her five young women attended her. She followed the messengers of David and became his wife.

43 David also took Ahinoam of (BE)Jezreel, (BF)and both of them became his wives. 44 Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 25:6 Or shall say to him who lives
  2. 1 Samuel 25:18 A seah was about 7.7 quarts or 7.3 liters
  3. 1 Samuel 25:22 Septuagint to David
  4. 1 Samuel 25:25 Nabal means fool
  5. 1 Samuel 25:30 Or leader
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1 Samuel 25
International Children’s Bible

David and Nabal

25 Now Samuel died. All the Israelites met and had a time of sadness for him. They buried him at his home in Ramah.

Then David moved to the Desert of Maon.[a] 2 A man in Maon who had land at Carmel was very rich. He had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats. He was cutting the wool off his sheep at Carmel. 3 His name was Nabal, and he was a descendant of Caleb. His wife was named Abigail. She was a wise and beautiful woman. But Nabal was cruel and mean.

4 David was in the desert. He heard that Nabal was cutting the wool from his sheep. 5 So he sent ten young men. He told them, “Go to Nabal at Carmel. Greet him for me. 6 Say to Nabal, ‘May you and your family have good health! And may all who belong to you have good health. 7 I have heard that you are cutting the wool from your sheep. When your shepherds were with us, we did nothing wrong to them. All the time your shepherds were at Carmel, we stole nothing from them. 8 Ask your servants, and they will tell you. We come at a happy time. So for this reason, be kind to my young men. Please give them anything you can find for them. Please do this for your son David.’”

9 When the men arrived, they gave the message to Nabal. But Nabal insulted them. 10 He answered them, “Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many slaves are running away from their masters today! 11 I have bread and water. And I have meat that I killed for my servants who cut the wool. But I won’t give it to men I don’t know.”

12 David’s men went back and told him all Nabal had said. 13 Then David said to them, “Put on your swords!” So they put on their swords, and David put on his also. About 400 men went with David. But 200 men stayed with the supplies.

14 One of Nabal’s servants spoke to Abigail, Nabal’s wife. He said, “David sent messengers from the desert to greet our master. But Nabal insulted them. 15 These men were very good to us. They did nothing wrong to us. They stole nothing from us during all the time we were out in the field with them. 16 Night and day they protected us. They were like a wall around us while we were with them caring for the sheep. 17 Now think about it, and decide what you can do. Terrible trouble is coming to our master and all his family. Nabal is such a wicked man that no one can even talk to him.”

18 Abigail hurried. She took 200 loaves of bread, 2 leather bags full of wine and 5 cooked sheep. She took about a bushel of cooked grain, 100 cakes of raisins and 200 cakes of pressed figs. She put all these on donkeys. 19 Then she told her servants, “Go on. I’ll follow you.” But she did not tell her husband.

20 Abigail rode her donkey and came down into the mountain ravine. There she met David and his men coming down toward her.

21 David had just said, “It’s been useless! I watched over Nabal’s property in the desert. I made sure none of his sheep were missing. I did good to him, but he has paid me back with evil. 22 May God punish me terribly if I let just one of Nabal’s family live until tomorrow.”

23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey. She bowed facedown on the ground before David. 24 She lay at David’s feet. She said, “My master, let the blame be on me! Please let me talk to you! Listen to what I say. 25 My master, don’t pay attention to this worthless man Nabal. He is the same as his name. His name means ‘fool,’ and he is truly foolish. But I, your servant, didn’t see the men you sent. 26 The Lord has kept you from killing and punishing people yourself. As surely as the Lord lives and as surely as you live, may your enemies become like Nabal! 27 I have brought a gift to you. Please give it to the men who follow you. 28 Please forgive my wrong. The Lord will certainly let your family have many kings. He will do this because you fight his battles. As long as you live, people will find nothing bad in you. 29 A man might chase you to kill you. But the Lord your God will keep you alive. He will throw away your enemies’ lives as he would throw a stone from a sling. 30 The Lord will keep all his promises about good things for you. He will make you leader over Israel. 31 Then you won’t feel guilty. You won’t have problems about killing innocent people and punishing them yourself. Please remember me when the Lord brings you success.”

32 David answered Abigail, “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel. He sent you to meet me. 33 May you be blessed for your wisdom. You have kept me from killing or punishing people today. 34 As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, he has kept me from hurting you. If you hadn’t come quickly to meet me, no one belonging to Nabal would have lived until tomorrow.”

35 Then David accepted Abigail’s gifts. He told her, “Go home in peace. I have heard your words, and I will do what you have asked.”

Nabal’s Death

36 When Abigail went back to Nabal, he was in the house. He was eating like a king. He was very drunk and in a good mood. So she told him nothing until the next morning. 37 In the morning he was not drunk. Then his wife told him everything. His heart failed him, and he became like a stone. 38 About ten days later the Lord struck Nabal and caused him to die.

39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise the Lord! Nabal insulted me, but the Lord has supported me! He has kept me from doing wrong. And the Lord caused Nabal to die because he did wrong.”

Then David sent a message to Abigail. He asked her to become his wife. 40 His servants went to Carmel and spoke to Abigail. They said, “David sent us to take you so you can become his wife.”

41 Abigail bowed facedown on the ground. She said, “I am your servant. I’m ready to serve you. I’m ready to wash the feet of my master’s servants.” 42 Abigail quickly got on a donkey and went with David’s messengers. She had five maids following her. And she became David’s wife.

43 David also had married Ahinoam of Jezreel. So they were both David’s wives. 44 Saul’s daughter Michal was also David’s wife. But Saul had given her to Paltiel son of Laish. Paltiel was from Gallim.

Footnotes

  1. 25:1 Maon Some early Greek copies say “Maon.” The Hebrew copies say “Paran.”
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1 Samuel 25
New International Version

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]

2 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. 3 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)

4 While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep. 5 So he sent ten young men and said to them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel and greet him in my name. 6 Say to him: ‘Long life to you! Good health(I) to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours!(J)

7 “‘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. 8 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.’”

9 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
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