David, Nabal, and Abigail

25 Samuel died,^(A) and all Israel assembled to mourn for him,^(B) and they buried him by his home in Ramah.^(C) David then went down to the Wilderness of Paran.^[a](D)

² A man in Maon^(E) had a business in Carmel;^(F) he was a very rich man with three thousand sheep and one thousand 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,^(G) was harsh and evil in his dealings.

⁴ While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep, ⁵ so David sent ten young men instructing them, “Go up to Carmel, and when you come to Nabal, greet him^[b] in my name. ⁶ Then say this: ‘Long life to you,^[c] and peace to you, peace to your family, and peace to all that is yours.^{(H) 7} I hear that you are shearing.^[d] When your shepherds were with us, we did not harass them, and nothing of theirs was missing the whole time they were in Carmel.^{(I) 8} Ask your young men, and they will tell you. So let my young men find favor with you, for we have come on a feast^[e] day.^(J) Please give whatever you have on hand to your servants and to your son David.’”

⁹ David’s young men went and said all these things to Nabal on David’s behalf,^[f] and they waited.^{[g] 10} Nabal asked them, “Who is David?^(K) Who is Jesse’s son? Many slaves these days are running away from their masters. ¹¹ Am I supposed to take my bread, my water, and my meat that I butchered for my shearers and give them to these men? I don’t know where they are from.”

¹² David’s young men retraced their steps. When they returned to him, they reported all these words. ¹³ He said to his men, “All of you, put on your swords!” So each man put on his sword, and David also put on his sword. About four hundred men followed David while two hundred stayed with the supplies.^(L)

¹⁴ One of Nabal’s young men informed Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master,^(M) but he screamed at them. ¹⁵ The men treated us very well. When we were in the field, we weren’t harassed^(N) 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,^(O) the entire time we were with them herding the sheep. ¹⁷ Now consider carefully^[h] what you should 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!”

¹⁸ Abigail hurried, taking two hundred loaves of bread, two clay jars of wine, five butchered sheep, a bushel^[i] of roasted grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys.^{(P) 19} Then she said to her male servants, “Go ahead of me. I will be right behind you.”^(Q) But she did not tell her husband, Nabal.

²⁰ As she rode the donkey down a mountain pass hidden from view, she saw David and his men coming toward her and met them. ²¹ David had just said, “I guarded everything that belonged to this man in the wilderness for nothing. He was not missing anything, yet he paid me back evil for good. ²² May God punish me^[j] and do so severely^(R) if I let any of his males^[k] survive until morning.”^(S)

²³ When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey and knelt down with her face to the ground and paid homage to David.^{(T) 24} She knelt 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 fool Nabal, for he lives up to his name:^[l] His name means ‘stupid,’ and stupidity is all he knows.^[m] 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^(U) by your own hand—may your enemies and those who intend to harm my lord be like Nabal.^{(V) 27} Let this gift^(W) your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. ²⁸ Please forgive your servant’s offense,^(X) for the Lord is certain to make a lasting dynasty for my lord^(Y) because he fights the Lord’s battles.^(Z) Throughout your life, may evil^[n] not be found in you.^(AA)

²⁹ “Someone is pursuing you and intends to take your life. My lord’s life is tucked safely in the place^[o] where the Lord your God protects the living, but he is flinging away your enemies’ lives like stones from a sling.^{(AB) 30} When the Lord does for my lord all the good he promised you and appoints you ruler over Israel,^{(AC) 31} there will not be remorse or a troubled conscience for my lord because of needless bloodshed or my lord’s revenge. And when the Lord does good things for my lord, may you remember me your servant.”^(AD)

³² Then David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,^(AE) who sent you to meet me today! ³³ May your discernment be blessed, and may you be blessed. Today you kept me from participating in bloodshed and avenging myself by my own hand.^{(AF) 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 males^[p] left by morning light.” ³⁵ Then David accepted what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace.^(AG) See, I have heard what you said and have granted your request.”^(AH)

³⁶ Then Abigail went to Nabal, and there he was in his house, holding a feast fit for a king.^(AI) Nabal’s heart was cheerful,^[q] and he was very drunk, so she didn’t say anything^[r] to him^(AJ) until morning light.

³⁷ In the morning when Nabal sobered up,^[s] his wife told him about these events. His heart died^[t] and he became a stone. ³⁸ About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal dead.^(AK)

³⁹ When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord who championed my cause against Nabal’s insults^(AL) and restrained his servant from doing evil.^(AM) The Lord brought Nabal’s evil deeds back on his own head.”^(AN)

Then David sent messengers to speak to Abigail about marrying him. ⁴⁰ When David’s servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, “David sent us to bring you to him as a wife.”

⁴¹ She stood up, paid homage with her face to the ground,^(AO) and said, “Here I am, your servant, a slave to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”^{(AP) 42} Then Abigail got up quickly, and with her five female servants accompanying her, rode on the donkey following David’s messengers.^(AQ) And so she became his wife.

⁴³ David also married Ahinoam of Jezreel,^(AR) and the two of them became his wives. ⁴⁴ But Saul gave his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Palti^(AS) son of Laish, who was from Gallim.^(AT)

David Again Spares Saul

26 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah saying, “David is hiding on the hill of Hachilah opposite Jeshimon.”^{(AU) 2} So Saul, accompanied by three thousand of the fit young men of Israel,^(AV) went immediately to the Wilderness of Ziph to search for David there. ³ Saul camped beside the road at the hill of Hachilah^(AW) opposite Jeshimon. David was living in the wilderness and discovered Saul had come there after him.^{(AX) 4} So David sent out spies and knew for certain that Saul had come. ⁵ Immediately, David went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw the place where Saul and Abner son of Ner,^(AY) the commander of his army, were lying down. Saul was lying inside the inner circle of the camp with the troops camped around him. ⁶ Then David asked Ahimelech the Hethite^(AZ) and Joab’s brother Abishai^(BA) son of Zeruiah, “Who will go with me into the camp^(BB) to Saul?”

“I’ll go with you,” answered Abishai.

⁷ That night, David and Abishai came to the troops, and Saul was lying there asleep in the inner circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. Abner and the troops were lying around him. ⁸ Then Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy to you. Let me thrust the spear through him into the ground just once. I won’t have to strike him twice!”

⁹ But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the Lord’s anointed and be innocent?” ^{(BC) 10} David added, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will certainly strike him down:^(BD) either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. ¹¹ However, as the Lord is my witness, I will never lift my hand against the Lord’s anointed.^(BE) Instead, take the spear and the water jug by his head, and let’s go.”

¹² So David took the spear and the water jug by Saul’s head, and they went their way. No one saw them, no one knew, and no one woke up; they all remained asleep because a deep sleep from the Lord^(BF) came over them. ¹³ David crossed to the other side and stood on top of the mountain at a distance; there was a considerable space between them. ¹⁴ Then David shouted to the troops and to Abner son of Ner, “Aren’t you going to answer, Abner?”

“Who are you who calls to the king?” Abner asked.

¹⁵ David called to Abner, “You’re a man, aren’t you? Who in Israel is your equal? So why didn’t you protect your lord the king when one of the people came to destroy him? ¹⁶ What you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, all of you deserve to die^[u] since you didn’t protect your lord, the Lord’s anointed.^(BG) Now look around; where are the king’s spear and water jug that were by his head?”

¹⁷ Saul recognized David’s voice and asked, “Is that your voice, my son David?” ^(BH)

“It is my voice, my lord and king,” David said. ¹⁸ Then he continued, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What crime have I committed?^{(BI) 19} Now, may my lord the king please hear the words of his servant: If it is the Lord who has incited you against me,^(BJ) then may he accept an offering.^(BK) But if it is people,^(BL) may they be cursed in the presence of the Lord, for today they have banished me from sharing in the inheritance of the Lord, saying,^(BM) ‘Go and worship other gods.’ ²⁰ So don’t let my blood fall to the ground far from the Lord’s presence, for the king of Israel has come out to search for a single flea,^(BN) like one who pursues a partridge in the mountains.”

²¹ Saul responded, “I have sinned.^(BO) Come back, my son David, I will never harm you again because today you considered my life precious. I have been a fool! I’ve committed a grave error.”

²² David answered, “Here is the king’s spear; have one of the young men come over and get it. ²³ The Lord will repay every man for his righteousness^(BP) and his loyalty. I wasn’t willing to lift my hand against the Lord’s anointed, even though the Lord handed you over to me today.^{(BQ) 24} Just as I considered your life valuable today, so may the Lord consider my life valuable^(BR) and rescue me from all trouble.”^(BS)

²⁵ Saul said to him, “You are blessed, my son David. You will certainly do great things and will also prevail.”^(BT) Then David went on his way, and Saul returned home.^(BU)

David Flees to Ziklag

27 David said to himself, “One of these days I’ll be swept away by Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape immediately to the land of the Philistines.^(BV) Then Saul will give up searching for me everywhere in Israel, and I’ll escape from him.” ² So David set out with his six hundred men^(BW) and went over to Achish son of Maoch,^(BX) the king of Gath. ³ David and his men stayed with Achish in Gath. Each man had his family with him,^(BY) and David had his two wives: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel,^(BZ) Nabal’s widow. ⁴ When it was reported to Saul that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.

⁵ Now David said to Achish, “If I have found favor with you, let me be given a place in one of the outlying towns, so I can live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?” ⁶ That day Achish gave Ziklag^(CA) to him, and it still belongs to the kings of Judah today. ⁷ The length of time that David stayed in Philistine territory amounted to a year and four months.^(CB)

⁸ David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites,^(CC) the Girzites,^[v] and the Amalekites.^(CD) From ancient times they had been the inhabitants of the region through Shur^(CE) as far as the land of Egypt. ⁹ Whenever David attacked the land, he did not leave a single person alive, either man or woman, but he took flocks, herds, donkeys, camels, and clothing.^(CF) Then he came back to Achish, ¹⁰ who inquired, “Where did you raid today?” ^[w](CG)

David replied, “The south country of Judah,” “The south country of the Jerahmeelites,”^(CH) or “The south country of the Kenites.”^(CI)

¹¹ David did not let a man or woman live to be brought to Gath, for he said, “Or they will inform on us and say, ‘This is what David did.’” This was David’s custom during the whole time he stayed in the Philistine territory. ¹² So Achish trusted David, thinking, “Since he has made himself repulsive to his people Israel, he will be my servant forever.”

Saul and the Medium

28 At that time, the Philistines^(CJ) gathered their military units into one army to fight against Israel. So Achish said to David, “You know, of course, that you and your men must march out in the army^[x] with me.”

² David replied to Achish, “Good, you will find out what your servant can do.”

So Achish said to David, “Very well, I will appoint you as my permanent bodyguard.”^(CK)

³ By this time Samuel had died,^(CL) all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his city,^(CM) and Saul had removed the mediums and spiritists from the land.^{(CN) 4} The Philistines gathered and camped at Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel, and they camped at Gilboa. ⁵ When Saul saw the Philistine camp, he was afraid and his heart pounded. ⁶ He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him in dreams or by the Urim or by the prophets.^{(CO) 7} Saul then said to his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I can go and consult her.”

His servants replied, “There is a woman at En-dor^(CP) who is a medium.”^(CQ)

⁸ Saul disguised himself^(CR) by putting on different clothes and set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, “Consult a spirit for me.^(CS) Bring up for me the one I tell you.”^(CT)

⁹ But the woman said to him, “You surely know what Saul has done,^(CU) how he has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you setting a trap for me to get me killed?”

¹⁰ Then Saul swore to her by the Lord: “As surely as the Lord lives, no punishment will come to you^[y] from this.”

¹¹ “Who is it that you want me to bring up for you?” the woman asked.

“Bring up Samuel for me,” he answered.

¹² When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed, and then she asked Saul, “Why did you deceive me? You are Saul!”

¹³ But the king said to her, “Don’t be afraid. What do you see?”

“I see a spirit form^[z] coming up out of the earth,” the woman answered.

¹⁴ Then Saul asked her, “What does he look like?”

“An old man is coming up,” she replied. “He’s wearing a robe.”^(CV) Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he knelt low with his face to the ground and paid homage.^(CW)

¹⁵ “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Samuel asked Saul.

“I’m in serious trouble,” replied Saul. “The Philistines are fighting against me and God has turned away from me.^(CX) He doesn’t answer me anymore,^(CY) either through the prophets or in dreams. So I’ve called on you to tell me what I should do.”

¹⁶ Samuel answered, “Since the Lord has turned away from you and has become your enemy, why are you asking me? ¹⁷ The Lord has done^[aa] exactly what he said through me: The Lord has torn the kingship out of your hand and given it to your neighbor David.^{(CZ) 18} You did not obey the Lord and did not carry out his burning anger against Amalek;^(DA) therefore the Lord has done this to you today. ¹⁹ The Lord will also hand Israel over to the Philistines along with you. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me,^[ab](DB) and the Lord will hand Israel’s army over to the Philistines.”

²⁰ Immediately, Saul fell flat on the ground. He was terrified by Samuel’s words and was also weak because he had not eaten anything all day and all night. ²¹ The woman came over to Saul, and she saw that he was terrified and said to him, “Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands^(DC) and did what you told me to do. ²² Now please listen to your servant. Let me set some food in front of you. Eat and it will give you strength so you can go on your way.”

²³ He refused, saying, “I won’t eat,” but when his servants and the woman urged him, he listened to them.^(DD) He got up off the ground and sat on the bed.^(DE)

²⁴ The woman had a fattened calf at her house, and she quickly slaughtered it.^(DF) She also took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread. ²⁵ She served it to Saul and his servants, and they ate. Afterward, they got up and left that night.

Philistines Reject David

29 The Philistines^(DG) brought all their military units together at Aphek^(DH) while Israel was camped by the spring in Jezreel.^{(DI) 2} As the Philistine leaders were passing in review with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men^(DJ) were passing in review behind them with Achish. ³ Then the Philistine commanders asked, “What are these Hebrews doing here?”

Achish answered the Philistine commanders, “That is David, servant of King Saul of Israel. He has been with me a considerable period of time.^[ac] From the day he defected until today, I’ve found no fault with him.”^(DK)

⁴ The Philistine commanders, however, were enraged with Achish and told him, “Send that man back and let him return to the place you assigned him.^(DL) He must not go down with us into battle only to become our adversary during the battle.^(DM) What better way could he ingratiate himself with his master than with the heads of our men? ⁵ Isn’t this the David they sing about during their dances:

⁶ So Achish summoned David and told him, “As the Lord lives, you are an honorable man. I think it is good^[ad] to have you fighting^[ae] in this unit with me, because I have found no fault in you from the day you came to me until today.^(DO) But the leaders don’t think you are reliable. ⁷ Now go back quietly and you won’t be doing anything the Philistine leaders think is wrong.”

⁸ “But what have I done?” ^(DP) David replied to Achish. “From the first day I entered your service until today, what have you found against your servant to keep me from going to fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”

⁹ Achish answered David, “I’m convinced that you are as reliable as an angel of God.^(DQ) But the Philistine commanders have said, ‘He must not go into battle with us.’^{(DR) 10} So get up early in the morning, you and your masters’ servants who came with you.^[af](DS) When you’ve all gotten up early, go as soon as it’s light.” ¹¹ So David and his men got up early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

David’s Defeat of the Amalekites

30 David and his men^(DT) arrived in Ziklag^(DU) on the third day. The Amalekites^(DV) had raided the Negev and attacked and burned Ziklag. ² They also had kidnapped the women and everyone^[ag] in it from youngest to oldest. They had killed no one but had carried them off^(DW) as they went on their way.

³ When David and his men arrived at the town, they found it burned. Their wives, sons, and daughters had been kidnapped. ⁴ David and the troops with him wept loudly until they had no strength left to weep. ⁵ David’s two wives,^(DX) Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had also been kidnapped. ⁶ David was in an extremely difficult position because the troops talked about stoning him,^(DY) for they were all very bitter over the loss of their sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.^(DZ)

⁷ David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.”^(EA) So Abiathar brought it to him, ⁸ and David asked the Lord,^(EB) “Should I pursue these raiders? Will I overtake them?” ^(EC)

The Lord replied to him, “Pursue them, for you will certainly overtake them and rescue the people.”^(ED)

⁹ So David and the six hundred men with him^(EE) went. They came to the Wadi Besor, where some stayed behind.^{(EF) 10} David and four hundred of the men continued the pursuit, while two hundred stopped because they were too exhausted to cross the Wadi Besor.

¹¹ David’s men found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. They gave him some bread to eat and water to drink. ¹² Then they gave him some pressed figs and two clusters of raisins. After he ate he revived,^(EG) for he hadn’t eaten food or drunk water for three days and three nights.

¹³ Then David said to him, “Who do you belong to? Where are you from?”

“I’m an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite man,” he said. “My master abandoned me when I got sick three days ago. ¹⁴ We raided the south country of the Cherethites,^(EH) the territory of Judah, and the south country of Caleb,^(EI) and we burned Ziklag.”^(EJ)

¹⁵ David then asked him, “Will you lead me to these raiders?”

He said, “Swear to me by God that you won’t kill me or turn me over to my master, and I will lead you to them.”

¹⁶ So he led him, and there were the Amalekites, spread out over the entire area, eating, drinking, and celebrating because of the great amount of plunder^(EK) they had taken from the land of the Philistines and the land of Judah. ¹⁷ David slaughtered them from twilight until the evening of the next day.^(EL) None of them escaped, except four hundred young men who got on camels and fled.^(EM)

¹⁸ David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken; he also rescued his two wives. ¹⁹ Nothing of theirs was missing from the youngest to the oldest, including the sons and daughters, and all the plunder the Amalekites had taken. David got everything back.^{(EN) 20} He took all the flocks and herds, which were driven ahead of the other livestock, and the people shouted, “This is David’s plunder!” ^(EO)

²¹ When David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to go with him and had been left at the Wadi Besor,^(EP) they came out to meet him and to meet the troops with him. When David approached the men, he greeted them, ²² but all the corrupt and worthless men among those who had gone with David argued, “Because they didn’t go with us, we will not give any of the plunder we recovered to them except for each man’s wife and children. They may take them and go.”

²³ But David said, “My brothers, you must not do this with what the Lord has given us. He protected us and handed over to us the raiders who came against us. ²⁴ Who can agree to your proposal? The share of the one who goes into battle is to be the same as the share of the one who remains with the supplies. They will share equally.”^{(EQ) 25} And it has been so from that day forward. David established this policy^[ah] as a law and an ordinance for Israel and it still continues today.

²⁶ When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a gift for you^(ER) from the plunder of the Lord’s enemies.”^{(ES) 27} He sent gifts^[ai] to those in Bethel,^(ET) in Ramoth of the Negev,^(EU) and in Jattir;^{(EV) 28} to those in Aroer,^(EW) in Siphmoth,^(EX) and in Eshtemoa;^{(EY) 29} to those in Racal, in the towns of the Jerahmeelites,^(EZ) and in the towns of the Kenites;^{(FA) 30} to those in Hormah,^(FB) in Bor-ashan,^(FC) and in Athach; ³¹ to those in Hebron,^(FD) and to those in all the places where David and his men had roamed.^(FE)

The Death of Saul and His Sons

31 The Philistines fought against Israel,^(FF) and Israel’s men fled from them and were killed on Mount Gilboa.^{(FG) 2} The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons and killed his sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. ³ When the battle intensified against Saul,^(FH) the archers found him and severely wounded him.^{[aj] 4} Then Saul said to his armor-bearer,^(FI) “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men^(FJ) will come and run me through and torture me!” But his armor-bearer would not do it because he was terrified. Then Saul took his sword and fell on it.^{(FK) 5} When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died with him. ⁶ So on that day, Saul died together with his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all his men.

⁷ When the men of Israel on the other side of the valley and on the other side of the Jordan saw that Israel’s men had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled. So the Philistines came and settled in them.

⁸ The next day when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons dead on Mount Gilboa. ⁹ They cut off Saul’s head, stripped off his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to spread the good news^(FL) in the temples of their idols^(FM) and among the people. ¹⁰ Then they put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths^(FN) and hung his body^(FO) on the wall of Beth-shan.^(FP)

¹¹ When the residents of Jabesh-gilead^(FQ) heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, ¹² all their brave men^(FR) set out, journeyed all night, and retrieved the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. When they arrived at Jabesh, they burned the bodies there.^{(FS) 13} Afterward, they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree^(FT) in Jabesh^(FU) and fasted seven days.