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1 Samuel 25:1-42
Expanded Bible
1 Samuel 25:1-42
Expanded Bible
Nabal Insults David
25 Now Samuel died, and all the Israelites ·met [L gathered; assembled] and ·had a time of sadness [mourned] for him. Then they buried him at his home in Ramah.
David moved to the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Maon.[a] 2 A man in Maon who had ·land [business] at Carmel was very rich. He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. He was ·cutting the wool off his sheep [having his sheep shorn] at Carmel. 3 His name was Nabal [C meaning “Fool” in Hebrew], and he was a descendant of Caleb [Num. 13:6, 30; 14:6, 24, 30; Josh. 14:6; 15:14; Judg. 1:12–20]. His wife was named Abigail. She was ·wise [intelligent; clever; sensible] and beautiful, but Nabal was ·cruel [harsh; crude; surly] and mean. He was a Calebite.
4 While David was in the ·desert [wilderness], he heard that Nabal was ·cutting the wool from [shearing] his sheep. 5 So he sent ten young men and told them, “Go to Nabal at Carmel, and greet him ·for me [L in my name]. 6 Say to Nabal, ‘May you and your ·family [L house] and all who belong to you have ·good health [long life; peace; prosperity]! 7 I have heard that you are ·cutting the wool from [shearing] your sheep. When your shepherds were with us, we did not ·harm [mistreat] them. All the time your shepherds were at Carmel, ·we stole nothing from them [they missed/lost nothing]. 8 Ask your ·servants [L young men], and they will tell you. We come at a ·happy time [feast day; festive time], so ·be kind [show favor] to my young men. Please give anything [C provisions] you ·can find [have at hand] for them and for your son David.’”
9 When David’s men arrived, they gave the message to Nabal [L in David’s name], ·but Nabal insulted them [L and then waited]. 10 He answered them, “Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many ·slaves [servants] are running away from their masters ·today [these days]! 11 I have bread and water, and I have meat that I ·killed [slaughtered] for my ·servants who cut the wool [shearers]. ·But I won’t give it to men I don’t know [L Why should I give it to men from who knows where?].”
12 David’s men went back and told him all Nabal had said. 13 Then David said to them, “·Put [Strap; Buckle; T Gird] on your swords!” So they ·put [strapped; buckled; T girded] on their swords, and David put [strapped; buckled; T girded] on his also. About four hundred men went with David, but two hundred men stayed with the ·supplies [equipment; baggage].
14 One of Nabal’s ·servants [young men] said to Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “David sent messengers from the ·desert [wilderness] to greet our master, but Nabal ·insulted [scorned] them. 15 These men were very good to us. They did not ·harm [mistreat] us. ·They stole nothing from us [Nothing was missing] during all the time we were out in the field with them. 16 Night and day they ·protected us. They were […were] like a wall around us while we were with them ·caring for [tending; minding] the sheep. 17 Now ·think about it [make up your mind], and ·decide [consider] what you ·can [should] do. ·Terrible trouble is coming to [Disaster is certain for; Evil is fated for] our master and all his ·family [household]. Nabal is such a ·wicked [ill-tempered; quarrelsome] man that no one can even talk to him.”
18 Abigail hurried. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two ·leather bags [wineskins] full of wine, five ·cooked [prepared; slaughtered] sheep, ·a bushel [five measures/L seahs] of ·cooked [roasted] grain, a hundred ·cakes [clusters] of raisins, and two hundred cakes of pressed figs and ·put [loaded] all these on donkeys. 19 Then she told her ·servants [L young men], “Go on [L ahead]. I’ll follow you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
20 Abigail rode her donkey and came down toward ·the [a] mountain ·hideout [ravine]. There she met David and his men coming down toward her.
21 David had just said, “·It’s been useless! [In vain have ] I ·watched over [guarded; protected] Nabal’s property in the ·desert [wilderness]. I made sure ·none of his sheep was missing [nothing was stolen]. I did good to him, but he has paid me back with evil. 22 May God punish ·me [L David][b] even more than my enemies if I leave even one of Nabal’s ·men [L one who urinates against a wall] alive until morning.
23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and ·bowed facedown on the ground [prostrated herself] before him. 24 She fell at David’s feet and said, “My ·master [lord], let the ·blame [guilt] be on me! Please let ·me [L your maidservant] talk to you. Listen to what ·I [L your maidservant has to] say. 25 My ·master [lord], [L please] don’t ·pay attention to [L set your heart/mind on] this worthless man Nabal. He is like his name. His name means ·‘fool’ [‘brute’], and he is truly a ·fool [brute]. But I, your servant, didn’t see the men you sent. 26 The Lord has kept you from killing and ·punishing anyone [taking revenge/vengeance by your own hand]. As surely as the Lord lives and as surely as you live, may your enemies [L and those who seek to harm my lord] become like Nabal! 27 ·I [L Your maidservant] have brought a gift to you for the men who follow you. 28 Please forgive ·my [L your maidservant’s] ·wrong [offense; transgression]. The Lord will certainly ·let your family have many kings [make a lasting/enduring dynasty/house for my lord; 2 Sam. 7], because you fight ·his [L the Lord’s] battles. As long as you live, ·may you do nothing bad [L no evil/wrong will be found in you]. 29 Should someone try to chase you to ·kill you [L seek your life], the Lord your God will ·keep you alive [L wrap/bind you up with the living]. He will ·throw [sling; hurl; fling] away your enemies’ lives as ·he would throw a stone from [L the pocket of] a sling. 30 When the Lord has done all the good he promised, he will make you ·leader [ruler; prince] over Israel. 31 Then you won’t feel ·guilty [grieved; anxious] or ·troubled [remorse] because you ·killed innocent people and punished them [L shed blood without cause and avenged yourself]. Please remember ·me [L your maidservant] when the Lord ·brings you success [has done well by you].”
32 David answered Abigail, “·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you to meet me today. 33 May you be blessed for your ·wisdom [good sense/judgment; discernment]. You have kept me from ·killing [bloodshed] or ·punishing people [L avenging myself with my own hand] today. 34 As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, he has kept me from ·hurting [harming] you. If you hadn’t come quickly to meet me, not one of Nabal’s ·men [L those who urinate against a wall] would ·have lived until [still be alive in the] morning.”
35 Then David ·accepted Abigail’s gifts [L received from her hand that which she had brought]. He told her, “Go home in peace. I have heard your words, and ·I will do what you have asked [granted your request/petition].”
Nabal’s Death
36 When Abigail went back to Nabal, he was in the house, ·eating [feasting; drinking] like a king. He was very drunk and in ·a good mood [high spirits]. So she told him nothing until ·the next morning [daybreak; dawn]. 37 In the morning when ·he was not drunk [L the wine had left him], his wife told him everything. ·His heart stopped [He had a stroke], and he became like stone. 38 About ten days later the Lord struck Nabal and he died.
39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord! Nabal insulted me, but the Lord has ·supported me [avenged me; pleaded/judged my case; upheld my cause]! He has kept ·me [L his servant] from doing ·wrong [evil]. The Lord has ·punished Nabal for his wrong [L returned Nabal’s evildoing on his own head].”
Then David sent a ·message [proposal] to Abigail, asking her to be his wife. 40 His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, “David sent us to take you so you can become his wife.”
41 Abigail ·bowed facedown [prostrated herself] on the ground and said, “·I am [L Your maidservant is] your ·servant [slave]. I’m ready to serve you and to wash the feet of my ·master’s [lord’s] servants.” 42 Abigail quickly got on a donkey and went with David’s messengers, with her five ·maids [servant-girls] following her. And she became David’s wife.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 25:1 Maon Some early Greek copies read “Maon.” Hebrew copies read “Paran.”
- 1 Samuel 25:22 David Some Greek copies read “David.” Hebrew copies read “the enemies of David.”
1 Samuel 25:1-42
New International Version
1 Samuel 25:1-42
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.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 25:1 Hebrew and some Septuagint manuscripts; other Septuagint manuscripts Maon
- 1 Samuel 25:18 That is, probably about 60 pounds or about 27 kilograms
- 1 Samuel 25:22 Some Septuagint manuscripts; Hebrew with David’s enemies
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