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1 Samuel 25:2-44
Christian Standard Bible

2 A man in Maon(A) had a business in Carmel;(B) 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,(C) 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[a] in my name. 6 Then say this: ‘Long life to you,[b] and peace to you, peace to your family, and peace to all that is yours.(D) 7 I hear that you are shearing.[c] When your shepherds were with us, we did not harass them, and nothing of theirs was missing the whole time they were in Carmel.(E) 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[d] day.(F) 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,[e] and they waited.[f] 10 Nabal asked them, “Who is David?(G) 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.(H)

14 One of Nabal’s young men informed Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master,(I) but he screamed at them. 15 The men treated us very well. When we were in the field, we weren’t harassed(J) 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,(K) the entire time we were with them herding the sheep. 17 Now consider carefully[g] 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[h] of roasted grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys.(L) 19 Then she said to her male servants, “Go ahead of me. I will be right behind you.”(M) 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[i] and do so severely(N) if I let any of his males[j] survive until morning.”(O)

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.(P) 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:[k] His name means ‘stupid,’ and stupidity is all he knows.[l] 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(Q) by your own hand—may your enemies and those who intend to harm my lord be like Nabal.(R) 27 Let this gift(S) your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28 Please forgive your servant’s offense,(T) for the Lord is certain to make a lasting dynasty for my lord(U) because he fights the Lord’s battles.(V) Throughout your life, may evil[m] not be found in you.(W)

29 “Someone is pursuing you and intends to take your life. My lord’s life is tucked safely in the place[n] where the Lord your God protects the living, but he is flinging away your enemies’ lives like stones from a sling.(X) 30 When the Lord does for my lord all the good he promised you and appoints you ruler over Israel,(Y) 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.”(Z)

32 Then David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,(AA) 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.(AB) 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[o] left by morning light.” 35 Then David accepted what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace.(AC) See, I have heard what you said and have granted your request.”(AD)

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

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

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

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,(AK) and said, “Here I am, your servant, a slave to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”(AL) 42 Then Abigail got up quickly, and with her five female servants accompanying her, rode on the donkey following David’s messengers.(AM) And so she became his wife.

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

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Footnotes

  1. 25:5 Or Nabal, ask him for peace
  2. 25:6 Lit ‘To life
  3. 25:7 Lit you have shearers
  4. 25:8 Lit good
  5. 25:9 Lit name
  6. 25:9 LXX reads and he became arrogant
  7. 25:17 Lit Now know and see
  8. 25:18 Lit sheep, five seahs
  9. 25:22 LXX; MT reads David’s enemies
  10. 25:22 Lit of those of his who are urinating against the wall
  11. 25:25 Lit for as is his name is, so he is
  12. 25:25 Lit and foolishness is with him
  13. 25:28 Or trouble
  14. 25:29 Lit bundle
  15. 25:34 Lit had anyone urinating against a wall
  16. 25:36 Lit Nabal’s heart was good on him
  17. 25:36 Lit anything at all
  18. 25:37 Lit when the wine had gone out of Nabal
  19. 25:37 Lit Then his heart died within him
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1 Samuel 25:2-44
New English Translation

David Marries Abigail the Widow of Nabal

2 There was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. This man was very wealthy;[a] he owned 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats. At that time he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 3 The man’s name was Nabal,[b] and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was both wise[c] and beautiful, but the man was harsh and his deeds were evil. He was a Calebite.

4 When David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep, 5 he[d] sent ten servants,[e] saying to them,[f] “Go up to Carmel to see Nabal and give him greetings in my name.[g] 6 Then you will say to my brother,[h] ‘Peace to you and your house! Peace to all that is yours! 7 Now I hear that they are shearing sheep for you. When your shepherds were with us, we neither insulted them nor harmed them the whole time they were in Carmel. 8 Ask your own servants; they can tell you! May my servants find favor in your sight, for we have come[i] at the time of a holiday. Please provide us—your servants[j] and your son David—with whatever you can spare.’”[k]

9 So David’s servants went and spoke all these words to Nabal in David’s name. Then they paused. 10 But Nabal responded to David’s servants, “Who is David, and who is this son of Jesse? This is a time when many servants are breaking away from their masters! 11 Should I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers and give them to these men? I don’t even know where they came from!”

12 So David’s servants went on their way. When they had returned, they came and told David[l] all these things. 13 Then David instructed his men, “Each of you strap on your sword!” So each one strapped on his sword, and David also strapped on his sword. About 400 men followed David, while 200 stayed behind with the equipment.

14 But one of the servants told Nabal’s wife Abigail, “David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet[m] our lord, but he screamed at them. 15 These men were very good to us. They did not insult us, nor did we sustain any loss during the entire time we were together[n] in the field. 16 Both night and day they were a protective wall for us the entire time we were with them, while we were tending our flocks. 17 Now be aware of this, and see what you can do. For disaster has been planned for our lord and his entire household.[o] He is such a wicked person[p] that no one tells him anything!”

18 So Abigail quickly took 200 loaves of bread, two containers[q] of wine, five prepared sheep, five seahs[r] of roasted grain, 100 bunches of raisins, and 200 lumps of pressed figs. She loaded them on donkeys 19 and said to her servants, “Go on ahead of me. I will come after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.

20 Riding on her donkey, she went down under cover of the mountain. David and his men were coming down to meet her, and she encountered them. 21 Now David had been thinking,[s] “In vain I guarded everything that belonged to this man in the wilderness. I didn’t take anything from him. But he has repaid my good with evil. 22 God will severely punish David,[t] if I leave alive until morning even one male[u] from all those who belong to him!”

23 When Abigail saw David, she got down quickly from the donkey, threw herself facedown before David, and bowed to the ground. 24 Falling at his feet, she said, “My lord, I accept all the guilt! But please let your female servant speak to you! Please listen to the words of your servant! 25 My lord should not pay attention to this wicked man Nabal. He simply lives up to his name! His name means ‘fool,’ and he is indeed foolish![v] But I, your servant, did not see the servants my lord sent.[w]

26 “Now, my lord, as surely as the Lord lives and as surely as you live, it is the Lord who has kept you from shedding blood and taking matters into your own hands. Now may your enemies and those who seek to harm my lord be like Nabal. 27 Now let this present[x] that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the servants who follow[y] my lord. 28 Please forgive the sin of your servant, for the Lord will certainly establish a lasting dynasty for my lord, because my lord fights the battles of the Lord. May no evil be found in you all your days! 29 When someone sets out to chase you and to take your life, the life of my lord will be wrapped securely in the bag[z] of the living by the Lord your God. But he will sling away the lives of your enemies from the sling’s pocket! 30 The Lord will do for my lord everything that he promised you,[aa] and he will make[ab] you a leader over Israel. 31 Your conscience will not be overwhelmed with guilt[ac] for having poured out innocent blood and for having taken matters into your own hands. When the Lord has granted my lord success,[ad] please remember your servant.”

32 Then David said to Abigail, “Praised[ae] be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you this day to meet me! 33 Praised be your good judgment! May you yourself be rewarded[af] for having prevented me this day from shedding blood and taking matters into my own hands! 34 Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives—he who has prevented me from harming you—if you had not come so quickly to meet me, by morning’s light not even one male belonging to Nabal would have remained alive!” 35 Then David took from her hand what she had brought to him. He said to her, “Go back[ag] to your home in peace. Be assured that I have listened to you[ah] and responded favorably.”[ai]

36 When Abigail went back to Nabal, he was holding a banquet in his house like that of the king. Nabal was having a good time[aj] and was very intoxicated. She told him absolutely nothing[ak] until morning’s light. 37 In the morning, when Nabal was sober,[al] his wife told him about these matters. He had a stroke and was paralyzed.[am] 38 After about ten days the Lord struck Nabal down and he died.

39 When David heard that Nabal had died, he said, “Praised be the Lord who has vindicated me and avenged the insult that I suffered from Nabal![an] The Lord has kept his servant from doing evil, and he has repaid Nabal for his evil deeds.”[ao] Then David sent word to Abigail and asked her to become his wife.

40 So the servants of David went to Abigail at Carmel and said to her, “David has sent us to you to bring you back to be his wife.” 41 She arose, bowed her face toward the ground, and said, “Your female servant, like a lowly servant, will wash[ap] the feet of the servants of my lord.” 42 Then Abigail quickly went and mounted her donkey, with five of her female servants accompanying her.[aq] She followed David’s messengers and became his wife.

43 David had also married[ar] Ahinoam from Jezreel; the two of them became his wives. 44 (Now Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Paltiel son of Laish, who was from Gallim.)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 25:2 tn Heb “great.”
  2. 1 Samuel 25:3 sn The name נָבָל (Nabal) means “foolish” or “senseless” in Hebrew, and as an adjective the word is used especially of persons who have no perception of ethical or religious claims. It is an apt name for this character, who certainly typifies such behavior.
  3. 1 Samuel 25:3 tn Heb “good of insight”; KJV “of good understanding”; NAB, NIV, TEV “intelligent”; NRSV “clever.”
  4. 1 Samuel 25:5 tn Heb “David”; for stylistic reasons the pronoun has been used in the translation.
  5. 1 Samuel 25:5 tn Or “young men.”
  6. 1 Samuel 25:5 tn Heb “and David said to the young men.”
  7. 1 Samuel 25:5 tn Heb “and inquire concerning him in my name in regard to peace.”
  8. 1 Samuel 25:6 tc The text is difficult here. The MT and most of the early versions support the reading לֶחָי (lekhai, “to life,” or “to the one who lives”). Some of the older English versions (KJV, ASV; cf. NKJV) took the expression to mean “to him who lives (in prosperity),” but this translation requires reading a good deal into the words. While the expression could have the sense of “Long life to you!” (cf. NIV, NJPS) or perhaps “Good luck to you!” this seems somewhat redundant in light of the salutation that follows in the context. The Latin Vulgate has fratribus meis (“to my brothers”), which suggests that Jerome understood the Hebrew word to have an ʾalef that is absent in the MT (i.e., לֶאֱחָי, leʾekhay). Jerome’s plural, however, remains a problem, since in the context David is addressing a single individual, namely Nabal, and not a group. However, it is likely that the Vulgate witnesses to a consonantal Hebrew text that is to be preferred here, especially if the word were to be revocalized as a singular rather than a plural. While it is impossible to be certain about this reading, the present translation essentially follows the Vulgate in reading “my brother” (so also NJB; cf. NAB, RSV, NRSV).
  9. 1 Samuel 25:8 tc The translation follows many medieval Hebrew mss in reading בָּאנוּ (baʾnu, “we have come”) rather than the MT’s בָּנוּ (banu, “we have built”).
  10. 1 Samuel 25:8 tn This refers to the ten servants sent by David.
  11. 1 Samuel 25:8 tn Heb “whatever your hand will find.”
  12. 1 Samuel 25:12 tn Heb “him”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  13. 1 Samuel 25:14 tn Heb “bless.”
  14. 1 Samuel 25:15 tn Heb “all the days we walked about with them when we were.”
  15. 1 Samuel 25:17 tn Heb “all his house” (so ASV, NRSV); NAB, NLT “his whole family.”
  16. 1 Samuel 25:17 tn Heb “he is a son of worthlessness.”
  17. 1 Samuel 25:18 tn Heb “skins.”
  18. 1 Samuel 25:18 sn The seah was a dry measure equal to one-third of an ephah, or not quite eleven quarts.
  19. 1 Samuel 25:21 tn Heb “said.”
  20. 1 Samuel 25:22 tc Heb “Thus God will do to the enemies of David and thus he will add.” Most of the Old Greek ms tradition has simply “David,” with no reference to his enemies. In OT imprecations such as the one found in v. 22 it is common for the speaker to direct malediction toward himself as an indication of the seriousness with which he regards the matter at hand. In other words, the speaker invites on himself dire consequences if he fails to fulfill the matter expressed in the oath. However, in the situation alluded to in v. 22 the threat actually does not come to fruition due to the effectiveness of Abigail’s appeal to David on behalf of her husband Nabal. Instead, David is placated through Abigail’s intervention. It therefore seems likely that the reference to “the enemies of David” in the MT of v. 22 is the result of a scribal attempt to deliver David from the implied consequences of this oath. The present translation follows the LXX rather than the MT here.
  21. 1 Samuel 25:22 tn Heb “one who urinates against a wall” (also in v. 34); KJV “any that pisseth against the wall.” At first this may seem to be a vulgar phrase because it refers to a bodily function and David is angry. But David uses the same phrase when he speaks in a conciliatory way to Abigail in v. 34. There is no clear point to his using a vulgar phrase in that context. Similarly for the narrator in 1 Kgs 16:11 and the Lord’s oracles in 1 Kgs 14:10; 21:21; 2 Kgs 9:8, any rhetorical reason for vulgarity is unclear. The phrase refers to males, is not with certainty crude, and the addition of the phrase “at a wall” does not communicate well in the modern setting. We we have chosen to simply use “male” for this phrase.
  22. 1 Samuel 25:25 tn Heb “and foolishness is with him.”
  23. 1 Samuel 25:25 tn Heb “my lord’s servants, whom you sent.”
  24. 1 Samuel 25:27 tn Heb “blessing.”
  25. 1 Samuel 25:27 tn Heb “are walking at the feet of.”
  26. 1 Samuel 25:29 tn Cf. KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV “bundle”; NLT “treasure pouch.”
  27. 1 Samuel 25:30 tn Heb “according to all which he spoke, the good concerning you.”
  28. 1 Samuel 25:30 tn Heb “appoint.”
  29. 1 Samuel 25:31 tn Heb “and this will not be for you for staggering and for stumbling of the heart of my lord.”
  30. 1 Samuel 25:31 tn Heb “and the Lord will do well for my lord.”
  31. 1 Samuel 25:32 tn Heb “blessed” (also in vv. 33, 39).
  32. 1 Samuel 25:33 tn Heb “blessed.”
  33. 1 Samuel 25:35 tn Heb “up.”
  34. 1 Samuel 25:35 tn Heb “your voice.”
  35. 1 Samuel 25:35 tn Heb “I have lifted up your face.”
  36. 1 Samuel 25:36 tn Heb “and the heart of Nabal was good upon him”; NASB, NRSV “Nabal’s heart was merry within him”; NIV “he was in high spirits”; NCV, TEV “was in a good mood”; CEV “was very drunk and feeling good.”
  37. 1 Samuel 25:36 tn Heb “and she did not tell him a thing, small or large.”
  38. 1 Samuel 25:37 tn Heb “when the wine had gone out from Nabal.”
  39. 1 Samuel 25:37 tn Heb “and his heart died within him and he became a stone.” Cf. TEV, NLT “stroke”; CEV “heart attack.” For an alternative interpretation than that presented above, see Marjorie O’Rourke Boyle, “The Law of the Heart: The Death of a Fool (1 Samuel 25),” JBL 120 (2001): 401-27, who argues that a medical diagnosis is not necessary here. Instead, the passage makes a connection between the heart and the law; Nabal dies for his lawlessness.
  40. 1 Samuel 25:39 tn Heb “who has argued the case of my insult from the hand of Nabal.”
  41. 1 Samuel 25:39 tn Heb “his servant he has held back from evil, and the evil of Nabal the Lord has turned back on his head.”
  42. 1 Samuel 25:41 tn Heb “Here is your maidservant, for a lowly servant to wash.”
  43. 1 Samuel 25:42 tn Heb “going at her feet.”
  44. 1 Samuel 25:43 tn Heb “taken.”
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