¹² In course of time the wife of Judah, Shua’s daughter, died; when Judah’s time of mourning was over,^[a] he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.^(A)

¹⁰ and the boundary circles west of Baalah to Mount Seir, passes along to the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), and goes down to Beth-shemesh, and passes along by Timnah;^(A)

³⁹ And the heart of^[a] the king went out, yearning for Absalom, for he was now consoled over the death of Amnon.^(A)

Samson’s Marriage

14 Once Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw a Philistine woman.

⁶⁷ Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.^(A)

Absalom Avenges the Violation of His Sister

²³ After two full years Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons. ²⁴ Absalom came to the king and said, “Your servant has sheepshearers; will the king and his servants please go with your servant?” ²⁵ But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go, or else we will be burdensome to you.” He pressed him, but he would not go but gave him his blessing. ²⁶ Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” ²⁷ But Absalom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. Absalom made a feast like a king’s feast.^{[a] 28} Then Absalom commanded his servants, “Watch when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Do not be afraid; have I not myself commanded you? Be courageous and valiant.”^{(A) 29} So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons rose, and each mounted his mule and fled.^(B)

³⁶ Abigail came to Nabal; he was holding a feast in his house like the feast of a king. Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk, so she told him nothing at all until the morning light.^(A)

⁴ David heard in the wilderness that Nabal 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 Thus you shall salute him, ‘Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have.^{(A) 7} I hear that you have shearers; now your shepherds have been with us, and we did them no harm, and they missed nothing all the time they were in Carmel.^{(B) 8} Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your sight, for we have come on a feast day. Please give whatever you have at hand to your servants and to your son David.’ ”^(C)

⁴³ Elon, Timnah, Ekron,

⁵⁷ Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah: ten towns with their villages.