¹⁸ Then once more you shall ^(A)see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

²⁵ Let not my lord regard ^(A)this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal^[a] is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent.

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; ^(A)he was a Calebite. ⁴ David heard in the wilderness that Nabal ^(B)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] (C)}‘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, ^(D)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 ^(E)on a feast day. Please give whatever you have at hand to your servants and to your son David.’”