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1 Samuel 25:2-44
Holman Christian Standard Bible

2 A man in Maon(A) had a business in Carmel;(B) he was a very rich man with 3,000 sheep and 1,000 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 10 young men instructing them, “Go up to Carmel, and when you come to Nabal, greet him in my name.[a] 6 Then say this: ‘Long life to you,[b] and peace to you, to your family, and 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 can afford 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 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 David and all his men put on their swords. About 400 men followed David while 200 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 yelled at them. 15 The men treated us 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 herding the sheep. 17 Now consider carefully what you must 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 200 loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five butchered sheep, a bushel[g] of roasted grain, 100 clusters of raisins, and 200 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[h] and do so severely(N) if I let any of his men[i] survive until morning.”(O)

23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey and fell with her face to the ground in front of David.(P) 24 She fell 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 man Nabal, for he lives up to his name:[j] His name is Nabal,[k] 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 want trouble for my lord be like Nabal.(R) 27 Accept this gift(S) your servant has brought to my lord, and let it 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 “When someone pursues you and attempts to take your life, my lord’s life will be tucked safely in the place[n] where the Lord your God protects the living. However, He will fling away your enemies’ lives like stones from a sling.(X) 30 When the Lord does for my lord all the good He promised 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, “Praise to the Lord God of Israel,(AA) who sent you to meet me today! 33 Your discernment is blessed, and you are 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 men[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 was in a good mood[p] and 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. Then he had a seizure[s] and became paralyzed.[t] 38 About 10 days later, the Lord struck Nabal dead.(AG)

39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise 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, then bowed her face to the ground(AK) and said, “Here I am, your servant, 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. 1 Samuel 25:5 Or Nabal, and ask him for peace
  2. 1 Samuel 25:6 Lit To life
  3. 1 Samuel 25:7 Lit you have shearers
  4. 1 Samuel 25:8 Lit good
  5. 1 Samuel 25:9 Lit name
  6. 1 Samuel 25:9 LXX reads and he became arrogant
  7. 1 Samuel 25:18 Lit sheep, five seahs
  8. 1 Samuel 25:22 LXX; MT reads David’s enemies
  9. 1 Samuel 25:22 Lit of those of his who are urinating against the wall
  10. 1 Samuel 25:25 Lit for as is his name is, so he is
  11. 1 Samuel 25:25 = Fool
  12. 1 Samuel 25:25 Lit and foolishness is with him
  13. 1 Samuel 25:28 Or trouble
  14. 1 Samuel 25:29 Lit bundle
  15. 1 Samuel 25:34 Lit had anyone urinating against a wall
  16. 1 Samuel 25:36 Lit Nabal’s heart was good on him
  17. 1 Samuel 25:36 Lit anything small or great
  18. 1 Samuel 25:37 Lit when the wine had gone out of Nabal
  19. 1 Samuel 25:37 Lit Then his heart died within him
  20. 1 Samuel 25:37 Lit became a stone
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1 Samuel 25:2-44
International Standard Version

2 Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel of Judah,[a] and the man was very rich. He had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats, and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 3 The man’s name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail. The woman was intelligent and beautiful, while the man was harsh and wicked in his dealings. He was a descendant of Caleb.

4 While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep. 5 David sent ten young men, saying to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, find Nabal, and greet him in my name. 6 Then say, ‘May you live long. Peace to you, peace to your family, and peace to all that you have. 7 Now, I’ve heard that the sheep shearers are with you. Now, your shepherds have been with us. We didn’t harm them, and they didn’t miss anything all the time they were in Carmel. 8 Ask your young men and they’ll tell you. Therefore let my[b] young men find favor with you since we came on a special[c] day. Please give whatever you have available to your servants and to your son David.’”

9 David’s young men came to Nabal and told him all this[d] in David’s name, and then they waited. 10 Nabal answered David’s servants: “Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse? There are many servants today who are breaking away from their masters. 11 Should I take my food, my water, and my meat that I’ve slaughtered for my shearers and give it to men who came from who knows where?”[e]

12 David’s men turned and went on[f] their way. They came back and told David[g] everything. 13 David told his men, “Put on your swords.” They put on their swords, and David put on his sword. Then about 400 men followed David, while 200 stayed with the supplies.

Abigail Intercedes with David

14 Now, one of the young men told Nabal’s wife Abigail: “Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet[h] our lord, but he screamed insults at them. 15 The men were very good to us. They didn’t harm us, and we didn’t miss anything all the time we moved around with them when we were in the field. 16 They were a wall around us both day and night, all the time we were with them taking care of the sheep. 17 Now, be aware of this[i] and consider what you should do. Calamity is being planned against our master and against his entire household. He’s such a worthless person[j] that no one can talk to him.”

18 Abigail quickly took 200 loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five butchered sheep, five measures of roasted grain, 100 bunches of raisins, and 200 fig cakes and loaded them on donkeys. 19 She told her young men, “Go ahead of me, I’ll be coming right behind you.” But she said nothing to her husband Nabal. 20 She was riding on the donkey and as she went down a protected part[k] of the mountain, David was there with his men, coming down to meet her, and she went toward them.

21 Now David had said, “Surely it was for nothing that I protected everything that belonged to this man in the wilderness, and nothing was missing of all that belonged to him. But he has repaid me[l] with evil for good! 22 May the Lord do this to the enemies of David[m]—and more also—if by the morning I’ve left alive a single male[n] of all those who belong to him.”

23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got down from the donkey and fell on her face before David, prostrating herself on the ground. 24 She fell at his feet and pleaded, “Your majesty, let the guilt be on me alone, and please let your servant[o] speak to you.[p] Listen to the words of your servant.[q] 25 Please, your majesty, don’t pay attention to this worthless man Nabal, for he’s just like his name. Nabal[r] is his name and folly is his constant companion. But I, your servant,[s] didn’t see your majesty’s young men whom you sent. 26 Now, your majesty, as the Lord lives and as you live, the Lord has kept you from shedding blood[t] and from delivering yourself by your own actions. Now, may your enemies and those seeking to do evil to your majesty be like Nabal. 27 Now let this present that your servant[u] has brought to your majesty be given to the young men who follow[v] your majesty. 28 Please forgive the offense of your servant.[w] For the Lord will certainly make a strong dynasty for your majesty, for your majesty is fighting the Lord’s battles. May evil not be found in you for all of your life.[x] 29 If anyone should arise to pursue you and seek your life, may the life of your majesty be bound up with the Lord your God in a bundle of the living, and may he sling out the lives of your enemies from the pocket of a sling. 30 When the Lord does for your majesty all the good that he promised concerning you and appoints you Commander-in-Chief[y] over Israel, 31 this shouldn’t be an obstacle or stumbling block for your majesty’s conscience, that he poured out blood without cause or that your majesty delivered himself. When the Lord does good things for your majesty, remember your servant.”[z]

32 David told Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who sent you to meet me today. 33 Blessed be your good judgment, and blessed be you, who today stopped me from shedding blood[aa] and delivering myself by my own actions. 34 For as surely as the Lord God of Israel lives, the one who restrained me from harming you—indeed, had you not quickly come to meet me, by dawn[ab] there wouldn’t be a single male[ac] left to Nabal.”

35 David took from her what she had brought him and told her, “Go up to your house in peace. Look, I’ve heard your request and will grant it.”

Nabal’s Death

36 Abigail returned to Nabal, and he was there in his house holding a festival like the festival of a king. Nabal’s heart was glad, and he was very drunk, so she didn’t tell him anything at all[ad] until morning. 37 After Nabal became sober the next morning,[ae] his wife told him all that had happened.[af] Nabal’s[ag] heart failed and he became paralyzed.[ah] 38 About ten days later the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.

39 When David heard that Nabal had died, he said, “Blessed be the Lord who has judged the dispute over my insult at the hand of Nabal, and has held back his servant from evil. The Lord has repaid Nabal’s wickedness.”

Then David sent word to Abigail that he would take her as his wife. 40 David’s servants went to Abigail at Carmel and told her, “David sent us to you to take you to him as his wife.”

41 She got up, prostrated herself face down on the ground, and replied, “Your servant would be a slave to wash the feet of your majesty’s servants.” 42 Then Abigail quickly got up and got on a donkey, with five young women walking behind her.[ai] She followed David’s messengers, and she became his wife. 43 David also married Ahinoam of Jezreel, and both of them became his wives. 44 Meanwhile, Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Laish’s son Palti from Gallim.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 25:2 The Heb. lacks of Judah
  2. 1 Samuel 25:8 Lit. the
  3. 1 Samuel 25:8 Lit. good
  4. 1 Samuel 25:9 Lit. according to all these words
  5. 1 Samuel 25:11 Lit. men whom I don’t know where they’re from
  6. 1 Samuel 25:12 Lit. turned to
  7. 1 Samuel 25:12 Lit. him
  8. 1 Samuel 25:14 Lit. bless
  9. 1 Samuel 25:17 Lit. Know
  10. 1 Samuel 25:17 Lit. a son of Belial; i.e. a worthless person
  11. 1 Samuel 25:20 Or a hidden part
  12. 1 Samuel 25:21 Lit. returned to me
  13. 1 Samuel 25:22 LXX reads to David
  14. 1 Samuel 25:22 Lit. single one who urinates on a wall
  15. 1 Samuel 25:24 Lit. maidservant
  16. 1 Samuel 25:24 Lit. speak in your ear
  17. 1 Samuel 25:24 Lit. maidservant
  18. 1 Samuel 25:25 Nabal means fool in Heb.
  19. 1 Samuel 25:25 Lit. maidservant
  20. 1 Samuel 25:26 Lit. coming with blood
  21. 1 Samuel 25:27 Lit. maidservant
  22. 1 Samuel 25:27 Lit. who are walking at the feet of
  23. 1 Samuel 25:28 Lit. maidservant
  24. 1 Samuel 25:28 Lit. all the days
  25. 1 Samuel 25:30 Lit. Nagid; i.e. a senior officer entrusted with dual roles of operational oversight and administrative authority
  26. 1 Samuel 25:31 Lit. maidservant
  27. 1 Samuel 25:33 Lit. from coming with blood
  28. 1 Samuel 25:34 Lit. the light of the morning
  29. 1 Samuel 25:34 Lit. one who urinates on a wall
  30. 1 Samuel 25:36 Lit. anything great or small
  31. 1 Samuel 25:37 Lit. When the wine had gone out of Nabal
  32. 1 Samuel 25:37 Lit. all these things
  33. 1 Samuel 25:37 Lit. His
  34. 1 Samuel 25:37 Lit. became like a stone
  35. 1 Samuel 25:42 Lit. walking at her feet; i.e. as her attendants
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