1Samuel 25

1 Samuel died and all Israel assembled to mourn for him. They buried him at his home in Ramah. David got up and went down to the Wilderness of Paran. ^{a25:1 LXX reads Maoch}ISV — 1Samuel 25:1

2 Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel of Judah, ^{b25:2 The Heb. lacks of Judah} and the man was very rich. He had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats, and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.ISV — 1Samuel 25:2

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.ISV — 1Samuel 25:3

4 While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep.ISV — 1Samuel 25:4

5 David sent ten young men, saying to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, find Nabal, and greet him in my name.ISV — 1Samuel 25:5

6 Then say, ‘May you live long. Peace to you, peace to your family, and peace to all that you have.ISV — 1Samuel 25:6

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.ISV — 1Samuel 25:7

8 Ask your young men and they’ll tell you. Therefore let my ^{c25:8 Lit. the} young men find favor with you since we came on a special ^{d25:8 Lit. good} day. Please give whatever you have available to your servants and to your son David.’”ISV — 1Samuel 25:8

9 David’s young men came to Nabal and told him all this ^{e25:9 Lit. according to all these words} in David’s name, and then they waited.ISV — 1Samuel 25:9

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.ISV — 1Samuel 25:10

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?” ^{f25:11 Lit. men whom I don’t know where they’re from}ISV — 1Samuel 25:11

12 David’s men turned and went on ^{g25:12 Lit. turned to} their way. They came back and told David ^{h25:12 Lit. him} everything.ISV — 1Samuel 25:12

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.ISV — 1Samuel 25:13

14 Now, one of the young men told Nabal’s wife Abigail: “Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet ^{i25:14 Lit. bless} our lord, but he screamed insults at them.ISV — 1Samuel 25:14

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.ISV — 1Samuel 25:15

16 They were a wall around us both day and night, all the time we were with them taking care of the sheep.ISV — 1Samuel 25:16

17 Now, be aware of this ^{j25:17 Lit. Know} and consider what you should do. Calamity is being planned against our master and against his entire household. He’s such a worthless person ^{k25:17 Lit. a son of Belial; i.e. a worthless person} that no one can talk to him.”ISV — 1Samuel 25:17

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.ISV — 1Samuel 25:18

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.ISV — 1Samuel 25:19

20 She was riding on the donkey and as she went down a protected part ^{l25:20 Or a hidden part} of the mountain, David was there with his men, coming down to meet her, and she went toward them.ISV — 1Samuel 25:20

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 ^{m25:21 Lit. returned to me} with evil for good!ISV — 1Samuel 25:21

22 May the LORD do this to the enemies of David ^{n25:22 LXX reads to David} —and more also—if by the morning I’ve left alive a single male ^{o25:22 Lit. single one who urinates on a wall} of all those who belong to him.”ISV — 1Samuel 25:22

23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got down from the donkey and fell on her face before David, prostrating herself on the ground.ISV — 1Samuel 25:23

24 She fell at his feet and pleaded, “Your majesty, let the guilt be on me alone, and please let your servant ^{p25:24 Lit. maidservant} speak to you. ^{q25:24 Lit. speak in your ear} Listen to the words of your servant. ^{r25:24 Lit. maidservant} ISV — 1Samuel 25:24

25 Please, your majesty, don’t pay attention to this worthless man Nabal, for he’s just like his name. Nabal ^{s25:25 Nabal means fool in Heb.} is his name and folly is his constant companion. But I, your servant, ^{t25:25 Lit. maidservant} didn’t see your majesty’s young men whom you sent.ISV — 1Samuel 25:25

26 Now, your majesty, as the LORD lives and as you live, the LORD has kept you from shedding blood ^{u25:26 Lit. coming with blood} and from delivering yourself by your own actions. Now, may your enemies and those seeking to do evil to your majesty be like Nabal.ISV — 1Samuel 25:26

27 Now let this present that your servant ^{v25:27 Lit. maidservant} has brought to your majesty be given to the young men who follow ^{w25:27 Lit. who are walking at the feet of} your majesty.ISV — 1Samuel 25:27

28 Please forgive the offense of your servant. ^{x25:28 Lit. maidservant} 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. ^{y25:28 Lit. all the days}ISV — 1Samuel 25:28

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.ISV — 1Samuel 25:29

30 When the LORD does for your majesty all the good that he promised concerning you and appoints you Commander-in-Chief ^{z25:30 Lit. Nagid; i.e. a senior officer entrusted with dual roles of operational oversight and administrative authority} over Israel,ISV — 1Samuel 25:30

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.” ^{aa25:31 Lit. maidservant}ISV — 1Samuel 25:31

32 David told Abigail, “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who sent you to meet me today.ISV — 1Samuel 25:32

33 Blessed be your good judgment, and blessed be you, who today stopped me from shedding blood ^{bb25:33 Lit. from coming with blood} and delivering myself by my own actions.ISV — 1Samuel 25:33

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 ^{cc25:34 Lit. the light of the morning} there wouldn’t be a single male ^{dd25:34 Lit. one who urinates on a wall} left to Nabal.”ISV — 1Samuel 25:34

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.”ISV — 1Samuel 25:35

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 ^{ee25:36 Lit. anything great or small} until morning.ISV — 1Samuel 25:36

37 After Nabal became sober the next morning, ^{ff25:37 Lit. When the wine had gone out of Nabal} his wife told him all that had happened. ^{gg25:37 Lit. all these things} Nabal’s ^{hh25:37 Lit. His} heart failed and he became paralyzed. ^{ii25:37 Lit. became like a stone}ISV — 1Samuel 25:37

38 About ten days later the LORD struck Nabal, and he died.ISV — 1Samuel 25:38

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.ISV — 1Samuel 25:39

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.”ISV — 1Samuel 25:40

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.”ISV — 1Samuel 25:41

42 Then Abigail quickly got up and got on a donkey, with five young women walking behind her. ^{jj25:42 Lit. walking at her feet; i.e. as her attendants} She followed David’s messengers, and she became his wife.ISV — 1Samuel 25:42

43 David also married Ahinoam of Jezreel, and both of them became his wives.ISV — 1Samuel 25:43

44 Meanwhile, Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Laish’s son Palti from Gallim.ISV — 1Samuel 25:44