Samuel dies

1Samuel died, and people from all over Israel gathered to mourn for him when he was buried at his home25.1 at his home: Hebrew “in his house”. Family tombs were sometimes underneath the house or in the courtyard of the home. in Ramah. Meanwhile, David moved his camp to Paran Desert.25.1 Paran Desert: Hebrew; some manuscripts of one ancient translation “Maon Desert”.

Abigail keeps David from killing innocent people

2-3Nabal was a very rich man who lived in Maon. He owned three thousand sheep and a thousand goats, which he kept at Carmel.25.2,3 Carmel: About one and a half kilometres north of Maon in the Southern Desert of Judah. His wife Abigail was sensible and beautiful, but he was from the Caleb clan25.2,3 from the Caleb clan: Or “behaved like a dog”. and was rough and mean.

4One day, Nabal was in Carmel, while his servants cut the wool from his sheep. David was in the desert when he heard about it. 5-6So he sent ten men to Carmel with this message for Nabal:

I hope that you and your family are healthy and that all is going well for you. 7I've heard that you are cutting the wool from your sheep.

When your shepherds were with us in Carmel, we didn't harm them, and nothing was ever stolen from them. 8Ask your shepherds, and they'll tell you the same thing.

My servants are your servants, and you are like a father to me. This is a day for celebrating,25.8 celebrating: Cutting the wool from the sheep was a time for celebrating as well as for working. so please be kind and share some of your food with us.

9David's men went to Nabal and gave him David's message, then they waited for Nabal's answer.

10This is what he said:

Who does this David think he is? That son of Jesse is just one more slave on the run from his master, and there are too many of them these days. 11What makes you think I would take my bread, my water, and the meat that I've had cooked for my own servants25.11 servants: Hebrew “shearers”, the servants who cut the wool from the sheep. and give it to you? Besides, I'm not sure that David sent you!25.11 I'm not sure…sent you: Or “I don't know where you come from.”

12The men returned to their camp and told David everything Nabal had said.

13“Everybody get your swords!” David ordered.

They all strapped on their swords. Two hundred men stayed behind to guard the camp, but the other four hundred followed David.

14-16Meanwhile, one of Nabal's servants told Abigail:

David's men were often nearby while we were taking care of the sheep in the fields. They were very good to us, they never hurt us, and nothing was ever stolen from us while they were nearby. With them around day or night, we were as safe as we would have been inside a walled city.

David sent some messengers from the desert to wish our master well, but he shouted insults at them. 17He's a bully who won't listen to anyone.

Isn't there something you can do? Please think of something! Or else our master and his family and everyone who works for him are all doomed.

18Abigail quickly got together two hundred loaves of bread, two large clay jars of wine, the meat from five sheep, a large sack of roasted grain, a hundred handfuls of raisins, and two hundred handfuls of dried figs. She loaded all the food on donkeys 19and told her servants, “Take this on ahead, and I'll catch up with you.” She didn't tell her husband Nabal what she was doing.

20Abigail was riding her donkey on the path that led around the hillside, when suddenly she met David and his men heading straight at her.

21David had just been saying, “I wasted my time guarding Nabal's things in the desert and keeping them from being stolen! I was good to him, and now he pays me back with insults. 22I swear that by morning, there won't be a man or boy left from his family or his servants' families. I pray that God will punish me25.22 me: One ancient translation; Hebrew “my enemies”. if I don't do it!”

23Abigail quickly got off her donkey and bowed down in front of David. 24Then she said:

Sir, please let me explain! 25Don't pay any attention to that good-for-nothing Nabal. His name means “fool”, and it really fits him!

I didn't see the men you sent, 26-27but please take this gift of food that I've brought and share it with your followers. The LORD has kept you from taking revenge and from killing innocent people. But I hope your enemies and anyone else who wants to harm you will end up like Nabal. I swear this by the living LORD and by your life.

28Please forgive me if I say a little more. The LORD will always protect you and your family, because you fight for him. I pray that you won't ever do anything evil as long as you live. 29The LORD your God will keep you safe when your enemies try to kill you. But he will snatch away their lives quicker than you can throw a stone from a sling.

30The LORD has promised to do many good things for you, even to make you the ruler of Israel. The LORD will keep his promises to you, 31and now your conscience will be clear, because you won't be guilty of taking revenge and killing innocent people.

When the LORD does all those good things for you, please remember me.

32David told her:

I praise the LORD God of Israel! He must have sent you to meet me today. 33And you should also be praised. Your good sense kept me from taking revenge and killing innocent people. 34If you hadn't come to meet me so quickly, every man and boy in Nabal's family and in his servants' families would have been killed by morning. I swear by the living LORD God of Israel who protected you that this is the truth.

35David accepted the food Abigail had brought. “Don't worry,” he said. “You can go home now. I'll do what you asked.”

36Abigail went back home and found Nabal throwing a party fit for a king. He was very drunk and feeling good, so she didn't tell him anything that night. 37But when he sobered up the next morning, Abigail told him everything that had happened. Nabal had a heart attack, and he lay in bed as still as a stone. 38Ten days later, the LORD took his life.

39-40David heard that Nabal had died. “I praise the LORD!” David said. “He has judged Nabal guilty for insulting me. The LORD kept me from doing anything wrong, and he made sure that Nabal hurt only himself with his own evil.”

David and Abigail are married

Abigail was still at Carmel. So David sent messengers to ask her if she would marry him.

41She bowed down and said, “I would willingly be David's slave and wash his servants' feet.”

42Abigail quickly got ready and went back with David's messengers. She rode on her donkey, while five of her servant women walked beside her. She and David were married as soon as she arrived.

43David had earlier married Ahinoam from the town of Jezreel, so both she and Abigail were now David's wives.25.43 wives: Having more than one wife was allowed in those times. 44Meanwhile, Saul had arranged for Michal25.44 Michal: David's first wife (see 18.20—19.17). to marry Palti the son of Laish, who came from the town of Gallim.25.44: 2 S 3.14-16.