25 Later on, Shemuel died and all the Israelis gathered and mourned for him, then they buried him at his house in Ramah.

Then David left and went to the Paran wilderness. 2 Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. He owned three thousand sheep and one thousand goats, and was busy shearing his sheep at Carmel. 3 The man’s name was Nabal, and his wife was Abigail. The wife was wise and very good-looking, whereas the man (who was a Calebite) was harsh and cruel.

4 While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep, 5 so he told ten young men, “Go to Nabal at Carmel and greet him in my name. 6 Then tell him, ‘Make you live long. Peace to you and your household and everything that belongs to you. 7 Now I’ve heard those shearers are working for you, and your shepherds have been living with us. We haven’t harmed them or taken anything of theirs while they’ve been in Carmel. 8 Ask your servants and they’ll confirm this. May these young men enjoy your favour because harvesting the wool is a prosperous time, so I request a gift for your servants and for your ‘son’, David.’ ”

9 So David’s men went and passed all that onto Nabal, and then waited for his response. 10 But Nabal answered them, “Why should I care about David? Yishay’s son isn’t anyone important. There’s lot of servants these days who’re on the run from their masters. 11 This bread and water, and the meat that I’ve butchered, is for my shearers. Why should I give it to men when I don’t even know where they’re from?”

12 David’s men left and returned to inform him what Nabal had been said. 13 Then David told his men, “Strap on your swords.” So David took around four hundred men, leaving around two hundred with their gear.

14 Meanwhile, Nabal’s wife Abigail had been informed by a servant, “Listen, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, but he yelled at them. 15 Their men had been very good to us—we were never harmed or had anything go missing when we were in the countryside. 16 They protected us both day and night for the whole time that we were tending the sheep. 17 So now you should think about it and decide what you can do, because no doubt disaster is about to hit our master and all his household. He’s a terrible man who listens to no one.”

18 So Abigail quickly collected two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five butchered sheep, a large basket of roasted grain, a hundred bunches of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs. She loaded it all on donkeys 19 and told her servants, “Go ahead with the donkeys. I’ll come along behind you all.” But she didn’t say a word to her husband Nabal.

20 As she rode down a hill and into the ravine, suddenly she encountered David and his men coming down to meet her. 21 David had told them, “Well it was certainly a waste of time looking after that fellow in the wilderness, and taking such care not to take anything of his. Then all he did was to return insults for our good behaviour. 22 May God preserve my enemies, if I don’t eliminate all of the old and young men in his household before the morning.

23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly dismounted from the donkey and fell to her knees in front of David and bowed her face to the ground. 24 She clutched his feet and said, “My master, let the guilt be on me myself. Please let your female servant explain to you—please listen to what your female servant has to say. 25 My master, please don’t remain angry at that worthless man, Nabal. His name means ‘fool’ and so he is. He’s a senseless man, but my master, your female servant didn’t see the young men you sent. 26 And now, my master, as Yahweh lives and as your spirit lives, it’s Yahweh who’s prevented you from spilling blood and taking his punishment into your own hands. And now may your enemies and anyone who makes plans against my master be like Nabal. 27 Now let this gift that your servant has brought to my master be given to the young men who serve my master. 28 Please forgive your female servant for being forward because Yahweh will certain advance my master’s reputation. My master is fighting Yahweh’s battles and all your life, you haven’t broken the law. 29 Even if someone decides to chase you and try to kill you my master, your God Yahweh will keep you wrapped in his bundle of the living, whereas your enemies will be slung away like stones from a sling. 30 If Yahweh does all the good things he’s promised for my master, then in time you’ll become Israel’s ruler. 31 It would be good not to have someone’s death

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