1 Samuel 25

Samuel’s Death

11Then SamuelH8050 diedH4191; and allH3605 IsraelH3478 gatheredH6908 together and 2mournedH5594 for him, and 3buriedH6912 him at his houseH1004 in RamahH7414. And DavidH1732 aroseH6965 and wentH3381 downH3381 to the 4wildernessH4057 of ParanH6290.

Nabal and Abigail

2Now there was a manH376 in 5MaonH4584 whose businessH4639 was in 6CarmelH3760; and the manH376 was veryH3966 7richH1419, and he had threeH7969 thousandH505 sheepH6629 and a thousandH505 goatsH5795. And it cameH1961 about while 8he was shearingH1494 his sheepH6629 in CarmelH3760 3(now the man’sH376 nameH8034 was NabalH5037, and his 9wife’sH802 nameH8034 was AbigailH26. And the womanH802 was 10intelligentH2896H7922 and beautifulH3303 in appearanceH8389, but the manH376 was harshH7186 and evilH7451 in his dealingsH4611, and he was 11a CalebiteH3614), 4that DavidH1732 heardH8085 in the wildernessH4057 that NabalH5037 was shearingH1494 his sheepH6629. 5So DavidH1732 sentH7971 tenH6235 youngH5288 menH5288; and DavidH1732 saidH559 to the youngH5288 menH5288, “GoH5927 up to CarmelH3760, 12visitH935H413 NabalH5037 and greetH7592H7965 him in my nameH8034; 6and thusH3541 you shall sayH559, ‘13Have a long lifeH2416, 14peaceH7965 be to you, and peaceH7965 be to your houseH1004, and peaceH7965 be to allH3605 that you have. 7NowH6258 I have heardH8085 15that you have shearersH1494; nowH6258 your shepherdsH7462 have beenH1961 with us and we have not insultedH3637 them, 16norH3808 have they missedH6485 anythingH3972 allH3605 the daysH3117 they were in CarmelH3760. 8AskH7592 your youngH5288 menH5288 and they will tellH5046 you. Therefore let my youngH5288 menH5288 findH4672 favorH2580 in your eyesH5869, for we have comeH935 on 17a 18festiveH2896 dayH3117. PleaseH4994 giveH5414 whateverH834 you findH4672 at handH3027 to your servantsH5650 and to your sonH1121 DavidH1732.’”

9When David’sH1732 youngH5288 menH5288 cameH935, they spokeH1696 to NabalH5037 according to allH3605 theseH428 wordsH1697 in David’sH1732 nameH8034; then they waitedH5117. 10But NabalH5037 answeredH6030 David’sH1732 servantsH5650 and saidH559, “19WhoH4310 is DavidH1732? And whoH4310 is the sonH1121 of JesseH3448? There are manyH7231 servantsH5650 todayH3117 who are eachH376 breakingH6555 awayH6555 from his masterH113. 11Shall I then 20takeH3947 my breadH3899 and my waterH4325 and my meatH2878 that I have slaughteredH2873 for my shearersH1494, and giveH5414 it to menH376 21whoseH834 originH4480H2088H335 I do not knowH3045?” 12So David’sH1732 youngH5288 menH5288 retracedH2015 their wayH1870 and wentH7725 backH7725; and they cameH935 and toldH5046 him according to allH3605 theseH428 wordsH1697. 13DavidH1732 saidH559 to his menH376, “EachH376 of you girdH2296 on his swordH2719.” So eachH376 manH376 girdedH2296 on his swordH2719. And DavidH1732 alsoH1571 girdedH2296 on his swordH2719, and about 22fourH702 hundredH3967 menH376 wentH5927 up behindH310 DavidH1732 while two hundredH3967 23stayedH3427 with the baggageH3627.

14But oneH259 of the youngH5288 menH5288 toldH5046 AbigailH26, Nabal’sH5037 wifeH802, sayingH559, “BeholdH2009, DavidH1732 sentH7971 messengersH4397 from the wildernessH4057 to 2425greetH1288 our masterH113, and he scornedH5860 them. 15Yet the menH376 were veryH3966 goodH2896 to us, and we were not 26insultedH3637, norH3808 did we missH6485 anythingH3972 27as longH3605H3117 as we wentH1980 about with them, while we were in the fieldsH7704. 1628They were a wallH2346 to us bothH1571 by nightH3915 and by dayH3119, allH3605 the timeH3117 we were with them tendingH7462 the sheepH6629. 17NowH6258 therefore, knowH3045 and 29considerH7200 whatH4100 you should doH6213, for evilH7463 is plottedH3615 againstH413 our masterH113 and againstH5921 allH3605 his householdH1004; and he is such a 30worthlessH1100 manH1121 that noH4480 one can speakH1696 to him.”

Abigail Intercedes

18Then AbigailH26 hurriedH4116 and 31tookH3947 two hundredH3967 loaves of breadH3899 and twoH8147 jugsH5035 of wineH3196 and fiveH2568 sheepH6629 already preparedH6213 and fiveH2568 measuresH5429 of roastedH7039 grainH7039 and a hundredH3967 clustersH6778 of raisinsH6778 and two hundredH3967 cakesH1690 of figsH1690, and loadedH7760 them on donkeysH2543. 19She saidH559 to her youngH5288 menH5288, “32GoH5674 on beforeH6440 me; beholdH2009, I am comingH935 afterH310 you.” But she did not tellH5046 her husbandH376 NabalH5037. 20It cameH1961 about as she was ridingH7392 on her donkeyH2543 and comingH3381 downH3381 by the hiddenH5643 partH5643 of the mountainH2022, that beholdH2009, DavidH1732 and his menH376 were comingH3381 downH3381 towardH7122 her; so she metH6298 them. 21Now DavidH1732 had saidH559, “SurelyH389 in vainH8267 I have guardedH8104 allH3605 that thisH2088 man has in the wildernessH4057, so that nothingH3808H3972 was missedH6485 of allH3605 that belonged to him; and he has 33returnedH7725 me evilH7463 for goodH2899. 2234May GodH430 doH6213 soH3541 to the enemiesH340 of DavidH1732, and moreH3254 alsoH3541, 35ifH518 by morningH1242 I leaveH7604 as much as one 36maleH8366H7023 of anyH3605 whoH834 belong to him.”

23When AbigailH26 sawH7200 DavidH1732, she hurriedH4116 and dismountedH3381 from her donkeyH2543, and fellH5307 on her faceH6440 beforeH639 DavidH1732 37and bowedH7812 herself to the groundH776. 24She fellH5307 at his feetH7272 and saidH559, “On me 38aloneH589, my lordH113, be the blameH5771. And pleaseH4994 let your maidservantH519 speakH1696 39to you, and listenH8085 to the wordsH1697 of your maidservantH519. 25PleaseH4994 do not let my lordH113 40payH7760 attentionH3820 to thisH2088 41worthlessH1100 manH376, NabalH5037, for as his nameH8034 is, soH3651 is he. 42NabalH5037 is his nameH8034 and follyH5039 is with him; but I your maidservantH519 did not seeH7200 the youngH5288 menH5288 of my lordH113 whomH834 you sentH7971.

26“NowH6258 therefore, my lordH113, as the LordH3068 livesH2416, and as your soulH5315 livesH2416, sinceH834 the LordH3068 has restrainedH4513 you from 43sheddingH935 bloodH1818, and 44from 45avengingH3467 yourself by your own handH3027, nowH6258 then 46let your enemiesH340 and those who seekH1245 evilH7463 againstH413 my lordH113, be as NabalH5037. 27NowH6258 let 47thisH2088 48giftH1293 whichH834 your maidservantH8198 has broughtH935 to my lordH113 be givenH5414 to the youngH5288 menH5288 who 49accompanyH1980H7272 my lordH113. 28PleaseH4994 forgiveH5375 50the transgressionH6588 of your maidservantH519; for 51the LordH3068 will certainlyH6213 makeH6213 for my lordH113 an enduringH539 houseH1004, becauseH3588 my lordH113 is 52fightingH3898 the battlesH4421 of the LordH3068, and 53evilH7463 will not be foundH4672 in you allH4480 your daysH3117. 29Should anyoneH120 riseH6965 up to pursueH7291 you and to seekH1245 your 54lifeH5315, then the 55lifeH5315 of my lordH113 shall be boundH6887 in the bundleH6872 of the livingH2416 with the LordH3068 your GodH430; but the 56livesH5315 of your enemiesH340 57He will slingH7049 out 58as from the hollowH3709 of a slingH7050. 30And whenH3588 the LordH3068 doesH6213 for my lordH3068 according to allH3605 the goodH2899 that He has spokenH1696 concerningH5921 you, and 59appointsH6680 you rulerH5057 overH5921 IsraelH3478, 31thisH2088 will not 60causeH1961 griefH6330 or a troubledH4383 heartH3820 to my lordH113, both by having shedH8210 bloodH1818 withoutH2600 causeH2600 and by my lordH113 having 61avengedH3467 himself. 62When the LordH3068 dealsH3190 wellH3190 with my lordH113, then rememberH2142 your maidservantH519.”

32Then DavidH1732 saidH559 to AbigailH26, “63BlessedH1288 be the LordH3068 GodH430 of IsraelH3478, whoH834 sentH7971 you thisH2088 dayH3117 to meetH7122 me, 33and blessedH1288 be your discernmentH2940, and blessedH1288 be you, 64whoH834 have keptH3607 me thisH2088 dayH3117 from 65bloodshedH1818 and from 66avengingH3467 myself by my own handH3027. 34NeverthelessH199, as the LordH3068 GodH430 of IsraelH3478 livesH2416, 67whoH834 has restrainedH4513 me from harmingH7489 you, unlessH3588H3884 you had comeH935 quicklyH4116 to meetH7122 me, surelyH3588H518 there would not have been leftH3498 to NabalH5037 untilH5704 the morningH1242 lightH216 as much as one 68maleH8366H7023.” 35So DavidH1732 receivedH3947 from her handH3027 whatH834 she had broughtH935 him and saidH559 to her, “69GoH5927 up to your houseH1004 in peaceH7965. SeeH7200, I have listenedH8085 to 70you and 7172grantedH5375 your requestH6440.”

36Then AbigailH26 cameH935 to NabalH5037, and beholdH2009, he was holding 73a feastH4960 in his houseH1004, like the feastH4960 of a kingH4428. And Nabal’sH5037 heartH3820 was merryH2895 withinH5921 him, 74for he was veryH5704H3966 drunkH7910; so 75she did not tellH5046 him anythingH1697 76at allH6996H1419 untilH5704 the morningH1242 lightH216. 37But in the morningH1242, when the wineH3196 had goneH3318 out of NabalH5037, his wifeH802 toldH5046 him theseH428 thingsH1697, and his heartH3820 diedH4191 withinH7130 him so that he becameH1961 as a stoneH68. 38About tenH6235 daysH3117 later, 77the LordH3068 struckH5062 NabalH5037 and he diedH4191.

David Marries Abigail

39When DavidH1732 heardH8085 that NabalH5037 was deadH4191, he saidH559, “BlessedH1288 be the LordH3068, whoH834 has 78pleadedH7378 the causeH7379 of my reproachH2781 from the handH3027 of NabalH5037 and 79has keptH2820 backH2820 His servantH5650 from evilH7463. The LordH3068 has also returnedH7725 the evildoingH7463 of NabalH5037 on his own headH7218.” Then DavidH1732 sentH7971 8081a proposalH1696 to AbigailH26, to takeH3947 her as his wifeH802. 40When the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732 cameH935 to AbigailH26 at CarmelH3760, they spokeH1696 to her, sayingH559, “DavidH1732 has sentH7971 us to you to takeH3947 you as his wifeH802.” 41She aroseH6965 82and bowedH7812 with her faceH639 to the groundH776 and saidH559, “BeholdH2009, your maidservantH519 is a maidH8189 83to washH7364 the feetH7272 of my lord’sH113 servantsH5650.” 42Then 84AbigailH26 quicklyH4116 aroseH6965, and rodeH7392 on a donkeyH2543, with her fiveH2568 maidensH5291 who 85attendedH1980H7272 her; and she followedH1980H310 the messengersH4397 of DavidH1732 and becameH1961 his wifeH802.

43DavidH1732 had also takenH3947 AhinoamH293 of 86JezreelH3157, and 87they bothH1571H8147 becameH1961 his wivesH802.

44Now SaulH7586 had givenH5414 88MichalH4324 his daughterH1323, David’sH1732 wifeH802, to PaltiH6406 the sonH1121 of LaishH3919, whoH834 was from 89GallimH1554.