1 Samuel 25:9-27
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 25
9When David’s young men came, they spoke to Nabal in accordance with all these words in David’s name; then they waited. 10But Nabal answered David’s servants and said, 'Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants today who are each breaking away from his master. 11Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men whose origin I do not know?' 12So David’s young men made their way back and returned; and they came and informed him in accordance with all these words. 13Then David said to his men, 'Each of you strap on his sword.' So each man strapped on his sword. And David also strapped on his sword, and about four hundred men went up behind David, while two hundred stayed with the baggage.
14Now one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, 'Behold, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, and he spoke to them in anger.
15Yet the men were very good to us, and we were not harmed, nor did anything go missing as long as we went with them, while we were in the fields.
16They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the time we were with them tending the sheep.
17Now then, be aware and consider what you should do, because harm is plotted against our master and against all his household; and he is such a worthless man that no one can speak to him.'
18Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread and two jugs of wine, and five sheep already prepared and five measures of roasted grain, and a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and she loaded them on donkeys.
19Then she said to her young men, 'Go on ahead of me; behold, I am coming after you.' But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
20And it happened as she was riding on her donkey and coming down by the hidden part of the mountain, that behold, David and his men were coming down toward her; so she met them.
21Now David had said, 'It is certainly for nothing that I have guarded everything that this man has in the wilderness, so that nothing has gone missing of all that belonged to him! For he has returned me evil for good.
22May God do so to the enemies of David, and more so, if by morning I leave alive as much as one male of any who belong to him.'
23When Abigail saw David, she hurried and dismounted from her donkey, and fell on her face in front of David and bowed herself to the ground.
24She fell at his feet and said, 'On me alone, my lord, be the blame. And please let your slave speak to you, and listen to the words of your slave.
25Please do not let my lord pay attention to this worthless man, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and stupidity is with him; but I your slave did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent.
26Now then, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, since the Lord has restrained you from shedding blood, and from avenging yourself by your own hand, now then, may your enemies and those who seek evil against my lord, be like Nabal.
27And now let this gift which your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who accompany my lord.
King James Version
Chapter 25
9And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased. 10And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master. 11Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?
12So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings.
13And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.
14But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them.
15But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields:
16They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
17Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.
18Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.
19And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal.
20And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert of the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met them.
21Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good.
22So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.
23And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,
24And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.
25Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.
26Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the Lord hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.
27And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord, let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 25
9David’s young men went and said all these things to Nabal on David’s behalf, and they waited. 10Nabal asked them, "Who is David? Who is Jesse’s son? Many slaves these days are running away from their masters. 11Am 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."
12David’s young men retraced their steps. When they returned to him, they reported all these words.
13He said to his men, "All of you, put on your swords!" So each man put on his sword, and David also put on his sword. About four hundred men followed David while two hundred stayed with the supplies.
14One of Nabal’s young men informed Abigail, Nabal’s wife: "Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, but he screamed at them.
15The men treated us very well. When we were in the field, we weren’t harassed and nothing of ours was missing the whole time we were living among them.
16They were a wall around us, both day and night, the entire time we were with them herding the sheep.
17Now consider carefully what you should 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!"
18Abigail hurried, taking two hundred loaves of bread, two clay jars of wine, five butchered sheep, a bushel of roasted grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys.
19Then she said to her male servants, "Go ahead of me. I will be right behind you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
20As she rode the donkey down a mountain pass hidden from view, she saw David and his men coming toward her and met them.
21David 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.
22May God punish me and do so severely if I let any of his males survive until morning."
23When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey and knelt down with her face to the ground and paid homage to David.
24She knelt 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.
25My lord should pay no attention to this worthless fool Nabal, for he lives up to his name: His name means ‘stupid,’ and stupidity is all he knows. I, your servant, didn’t see my lord’s young men whom you sent.
26Now 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 by your own hand—may your enemies and those who intend to harm my lord be like Nabal.
27Let this gift your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord.
New Living Translation
Chapter 25
9David’s young men gave this message to Nabal in David’s name, and they waited for a reply.
10Who is this fellow David?' Nabal sneered to the young men. 'Who does this son of Jesse think he is? There are lots of servants these days who run away from their masters.
11Should I take my bread and my water and my meat that I’ve slaughtered for my shearers and give it to a band of outlaws who come from who knows where?'
12So David’s young men returned and told him what Nabal had said.
13Get your swords!' was David’s reply as he strapped on his own. Then 400 men started off with David, and 200 remained behind to guard their equipment.
14Meanwhile, one of Nabal’s servants went to Abigail and told her, 'David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, but he screamed insults at them.
15These men have been very good to us, and we never suffered any harm from them. Nothing was stolen from us the whole time they were with us.
16In fact, day and night they were like a wall of protection to us and the sheep.
17You need to know this and figure out what to do, for there is going to be trouble for our master and his whole family. He’s so ill-tempered that no one can even talk to him!'
18Abigail wasted no time. She quickly gathered 200 loaves of bread, two wineskins full of wine, five sheep that had been slaughtered, nearly a bushel of roasted grain, 100 clusters of raisins, and 200 fig cakes. She packed them on donkeys
19and said to her servants, 'Go on ahead. I will follow you shortly.' But she didn’t tell her husband Nabal what she was doing.
20As she was riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, she saw David and his men coming toward her.
21David had just been saying, 'A lot of good it did to help this fellow. We protected his flocks in the wilderness, and nothing he owned was lost or stolen. But he has repaid me evil for good.
22May God strike me and kill me if even one man of his household is still alive tomorrow morning!'
23When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed low before him.
24She fell at his feet and said, 'I accept all blame in this matter, my lord. Please listen to what I have to say.
25I know Nabal is a wicked and ill-tempered man; please don’t pay any attention to him. He is a fool, just as his name suggests. But I never even saw the young men you sent.
26Now, my lord, as surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, since the Lord has kept you from murdering and taking vengeance into your own hands, let all your enemies and those who try to harm you be as cursed as Nabal is.
27And here is a present that I, your servant, have brought to you and your young men.
English Standard Version
Chapter 25
9When David 's young men came, they said all this to Nabal in the name of David, and then they waited. 10And Nabal answered David 's servants, "Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters. 11Shall I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men who come from I do not know where?" 12So David 's young men turned away and came back and told him all this. 13And David said to his men, "Every man strap on his sword!" And every man of them strapped on his sword. David also strapped on his sword. And about four hundred men went up after David, while two hundred remained with the baggage.
14But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal 's wife, "Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he railed at them.
15Yet the men were very good to us, and we suffered no harm, and we did not miss anything when we were in the fields, as long as we went with them.
16They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
17Now therefore know this and consider what you should do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his house, and he is such a worthless man that one cannot speak to him."
18Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves and two skins of wine and five sheep already prepared and five seahs of parched grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys.
19And she said to her young men, "Go on before me; behold, I come after you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
20And as she rode on the donkey and came down under cover of the mountain, behold, David and his men came down toward her, and she met them.
21Now David had said, "Surely in vain have I guarded all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him, and he has returned me evil for good.
22God do so to the enemies of David and more also, if by morning I leave so much as one male of all who belong to him."
23When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from the donkey and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground.
24She fell at his feet and said, "On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant.
25Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent.
26Now then, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from saving with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal.
27And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord.
New International Version
Chapter 25
9When David’s men arrived, they gave Nabal this message in David’s name. Then they waited.
10Nabal answered David’s servants, "Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days.
11Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?"
12David’s men turned around and went back. When they arrived, they reported every word.
13David said to his men, "Each of you strap on your sword!" So they did, and David strapped his on as well. About four hundred men went up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.
14One of the servants told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, "David sent messengers from the wilderness to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them.
15Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing.
16Night and day they were a wall around us the whole time we were herding our sheep near them.
17Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him."
18Abigail acted quickly. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys.
19Then she told her servants, "Go on ahead; I’ll follow you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
20As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them.
21David had just said, "It’s been useless—all my watching over this fellow’s property in the wilderness so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good.
22May God deal with David, be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!"
23When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground.
24She fell at his feet and said: "Pardon your servant, my lord, and let me speak to you; hear what your servant has to say.
25Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name means Fool, and folly goes with him. And as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my lord sent.
26And now, my lord, as surely as the Lord your God lives and as you live, since the Lord has kept you from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, may your enemies and all who are intent on harming my lord be like Nabal.
27And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my lord, be given to the men who follow you.
New King James Version
10Then Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, “Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants nowadays who break away each one from his master.
11Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men when I do not know where they are from?”
12So David’s young men turned on their heels and went back; and they came and told him all these words.
13Then David said to his men, “Every man gird on his sword.” So every man girded on his sword, and David also girded on his sword. And about four hundred men went with David, and two hundred stayed with the supplies.
14Now one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, “Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master; and he reviled them.
15But the men were very good to us, and we were not hurt, nor did we miss anything as long as we accompanied them, when we were in the fields.
16They were a wall to us both by night and day, all the time we were with them keeping the sheep.
17Now therefore, know and consider what you will do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his household. For he is such a scoundrel that one cannot speak to him.”
18Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five sheep already dressed, five seahs of roasted grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and loaded them on donkeys.
19And she said to her servants, “Go on before me; see, I am coming after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
20So it was, as she rode on the donkey, that she went down under cover of the hill; and there were David and his men, coming down toward her, and she met them.
21Now David had said, “Surely in vain I have protected all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belongs to him. And he has repaid me evil for good.
22May God do so, and more also, to the enemies of David, if I leave one male of all who belong to him by morning light.”
23Now when Abigail saw David, she dismounted quickly from the donkey, fell on her face before David, and bowed down to the ground.
24So she fell at his feet and said: “On me, my lord, on me let this iniquity be! And please let your maidservant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your maidservant.
25Please, let not my lord regard this scoundrel Nabal. For as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and folly is with him! But I, your maidservant, did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent.
26Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, since the Lord has held you back from coming to bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now then, let your enemies and those who seek harm for my lord be as Nabal.
27And now this present which your maidservant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord.
