1 Samuel 25 - New International Version (NIV)

David, Nabal and Abigail

25 Now Samuel died,(A) and all Israel assembled and mourned(B) for him; and they buried him at his home in Ramah.(C) Then David moved down into the Desert of Paran.[a]

2 A certain man in Maon,(D) who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy.(E) He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing(F) in Carmel. 3 His name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail.(G) She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband was surly and mean in his dealings—he was a Calebite.(H)

4 While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep. 5 So he sent ten young men and said to them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel and greet him in my name. 6 Say to him: ‘Long life to you! Good health(I) to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours!(J)

7 “‘Now I hear that it is sheep-shearing time. When your shepherds were with us, we did not mistreat(K) them, and the whole time they were at Carmel nothing of theirs was missing. 8 Ask your own servants and they will tell you. Therefore be favorable toward my men, since we come at a festive time. Please give your servants and your son David whatever(L) you can find for them.’”

9 When David’s men arrived, they gave Nabal this message in David’s name. Then they waited.

10 Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who(M) is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. 11 Why should I take my bread(N) and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?”

12 David’s men turned around and went back. When they arrived, they reported every word. 13 David said to his men(O), “Each of you strap on your sword!” So they did, and David strapped his on as well. About four hundred men went(P) up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.(Q)

14 One of the servants told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “David sent messengers from the wilderness to give our master his greetings,(R) but he hurled insults at them. 15 Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat(S) us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing.(T) 16 Night and day they were a wall(U) around us the whole time we were herding our sheep near them. 17 Now 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(V) man that no one can talk to him.”

18 Abigail acted quickly. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs[b] of roasted grain,(W) a hundred cakes of raisins(X) and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys.(Y) 19 Then she told her servants, “Go on ahead;(Z) I’ll follow you.” But she did not tell(AA) her husband Nabal.

20 As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them. 21 David 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.(AB) He has paid(AC) me back evil(AD) for good. 22 May God deal with David,[c] be it ever so severely,(AE) if by morning I leave alive one male(AF) of all who belong to him!”

23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground.(AG) 24 She fell at his feet and said: “Pardon your servant, my lord,(AH) and let me speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. 25 Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name means Fool(AI),(AJ) and folly goes with him. And as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my lord sent. 26 And now, my lord, as surely as the Lord your God lives and as you live, since the Lord has kept you from bloodshed(AK) and from avenging(AL) yourself with your own hands, may your enemies and all who are intent on harming my lord be like Nabal.(AM) 27 And let this gift,(AN) which your servant has brought to my lord, be given to the men who follow you.

28 “Please forgive(AO) your servant’s presumption. The Lord your God will certainly make a lasting(AP) dynasty for my lord, because you fight the Lord’s battles,(AQ) and no wrongdoing(AR) will be found in you as long as you live. 29 Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life,(AS) the life of my lord will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God, but the lives of your enemies he will hurl(AT) away as from the pocket of a sling.(AU) 30 When the Lord has fulfilled for my lord every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him ruler(AV) over Israel, 31 my lord will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lord your God has brought my lord success, remember(AW) your servant.”(AX)

32 David said to Abigail, “Praise(AY) be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. 33 May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed(AZ) this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. 34 Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal(BA) would have been left alive by daybreak.”

35 Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted(BB) your request.”

36 When Abigail went to Nabal, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high(BC) spirits and very drunk.(BD) So she told(BE) him nothing at all until daybreak. 37 Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone.(BF) 38 About ten days later, the Lord struck(BG) Nabal and he died.

39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise be to the Lord, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal’s wrongdoing down on his own head.”

Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife. 40 His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, “David has sent us to you to take you to become his wife.”

41 She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, “I am your servant and am ready to serve you and wash the feet of my lord’s servants.” 42 Abigail(BH) quickly got on a donkey and, attended by her five female servants, went with David’s messengers and became his wife. 43 David had also married Ahinoam(BI) of Jezreel, and they both were his wives.(BJ) 44 But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Paltiel[d](BK) son of Laish, who was from Gallim.(BL)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 25:1 Hebrew and some Septuagint manuscripts; other Septuagint manuscripts Maon
  2. 1 Samuel 25:18 That is, probably about 60 pounds or about 27 kilograms
  3. 1 Samuel 25:22 Some Septuagint manuscripts; Hebrew with David’s enemies
  4. 1 Samuel 25:44 Hebrew Palti, a variant of Paltiel

Cross references

  1. 1 Samuel 25:1 : 1Sa 28:3
  2. 1 Samuel 25:1 : S Lev 10:6; Dt 34:8
  3. 1 Samuel 25:1 : S 1Sa 7:17
  4. 1 Samuel 25:2 : S Jos 15:55
  5. 1 Samuel 25:2 : 2Sa 19:32
  6. 1 Samuel 25:2 : S Ge 31:19
  7. 1 Samuel 25:3 : Pr 31:10
  8. 1 Samuel 25:3 : S Jos 14:13; S 15:13
  9. 1 Samuel 25:6 : Ps 122:7; Mt 10:12
  10. 1 Samuel 25:6 : 1Ch 12:18
  11. 1 Samuel 25:7 : ver 15
  12. 1 Samuel 25:8 : Ne 8:10
  13. 1 Samuel 25:10 : Jdg 9:28
  14. 1 Samuel 25:11 : Jdg 8:6
  15. 1 Samuel 25:13 : S 1Sa 22:2
  16. 1 Samuel 25:13 : S 1Sa 21:10
  17. 1 Samuel 25:13 : S Nu 31:27
  18. 1 Samuel 25:14 : 1Sa 13:10
  19. 1 Samuel 25:15 : ver 7
  20. 1 Samuel 25:15 : ver 21
  21. 1 Samuel 25:16 : Ex 14:22; Job 1:10; Ps 139:5
  22. 1 Samuel 25:17 : S Dt 13:13; S 1Sa 20:7
  23. 1 Samuel 25:18 : S Lev 23:14; S 1Sa 17:17
  24. 1 Samuel 25:18 : 1Ch 12:40
  25. 1 Samuel 25:18 : S Ge 42:26; 2Sa 16:1; Isa 30:6
  26. 1 Samuel 25:19 : Ge 32:20
  27. 1 Samuel 25:19 : ver 36
  28. 1 Samuel 25:21 : ver 15
  29. 1 Samuel 25:21 : Ps 109:5
  30. 1 Samuel 25:21 : S 1Sa 19:4
  31. 1 Samuel 25:22 : S Ru 1:17
  32. 1 Samuel 25:22 : 1Ki 14:10; 21:21; 2Ki 9:8
  33. 1 Samuel 25:23 : S Ge 19:1; S 1Sa 20:41
  34. 1 Samuel 25:24 : 2Sa 14:9
  35. 1 Samuel 25:25 : Pr 17:12
  36. 1 Samuel 25:25 : Pr 12:16; 14:16; 20:3; Isa 32:5
  37. 1 Samuel 25:26 : ver 33
  38. 1 Samuel 25:26 : Heb 10:30
  39. 1 Samuel 25:26 : ver 34; 2Sa 18:32
  40. 1 Samuel 25:27 : S Ge 33:11
  41. 1 Samuel 25:28 : ver 24; 2Sa 14:9
  42. 1 Samuel 25:28 : 2Sa 7:11, 26
  43. 1 Samuel 25:28 : 1Sa 18:17
  44. 1 Samuel 25:28 : 1Sa 24:11
  45. 1 Samuel 25:29 : S 1Sa 20:1
  46. 1 Samuel 25:29 : Jer 10:18; 22:26
  47. 1 Samuel 25:29 : 1Sa 17:50; 2Sa 4:8
  48. 1 Samuel 25:30 : S 1Sa 12:12; S 13:14
  49. 1 Samuel 25:31 : S Ge 40:14
  50. 1 Samuel 25:31 : 2Sa 3:10
  51. 1 Samuel 25:32 : S Ge 24:27
  52. 1 Samuel 25:33 : ver 26
  53. 1 Samuel 25:34 : S ver 26
  54. 1 Samuel 25:35 : S Ge 19:21
  55. 1 Samuel 25:36 : S Ru 3:7
  56. 1 Samuel 25:36 : Pr 20:1; Ecc 10:17; Isa 5:11, 22; 22:13; 28:7; 56:12; Hos 4:11
  57. 1 Samuel 25:36 : ver 19
  58. 1 Samuel 25:37 : Ex 15:16
  59. 1 Samuel 25:38 : Dt 32:35; 1Sa 24:12; 26:10; 2Sa 6:7; 12:15
  60. 1 Samuel 25:42 : 2Sa 2:2; 3:3; 1Ch 3:1
  61. 1 Samuel 25:43 : 2Sa 3:2; 1Ch 3:1
  62. 1 Samuel 25:43 : 1Sa 27:3; 30:5; 2Sa 2:2
  63. 1 Samuel 25:44 : 2Sa 3:15
  64. 1 Samuel 25:44 : Isa 10:30

You Might Also Like:

1 Samuel 25 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

25 And Samuel dieth, and all Israel are gathered, and mourn for him, and bury him in his house, in Ramah; and David riseth and goeth down unto the wilderness of Paran. 2 And [there is] a man in Maon, and his work [is] in Carmel; and the man [is] very great, and he hath three thousand sheep, and a th...
Read More

1 Samuel 25 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

25 Forsooth Samuel was dead; and all Israel was gathered together, and they bewailed him greatly, and buried him in his house in Ramah. And David rose up, and went down into the desert of Paran. (And then Samuel died; and all Israel was gathered together, and they greatly bewailed him, and buried hi...
Read More

1 Samuel 25 - World English Bible (WEB)

25 Samuel died; and all Israel gathered themselves together, and mourned for him, and buried him at his house at Ramah.Then David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran. 2 There was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great. He had three thousand sheep and...
Read More

1 Samuel 25 - The Voice (VOICE)

25 At last, Samuel died, and all of the people of Israel gathered to mourn him. They buried him at his home in Ramah on the border of Benjamin and Ephraim. Once the mourning period was over, David and his men went down to the wilderness of Paran[a] (the desert area far to the south). 2 A certain man...
Read More

1 Samuel 25 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Abigail and Foolish Nabal25 Then Samuel died, and all Israel gathered and lamented him, and buried him at his house in Ramah. David then arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran. 2 Now there was a man in Maon, whose business was in Carmel, and the man was so wealthy, he had 3,000 sheep and 1,0...
Read More

1 Samuel 25 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Death of Samuel25 Now Samuel died; and all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him in his house at Ramah.David and the Wife of NabalThen David rose and went down to the wilderness of Paran. 2 And there was a man in Ma′on, whose business was in Carmel. The man was very rich; he had...
Read More

1 Samuel 25 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Death of Samuel25 Now Samuel died; and all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him in his house at Ramah.David and the Wife of NabalThen David rose and went down to the wilderness of Paran. 2 And there was a man in Ma′on, whose business was in Carmel. The man was very rich; he had...
Read More

1 Samuel 25 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Death of Samuel25 Now Samuel died; and all Israel assembled and mourned for him. They buried him at his home in Ramah.Then David got up and went down to the wilderness of Paran. David and the Wife of Nabal2 There was a man in Maon, whose property was in Carmel. The man was very rich; he had three th...
Read More

1 Samuel 25 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Death of Samuel25 Now Samuel died, and all Israel assembled and mourned for him. They buried him at his home in Ramah.Then David got up and went down to the wilderness of Paran.(A)David and Abigail2 There was a man in Maon whose property was in Carmel. The man was very rich; he had three thousand sh...
Read More

1 Samuel 25 - New Living Translation (NLT)

The Death of Samuel25 Now Samuel died, and all Israel gathered for his funeral. They buried him at his house in Ramah.Nabal Angers DavidThen David moved down to the wilderness of Maon.[a] 2 There was a wealthy man from Maon who owned property near the town of Carmel. He had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goa...
Read More

1 Samuel 25 - New Life Version (NLV)

The Death of Samuel25 Now Samuel died. All Israel gathered together and was filled with sorrow for him. They buried him at his house in Ramah.Then David got ready and went down to the desert of Paran. 2 There was a man in Maon who worked in Carmel. The man was very rich. He had 3,000 sheep and 1,00...
Read More

1 Samuel 25 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Death of Samuel25 Then (A)Samuel died; and the Israelites gathered together and (B)lamented for him, and buried him at his home in Ramah. And David arose and went down (C)to the Wilderness of [a]Paran. David and the Wife of Nabal2 Now there was a man (D)in Maon whose business was in (E)Carmel, and t...
Read More

1 Samuel 25 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

David, Nabal and Abigail25 Now Samuel died, and all Israel assembled and mourned for him; and they buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David moved down into the Desert of Paran.[a] 2 A certain man in Maon, who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy. He had a thousand goats and three thousa...
Read More

1 Samuel 25 - New International Version (NIV)

David, Nabal and Abigail25 Now Samuel died,(A) and all Israel assembled and mourned(B) for him; and they buried him at his home in Ramah.(C) Then David moved down into the Desert of Paran.[a] 2 A certain man in Maon,(D) who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy.(E) He had a thousand goats a...
Read More

1 Samuel 25 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

David, Nabal and Abigail25 When Samuel died, the whole nation of Israel gathered together. They were filled with sorrow because he was dead. They buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David went down into the Desert of Paran. 2 A certain man in Maon was very wealthy. He owned property there at Carme...
Read More

1 Samuel 25 - New English Translation (NET)

The Death of Samuel25 Samuel died, and all Israel assembled and mourned him. They buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David left and went down to the wilderness of Paran.[a] David Marries Abigail the Widow of Nabal2 There was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. This man was very wealthy;[b...
Read More