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25 Mortuus est autem Samuel, et congregatus est universus Israel, et planxerunt eum, et sepelierunt eum in domo sua in Ramatha. Consurgensque David descendit in desertum Pharan.

Erat autem vir quispiam in solitudine Maon, et possessio ejus in Carmelo, et homo ille magnus nimis: erantque ei oves tria millia, et mille caprae: et accidit ut tonderetur grex ejus in Carmelo.

Nomen autem viri illius erat Nabal. Et nomen uxoris ejus Abigail: eratque mulier illa prudentissima, et speciosa: porro vir ejus durus, et pessimus, et malitiosus: erat autem de genere Caleb.

Cum ergo audisset David in deserto quod tonderet Nabal gregem suum,

misit decem juvenes, et dixit eis: Ascendite in Carmelum, et venietis ad Nabal, et salutabitis eum ex nomine meo pacifice.

Et dicetis: Sit fratribus meis et tibi pax, et domui tuae pax, et omnibus, quaecumque habes, sit pax.

Audivi quod tonderent pastores tui, qui erant nobiscum in deserto: numquam eis molesti fuimus, nec aliquando defuit quidquam eis de grege, omni tempore quo fuerunt nobiscum in Carmelo.

Interroga pueros tuos, et indicabunt tibi. Nunc ergo inveniant pueri tui gratiam in oculis tuis: in die enim bona venimus: quodcumque invenerit manus tua, da servis tuis, et filio tuo David.

Cumque venissent pueri David, locuti sunt ad Nabal omnia verba haec ex nomine David: et siluerunt.

10 Respondens autem Nabal pueris David, ait: Quis est David? et quis est filius Isai? hodie increverunt servi qui fugiunt dominos suos.

11 Tollam ergo panes meos, et aquas meas, et carnes pecorum quae occidi tonsoribus meis, et dabo viris quos nescio unde sint?

12 Regressi sunt itaque pueri David per viam suam, et reversi venerunt, et nuntiaverunt ei omnia verba quae dixerat.

13 Tunc ait David pueris suis: Accingatur unusquisque gladio suo. Et accincti sunt singuli gladiis suis, accinctusque est et David ense suo: et secuti sunt David quasi quadringenti viri: porro ducenti remanserunt ad sarcinas.

14 Abigail autem uxori Nabal nuntiavit unus de pueris suis, dicens: Ecce David misit nuntios de deserto, ut benedicerent domino nostro: et aversatus est eos.

15 Homines isti boni satis fuerant nobis, et non molesti: nec quidquam aliquando periit omni tempore quo fuimus conversati cum eis in deserto:

16 pro muro erant nobis tam in nocte quam in die, omnibus diebus quibus pavimus apud eos greges.

17 Quam ob rem considera, et recogita quid facias: quoniam completa est malitia adversum virum tuum, et adversum domum tuam, et ipse est filius Belial, ita ut nemo possit ei loqui.

18 Festinavit igitur Abigail, et tulit ducentos panes, et duos utres vini, et quinque arietes coctos, et quinque sata polentae, et centum ligaturas uvae passae, et ducentas massas caricarum, et posuit super asinos:

19 dixitque pueris suis: Praecedite me: ecce ego post tergum sequar vos: viro autem suo Nabal non indicavit.

20 Cum ergo ascendisset asinum, et descenderet ad radices montis, David et viri ejus descendebant in occursum ejus: quibus et illa occurrit.

21 Et ait David: Vere frustra servavi omnia quae hujus erant in deserto, et non periit quidquam de cunctis quae ad eum pertinebant: et reddidit mihi malum pro bono.

22 Haec faciat Deus inimicis David, et haec addat, si reliquero de omnibus quae ad ipsum pertinent usque mane mingentem ad parietem.

23 Cum autem vidisset Abigail David, festinavit, et descendit de asino, et procidit coram David super faciem suam, et adoravit super terram,

24 et cecidit ad pedes ejus, et dixit: In me sit, domine mi, haec iniquitas: loquatur, obsecro, ancilla tua in auribus tuis, et audi verba famulae tuae.

25 Ne ponat, oro, dominus meus rex cor suum super virum istum iniquum Nabal: quoniam secundum nomen suum stultus est, et stultitia est cum eo: ego autem ancilla tua non vidi pueros tuos, domine mi, quos misisti.

26 Nunc ergo, domine mi, vivit Dominus, et vivit anima tua, qui prohibuit te ne venires in sanguinem, et salvavit manum tuam tibi: et nunc fiant sicut Nabal inimici tui, et qui quaerunt domino meo malum.

27 Quapropter suscipe benedictionem hanc, quam attulit ancilla tua tibi domino meo, et da pueris qui sequuntur te dominum meum.

28 Aufer iniquitatem famulae tuae: faciens enim faciet Dominus tibi domino meo domum fidelem, quia praelia Domini, domine mi, tu praeliaris: malitia ergo non inveniatur in te omnibus diebus vitae tuae.

29 Si enim surrexerit aliquando homo persequens te, et quaerens animam tuam, erit anima domini mei custodita quasi in fasciculo viventium apud Dominum Deum tuum: porro inimicorum tuorum anima rotabitur, quasi in impetu et circulo fundae.

30 Cum ergo fecerit Dominus tibi domino meo omnia quae locutus est bona de te, et constituerit te ducem super Israel,

31 non erit tibi hoc in singultum, et in scrupulum cordis domino meo, quod effuderis sanguinem innoxium, aut ipse te ultus fueris: et cum benefecerit Dominus domino meo, recordaberis ancillae tuae.

32 Et ait David ad Abigail: Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel, qui misit hodie te in occursum meum, et benedictum eloquium tuum,

33 et benedicta tu, quae prohibuisti me hodie ne irem ad sanguinem, et ulciscerer me manu mea.

34 Alioquin vivit Dominus Deus Israel, qui prohibuit me ne malum facerem tibi: nisi cito venisses in occursum mihi, non remansisset Nabal usque ad lucem matutinam mingens ad parietem.

35 Suscepit ergo David de manu ejus omnia quae attulerat ei, dixitque ei: Vade pacifice in domum tuam: ecce audivi vocem tuam, et honoravi faciem tuam.

36 Venit autem Abigail ad Nabal: et ecce erat ei convivium in domo ejus quasi convivium regis, et cor Nabal jucundum: erat enim ebrius nimis: et non indicavit ei verbum pusillum aut grande usque mane.

37 Diluculo autem cum digessisset vinum Nabal, indicavit ei uxor sua verba haec: et emortuum est cor ejus intrinsecus, et factus est quasi lapis.

38 Cumque pertransissent decem dies, percussit Dominus Nabal, et mortuus est.

39 Quod cum audisset David mortuum Nabal, ait: Benedictus Dominus, qui judicavit causam opprobrii mei de manu Nabal, et servum suum custodivit a malo, et malitiam Nabal reddidit Dominus in caput ejus. Misit ergo David, et locutus est ad Abigail, ut sumeret eam sibi in uxorem.

40 Et venerunt pueri David ad Abigail in Carmelum, et locuti sunt ad eam, dicentes: David misit nos ad te, ut accipiat te sibi in uxorem.

41 Quae consurgens, adoravit prona in terram, et ait: Ecce famula tua sit in ancillam, ut lavet pedes servorum domini mei.

42 Et festinavit, et surrexit Abigail, et ascendit super asinum, et quinque puellae ierunt cum ea, pedissequae ejus, et secuta est nuntios David: et facta est illi uxor.

43 Sed et Achinoam accepit David de Jezrael: et fuit utraque uxor ejus.

44 Saul autem dedit Michol filiam suam, uxorem David, Phalti filio Lais, qui erat de Gallim.

26 Et venerunt Ziphaei ad Saul in Gabaa, dicentes: Ecce David absconditus est in colle Hachila, quae est ex adverso solitudinis.

Et surrexit Saul, et descendit in desertum Ziph, et cum eo tria millia virorum de electis Israel, ut quaereret David in deserto Ziph.

Et castrametatus est Saul in Gabaa Hachila, quae erat ex adverso solitudinis in via: David autem habitabat in deserto. Videns autem quod venisset Saul post se in desertum,

misit exploratores, et didicit quod illuc venisset certissime.

Et surrexit David clam, et venit ad locum ubi erat Saul: cumque vidisset locum in quo dormiebat Saul, et Abner filius Ner, princeps militiae ejus, et Saulem dormientem in tentorio, et reliquum vulgus per circuitum ejus,

ait David ad Achimelech Hethaeum, et Abisai filium Sarviae fratrem Joab, dicens: Quis descendet mecum ad Saul in castra? Dixitque Abisai: Ego descendam tecum.

Venerunt ergo David et Abisai ad populum nocte, et invenerunt Saul jacentem et dormientem in tentorio, et hastam fixam in terra ad caput ejus: Abner autem et populum dormientes in circuitu ejus.

Dixitque Abisai ad David: Conclusit Deus inimicum tuum hodie in manus tuas: nunc ergo perfodiam eum lancea in terra semel, et secundo opus non erit.

Et dixit David ad Abisai: Ne interficias eum: quis enim extendet manum suam in christum Domini, et innocens erit?

10 Et dixit David: Vivit Dominus, quia nisi Dominus percusserit eum, aut dies ejus venerit ut moriatur, aut in praelium descendens perierit:

11 propitius sit mihi Dominus ne extendam manum meam in christum Domini. Nunc igitur tolle hastam quae est ad caput ejus, et scyphum aquae, et abeamus.

12 Tulit igitur David hastam, et scyphum aquae qui erat ad caput Saul, et abierunt: et non erat quisquam qui videret, et intelligeret, et evigilaret, sed omnes dormiebant, quia sopor Domini irruerat super eos.

13 Cumque transisset David ex adverso, et stetisset in vertice montis de longe, et esset grande intervallum inter eos,

14 clamavit David ad populum, et ad Abner filium Ner, dicens: Nonne respondebis, Abner? Et respondens Abner, ait: Quis es tu, qui clamas, et inquietas regem?

15 Et ait David ad Abner: Numquid non vir tu es? et quis alius similis tui in Israel? quare ergo non custodisti dominum tuum regem? ingressus est enim unus de turba ut interficeret regem dominum tuum.

16 Non est bonum hoc, quod fecisti: vivit Dominus, quoniam filii mortis estis vos, qui non custodistis dominum vestrum, christum Domini: nunc ergo vide ubi sit hasta regis, et ubi sit scyphus aquae qui erat ad caput ejus.

17 Cognovit autem Saul vocem David, et dixit: Numquid vox haec tua, fili mi David? Et ait David: Vox mea, domine mi rex.

18 Et ait: Quam ob causam dominus meus persequitur servum suum? quid feci? aut quod est malum in manu mea?

19 Nunc ergo audi, oro, domine mi rex, verba servi tui: si Dominus incitat te adversum me, odoretur sacrificium: si autem filii hominum, maledicti sunt in conspectu Domini qui ejecerunt me hodie ut non habitem in haereditate Domini, dicentes: Vade, servi diis alienis.

20 Et nunc non effundatur sanguis meus in terram coram Domino: quia egressus est rex Israel ut quaerat pulicem unum, sicut persequitur perdix in montibus.

21 Et ait Saul: Peccavi: revertere, fili mi David: nequaquam enim ultra tibi malefaciam, eo quod pretiosa fuerit anima mea in oculis tuis hodie: apparet enim quod stulte egerim, et ignoraverim multa nimis.

22 Et respondens David, ait: Ecce hasta regis: transeat unus de pueris regis, et tollat eam.

23 Dominus autem retribuet unicuique secundum justitiam suam et fidem: tradidit enim te Dominus hodie in manum meam, et nolui extendere manum meam in christum Domini.

24 Et sicut magnificata est anima tua hodie in oculis meis, sic magnificetur anima mea in oculis Domini, et liberet me de omni angustia.

25 Ait ergo Saul ad David: Benedictus tu, fili mi David: et quidem faciens facies, et potens poteris. Abiit autem David in viam suam, et Saul reversus est in locum suum.

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]

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. 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)

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

“‘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. 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.’”

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)

David Again Spares Saul’s Life

26 The Ziphites(BM) went to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding(BN) on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?(BO)

So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand select Israelite troops, to search(BP) there for David. Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah(BQ) facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul had followed him there, he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived.

Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner(BR) son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army encamped around him.

David then asked Ahimelek the Hittite(BS) and Abishai(BT) son of Zeruiah,(BU) Joab’s brother, “Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?”

“I’ll go with you,” said Abishai.

So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him.

Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t strike him twice.”

But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed(BV) and be guiltless?(BW) 10 As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike(BX) him, or his time(BY) will come and he will die,(BZ) or he will go into battle and perish. 11 But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let’s go.”

12 So David took the spear and water jug near Saul’s head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the Lord had put them into a deep sleep.(CA)

13 Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was a wide space between them. 14 He called out to the army and to Abner son of Ner, “Aren’t you going to answer me, Abner?”

Abner replied, “Who are you who calls to the king?”

15 David said, “You’re a man, aren’t you? And who is like you in Israel? Why didn’t you guard your lord the king? Someone came to destroy your lord the king. 16 What you have done is not good. As surely as the Lord lives, you and your men must die, because you did not guard your master, the Lord’s anointed. Look around you. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were near his head?”

17 Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is that your voice,(CB) David my son?”

David replied, “Yes it is, my lord the king.” 18 And he added, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong(CC) am I guilty of? 19 Now let my lord the king listen(CD) to his servant’s words. If the Lord has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering.(CE) If, however, people have done it, may they be cursed before the Lord! They have driven me today from my share in the Lord’s inheritance(CF) and have said, ‘Go, serve other gods.’(CG) 20 Now do not let my blood(CH) fall to the ground far from the presence of the Lord. The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea(CI)—as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.(CJ)

21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned.(CK) Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious(CL) today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have been terribly wrong.”

22 “Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of your young men come over and get it. 23 The Lord rewards(CM) everyone for their righteousness(CN) and faithfulness. The Lord delivered(CO) you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. 24 As surely as I valued your life today, so may the Lord value my life and deliver(CP) me from all trouble.”

25 Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed,(CQ) David my son; you will do great things and surely triumph.”

So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.

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