1 Samuel 25:24-44 ▼

24 and she fell at his feet and said, “On me, my lord, let this iniquity be. And please let your maidservant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your maidservant.

25 Let not, please, my lord set his heart to this man of worthlessness, upon Nabal; for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. And I your maidservant did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent.

26 And now my lord, as YHWH lives, and as your soul lives, since YHWH has held you back from coming to bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hand, let now your enemies be as Nabal and those seeking harm against my lord.

27 And this blessing that your maidservant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow at the feet of my lord.

28 Forgive, please, the trespass of your maidservant, for YHWH will surely make for my lord an enduring house, because my lord fights the battles of YHWH, and evil is not found in you throughout your days.

29 And a man has risen to pursue you and seek your life, and the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with YHWH your God. And the souls of your enemies He shall sling out in the midst of the hollow of the sling.

30 And it shall come to pass, when YHWH has done for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you ruler over Israel,

31 that this to you will not be grief and offense of heart—to my lord—that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself, and YHWH shall have dealt well with my lord, and remember your maidservant.”

32 And David said to Abigail, “Blessed is YHWH, God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me.

33 And blessed is your discernment, and blessed are you, because you have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand.

34 Yet as lives YHWH, God of Israel, who has kept me back from hurting you, surely unless you had hurried and come to meet me, surely would not have been left to Nabal by the morning light one who urinates against the wall.”

35 And David received from her hand what she had brought to him, and he said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. Behold, I have listened to your voice and I have lifted up your face.”

36 And Abigail went to Nabal, and there he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And the heart of Nabal was glad within him, and he was very drunk; therefore she told him not a thing small to great until the morning light.

37 And it was in the morning, when the wine had gone from Nabal, that his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him and he became a stone.

38 And it was in about ten days that YHWH struck Nabal, and he died.

39 And David heard that Nabal was dead, and he said, “Blessed be YHWH, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept His servant from evil. For the wickedness of Nabal YHWH has returned on his own head.” And David sent and spoke with Abigail to take her to him as wife.

40 And the servants of David had come to Abigail at Carmel, and they spoke to her, saying, “David sent us to you to take you to him as wife.”

41 And she arose and bowed her face to the earth, and said, “Here is your maidservant, a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.”

42 And Abigail hurried and rose, and rode on a donkey, and five of her maidens were going at her feet, and she followed after the messengers of David and became his wife.

43 And also Ahinoam David took from Jezreel, and became even both unto him for wives.

44 And Saul had given Michal his daughter, wife of David, to Palti son of Laish, who was from Gallim.