1 Samuel 25:2-34

The Death of Samuel

2 And there was a man in z Maon whose business was in a Carmel. The man was very rich; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. b He was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 3 Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. The woman was discerning and beautiful, but the man was harsh and badly behaved; c he was a Calebite. 4 David heard in the wilderness that Nabal b was shearing his sheep. 5 So David sent ten young men. And David said to the young men, "Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal and greet him in my name. 6 And thus you shall greet him: d 'Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. 7 I hear that you have shearers. Now your shepherds have been with us, and we did them no harm, e and they missed nothing all the time they were in Carmel. 8 Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we come f on a feast day. Please give whatever you have at hand to your servants and to your son David.'"

9 When David's young men came, they said all this to Nabal in the name of David, and then they waited. 10 And Nabal answered David's servants, g "Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? h There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters. 11 Shall I take i my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it to j men who come from I do not know where?" 12 So David's young men turned away and came back and told him all this. 13 And 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 k about four hundred men went up after David, k while two hundred l remained with the baggage.

14 But 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. 15 Yet the men were very good to us, and we suffered no harm, n and we did not miss anything when we were in the fields, as long as we went with them. 16 They were o a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 17 Now therefore know this and consider what you should do, p for harm is determined against our master and against all his house, and he is such q a worthless man that one cannot speak to him."

18 Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves and two skins of wine and five sheep already prepared and five seahs 1 of parched grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys. 19 And she said to her young men, "Go on before me; behold, I come after you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal. 20 And 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. 21 Now David had said, "Surely in vain have I guarded all that this fellow has in the wilderness, r so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him, and he has s returned me evil for good. 22 t God do so to the enemies of David 2 and more also, if by morning I leave so much as one male of all who belong to him."

23 When Abigail saw David, she hurried u and got down from the donkey v and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground. 24 She fell at his feet and said, w "On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. 25 Let not my lord regard q this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal 3 is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent. 26 Now then, my lord, x as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because y the Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from z saving with your own hand, now then a let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal. 27 And now let this b present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28 Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the Lord will certainly make my lord c a sure house, because my lord d is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live. 29 If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord your God. And the lives of your enemies e he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling. 30 And when the Lord has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you and has appointed you prince over Israel, 31 my lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for having shed blood without cause or for my lord z taking vengeance himself. And when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant."

32 And David said to Abigail, f "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! 33 Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, y who have kept me this day from bloodguilt z and from avenging myself with my own hand! 34 For as surely g as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, y who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there had not been left to Nabal so much as one male."

  1. Cross References
    1 Samuel 23:24
    And they arose and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon.
  2. Cross References
    Joshua 15:55
    Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah.
  3. Cross References
    Genesis 38:13
    And when Tamar was told, "Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.
    2 Samuel 13:23
    After two full years Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king's sons.
  4. Cross References
    1 Samuel 30:14
    We had made a raid against the Negeb of the Cherethites and against that which belongs to Judah and against the Negeb of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.
  5. Cross References
    1 Samuel 25:2
    And there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. The man was very rich; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. He was shearing his sheep in Carmel.
  6. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 12:18
    Then the Spirit clothed Amasai, chief of the thirty, and he said, "We are yours, O David, and with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers! For your God helps you." Then David received them and made them officers of his troops.
    Matthew 10:13
    And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.
    Luke 10:5
    Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house!
  7. Cross References
    1 Samuel 25:15
    Yet 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.
    1 Samuel 25:21
    Now 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.
  8. Cross References
    Esther 8:17
    And in every province and in every city, wherever the king's command and his edict reached, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many from the peoples of the country declared themselves Jews, for fear of the Jews had fallen on them.
    Esther 9:19
    Therefore the Jews of the villages, who live in the rural towns, hold the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day for gladness and feasting, as a holiday, and as a day on which they send gifts of food to one another.
    Esther 9:22
    As the days on which the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and gifts to the poor.
  9. Cross References
    Judges 9:28
    And Gaal the son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him?
  10. Cross References
    Judges 12:4
    Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, "You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim and Manasseh.
  11. Cross References
    Judges 8:6
    And the officials of Succoth said, "Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?
  12. Cross References
    1 Samuel 22:2
    And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.
  13. Cross References
    1 Samuel 23:13
    Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the expedition.
    1 Samuel 27:2
    So David arose and went over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
    1 Samuel 22:2
    And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.
  14. Cross References
    1 Samuel 23:13
    Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the expedition.
    1 Samuel 27:2
    So David arose and went over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
    1 Samuel 22:2
    And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.
  15. Cross References
    1 Samuel 30:24
    Who would listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. They shall share alike.
  16. Cross References
    1 Samuel 25:7
    I hear that you have shearers. Now your shepherds have been with us, and we did them no harm, and they missed nothing all the time they were in Carmel.
    1 Samuel 25:21
    Now 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.
  17. Cross References
    Job 1:10
    Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
  18. Cross References
    1 Samuel 20:7
    If he says, 'Good!' it will be well with your servant, but if he is angry, then know that harm is determined by him.
  19. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 13:13
    That certain worthless fellows have gone out among you and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, 'Let us go and serve other gods,' which you have not known.
  20. Cross References
    1 Samuel 25:7
    I hear that you have shearers. Now your shepherds have been with us, and we did them no harm, and they missed nothing all the time they were in Carmel.
    1 Samuel 25:15
    Yet 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.
  21. Cross References
    Psalms 109:5
    So they reward me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
    Proverbs 17:13
    If anyone returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house.
  22. Cross References
    Ruth 1:17
    Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.
  23. Cross References
    Joshua 15:18
    When she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a field. And she got off her donkey, and Caleb said to her, "What do you want?
    Judges 1:14
    When she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a field. And she dismounted from her donkey, and Caleb said to her, "What do you want?
    Genesis 24:64
    And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel
  24. Cross References
    1 Samuel 25:41
    And she rose and bowed with her face to the ground and said, "Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.
    Ruth 2:10
    Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, "Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?
  25. Cross References
    2 Samuel 14:9
    And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, "On me be the guilt, my lord the king, and on my father's house; let the king and his throne be guiltless.
  26. Cross References
    1 Samuel 25:17
    Now 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.
  27. Cross References
    1 Samuel 20:3
    But David vowed again, saying, "Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he thinks, 'Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.' But truly, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.
  28. Cross References
    Genesis 20:6
    Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her.
  29. Cross References
    Romans 12:19
    Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.
    Hebrews 10:30
    For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people.
  30. Cross References
    2 Samuel 18:32
    The king said to the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" And the Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man.
  31. Cross References
    1 Samuel 30:26
    When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the spoil to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, "Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the Lord.
    Genesis 33:11
    Please accept my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough." Thus he urged him, and he took it.
    2 Kings 5:15
    Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, "Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant.
  32. Cross References
    1 Kings 11:38
    And if you will listen to all that I command yo...
    1 Samuel 2:35
    And I will raise up for myself a faithful pries...
    2 Samuel 7:11
    From the time that I appointed judges over my p...
    2 Samuel 7:27
    For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ha...
    1 Kings 9:5
    Then I will establish your royal throne over Is...
    1 Chronicles 17:10
    From the time that I appointed judges over my p...
    1 Chronicles 17:25
    For you, my God, have revealed to your servant ...
  33. Cross References
    1 Samuel 18:17
    Then Saul said to David, "Here is my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me and fight the Lord 's battles." For Saul thought, "Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.
  34. Cross References
    Jeremiah 10:18
    For thus says the Lord : "Behold, I am slinging out the inhabitants of the land at this time, and I will bring distress on them, that they may feel it.
  35. Cross References
    1 Samuel 25:26
    Now 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.
  36. Cross References
    Genesis 24:27
    And said, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the Lord has led me in the way to the house of my master's kinsmen.
    Psalms 41:13
    Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen.
    Psalms 72:18
    Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.
    Luke 1:68
    Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people
  37. Cross References
    1 Samuel 25:26
    Now 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.
  38. Cross References
    1 Samuel 25:26
    Now 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.
  39. Cross References
    Ruth 3:13
    Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.
  40. Cross References
    1 Samuel 25:26
    Now 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.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.