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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>1 Samuel 25 NLT</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/1_samuel/25.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/1_samuel/25-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NLT</a> > 1 Samuel 25</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../1_samuel/24.htm" title="1 Samuel 24">◄</a> 1 Samuel 25 <a href="../1_samuel/26.htm" title="1 Samuel 26">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New Living Translation</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/nlt/esv/1_samuel/25.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="hdg">The Death of Samuel</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Now Samuel died, and all Israel gathered for his funeral. They buried him at his house in Ramah.</p><p class="hdg">Nabal Angers David</p><p class="reg">Then David moved down to the wilderness of Maon.<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">a</span></a> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>There was a wealthy man from Maon who owned property near the town of Carmel. He had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats, and it was sheep-shearing time. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>This man’s name was Nabal, and his wife, Abigail, was a sensible and beautiful woman. But Nabal, a descendant of Caleb, was crude and mean in all his dealings.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>When David heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>he sent ten of his young men to Carmel with this message for Nabal: <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>“Peace and prosperity to you, your family, and everything you own! <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>I am told that it is sheep-shearing time. While your shepherds stayed among us near Carmel, we never harmed them, and nothing was ever stolen from them. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>Ask your own men, and they will tell you this is true. So would you be kind to us, since we have come at a time of celebration? Please share any provisions you might have on hand with us and with your friend David.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>David’s young men gave this message to Nabal in David’s name, and they waited for a reply.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>“Who 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. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Should 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?”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>So David’s young men returned and told him what Nabal had said. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>“Get 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.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>Meanwhile, 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. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>These 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. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>In fact, day and night they were like a wall of protection to us and the sheep. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>You 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!”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>Abigail wasted no time. She quickly gathered 200 loaves of bread, two wineskins full of wine, five sheep that had been slaughtered, nearly a bushel<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">b</span></a> of roasted grain, 100 clusters of raisins, and 200 fig cakes. She packed them on donkeys <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>and said to her servants, “Go on ahead. I will follow you shortly.” But she didn’t tell her husband Nabal what she was doing.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>As she was riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, she saw David and his men coming toward her. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>David 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. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>May God strike me and kill me<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">c</span></a> if even one man of his household is still alive tomorrow morning!”</p><p class="hdg">Abigail Intercedes for Nabal</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed low before him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>She fell at his feet and said, “I accept all blame in this matter, my lord. Please listen to what I have to say. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>I 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.<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">d</span></a> But I never even saw the young men you sent.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>“Now, 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. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>And here is a present that I, your servant, have brought to you and your young men. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>Please forgive me if I have offended you in any way. The LORD will surely reward you with a lasting dynasty, for you are fighting the LORD’s battles. And you have not done wrong throughout your entire life.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>“Even when you are chased by those who seek to kill you, your life is safe in the care of the LORD your God, secure in his treasure pouch! But the lives of your enemies will disappear like stones shot from a sling! <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>When the LORD has done all he promised and has made you leader of Israel, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>don’t let this be a blemish on your record. Then your conscience won’t have to bear the staggering burden of needless bloodshed and vengeance. And when the LORD has done these great things for you, please remember me, your servant!”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>David replied to Abigail, “Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who has sent you to meet me today! <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>Thank God for your good sense! Bless you for keeping me from murder and from carrying out vengeance with my own hands. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>For I swear by the LORD, the God of Israel, who has kept me from hurting you, that if you had not hurried out to meet me, not one of Nabal’s men would still be alive tomorrow morning.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>Then David accepted her present and told her, “Return home in peace. I have heard what you said. We will not kill your husband.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-36.htm"><b>36</b></a></span>When Abigail arrived home, she found that Nabal was throwing a big party and was celebrating like a king. He was very drunk, so she didn’t tell him anything about her meeting with David until dawn the next day. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-37.htm"><b>37</b></a></span>In the morning when Nabal was sober, his wife told him what had happened. As a result he had a stroke,<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">e</span></a> and he lay paralyzed on his bed like a stone. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-38.htm"><b>38</b></a></span>About ten days later, the LORD struck him, and he died.</p><p class="hdg">David Marries Abigail</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-39.htm"><b>39</b></a></span>When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise the LORD, who has avenged the insult I received from Nabal and has kept me from doing it myself. Nabal has received the punishment for his sin.” Then David sent messengers to Abigail to ask her to become his wife.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-40.htm"><b>40</b></a></span>When the messengers arrived at Carmel, they told Abigail, “David has sent us to take you back to marry him.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-41.htm"><b>41</b></a></span>She bowed low to the ground and responded, “I, your servant, would be happy to marry David. I would even be willing to become a slave, washing the feet of his servants!” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-42.htm"><b>42</b></a></span>Quickly getting ready, she took along five of her servant girls as attendants, mounted her donkey, and went with David’s messengers. And so she became his wife. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-43.htm"><b>43</b></a></span>David also married Ahinoam from Jezreel, making both of them his wives. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_samuel/25-44.htm"><b>44</b></a></span>Saul, meanwhile, had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to a man from Gallim named Palti son of Laish.</p><A name="footnotes"></a><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn">a</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">25:1 </span><span class="ft">As in Greek version (see also 25:2); Hebrew reads </span><span class="it">Paran.</span><br><span class="fn">b</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">25:18 </span><span class="ft">Hebrew </span><span class="it">5 seahs</span><span class="ft"> [36.5 liters].</span><br><span class="fn">c</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">25:22 </span><span class="ft">As in Greek version; Hebrew reads </span><span class="it">May God strike and kill the enemies of David.</span><br><span class="fn">d</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">25:25 </span><span class="ft">The name </span><span class="it">Nabal</span><span class="ft"> means “fool.”</span><br><span class="fn">e</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">25:37 </span><span class="ft">Hebrew </span><span class="it">his heart failed him.</span><br></span></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center"><em>Holy Bible</em>, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. 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