Holman Christian Standard Bible

1 Samuel 25:30-43 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

30. When the Lord does for my lord all the good He promised and appoints you ruler over Israel,

31. there will not be remorse or a troubled conscience for my lord because of needless bloodshed or my lord’s revenge. And when the Lord does good things for my lord, may you remember me your servant.”

32. Then David said to Abigail, “Praise to the Lord God of Israel, who sent you to meet me today!

33. Your discernment is blessed, and you are blessed. Today you kept me from participating in bloodshed and avenging myself by my own hand.

34. Otherwise, as surely as the Lord God of Israel lives, who prevented me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, Nabal wouldn’t have had any men left by morning light.”

35. Then David accepted what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace. See, I have heard what you said and have granted your request.”

36. Then Abigail went to Nabal, and there he was in his house, holding a feast fit for a king. Nabal was in a good mood and very drunk, so she didn’t say anything to him until morning light.

37. In the morning when Nabal sobered up, his wife told him about these events. Then he had a seizure and became paralyzed.

38. About 10 days later, the Lord struck Nabal dead.

39. When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise the Lord who championed my cause against Nabal’s insults and restrained His servant from doing evil. The Lord brought Nabal’s evil deeds back on his own head.” Then David sent messengers to speak to Abigail about marrying him.

40. When David’s servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, “David sent us to bring you to him as a wife.”

41. She stood up, then bowed her face to the ground and said, “Here I am, your servant, to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”

42. Then Abigail got up quickly, and with her five female servants accompanying her, rode on the donkey following David’s messengers. And so she became his wife.

43. David also married Ahinoam of Jezreel, and the two of them became his wives.