13. Then David said to them, “Put on your swords!” So they put on their swords, and David put on his also. About 400 men went with David. But 200 men stayed with the supplies.
14. One of Nabal’s servants spoke to Abigail, Nabal’s wife. He said, “David sent messengers from the desert to greet our master. But Nabal insulted them.
15. These men were very good to us. They did nothing wrong to us. They stole nothing from us during all the time we were out in the field with them.
16. Night and day they protected us. They were like a wall around us while we were with them caring for the sheep.
17. Now think about it, and decide what you can do. Terrible trouble is coming to our master and all his family. Nabal is such a wicked man that no one can even talk to him.”
18. Abigail hurried. She took 200 loaves of bread, 2 leather bags full of wine and 5 cooked sheep. She took about a bushel of cooked grain, 100 cakes of raisins and 200 cakes of pressed figs. She put all these on donkeys.
19. Then she told her servants, “Go on. I’ll follow you.” But she did not tell her husband.
20. Abigail rode her donkey and came down into the mountain ravine. There she met David and his men coming down toward her.
21. David had just said, “It’s been useless! I watched over Nabal’s property in the desert. I made sure none of his sheep were missing. I did good to him, but he has paid me back with evil.
22. May God punish me terribly if I let just one of Nabal’s family live until tomorrow.”
23. When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey. She bowed facedown on the ground before David.
24. She lay at David’s feet. She said, “My master, let the blame be on me! Please let me talk to you! Listen to what I say.
25. My master, don’t pay attention to this worthless man Nabal. He is the same as his name. His name means ‘fool,’ and he is truly foolish. But I, your servant, didn’t see the men you sent.
26. The Lord has kept you from killing and punishing people yourself. As surely as the Lord lives and as surely as you live, may your enemies become like Nabal!
27. I have brought a gift to you. Please give it to the men who follow you.