2. A man in Maon who had land at Carmel was very rich. He had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats. He was cutting the wool off his sheep at Carmel.
3. His name was Nabal, and he was a descendant of Caleb. His wife was named Abigail. She was a wise and beautiful woman. But Nabal was cruel and mean.
4. David was in the desert. He heard that Nabal was cutting the wool from his sheep.
5. So he sent ten young men. He told them, “Go to Nabal at Carmel. Greet him for me.
6. Say to Nabal, ‘May you and your family have good health! And may all who belong to you have good health.
7. I have heard that you are cutting the wool from your sheep. When your shepherds were with us, we did nothing wrong to them. All the time your shepherds were at Carmel, we stole nothing from them.
8. Ask your servants, and they will tell you. We come at a happy time. So for this reason, be kind to my young men. Please give them anything you can find for them. Please do this for your son David.’”
9. When the men arrived, they gave the message to Nabal. But Nabal insulted them.
10. He answered them, “Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many slaves are running away from their masters today!
11. I have bread and water. And I have meat that I killed for my servants who cut the wool. But I won’t give it to men I don’t know.”
12. David’s men went back and told him all Nabal had said.
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.