1. Samuel died, and all Israel gathered to mourn him; they buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David went down to the wilderness of Paran.
2. There was a man of Maon who had property in Carmel; he was very wealthy, owning three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. At the time, he was present for the shearing of his flock in Carmel.
3. The man’s name was Nabal and his wife was Abigail. The woman was intelligent and attractive, but Nabal, a Calebite, was harsh and bad-mannered.
4. While in the wilderness, David heard that Nabal was shearing his flock,
5. so he sent ten young men, instructing them: “Go up to Carmel. Pay Nabal a visit and greet him in my name.