Samuel Dies
1 Samuel died, and people from all over Israel gathered to mourn for him when he was buried at his home in Ramah. Meanwhile, David moved his camp to Paran Desert.
Abigail Keeps David from Killing Innocent People
2-3 Nabal was a very rich man who lived in Maon. He owned 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats, which he kept at Carmel. His wife Abigail was sensible and beautiful, but he was from the Caleb clan and was rough and mean.
4 One day, Nabal was in Carmel where his servants were cutting the wool from his sheep. David was in the desert when he heard about it. 5-6 So he sent ten men to Carmel with this message for Nabal:
I hope that you and your family are healthy and that all is going well for you. 7 I've heard that you are cutting the wool from your sheep.
When your shepherds were with us in Carmel, we didn't harm them, and nothing was ever stolen from them. 8 Ask your shepherds, and they'll tell you the same thing.
My servants are your servants, and you are like a father to me. This is a day for celebrating, so please be kind and share some of your food with us.
9 David's men went to Nabal and gave him David's message, then they waited for Nabal's answer.
10 This is what he said:
Who does this David think he is? That son of Jesse is just one more slave on the run from his master, and there are too many of them these days. 11 What makes you think I would take my bread, my water, and the meat that I've had cooked for my own servants and give it to you? Besides, I'm not sure that David sent you!
12 The men returned to their camp and told David everything Nabal had said.
13 “Everybody get your swords!” David ordered.
They all strapped on their swords. Two hundred men stayed behind to guard the camp, but the other 400 followed David.
14-16 Meanwhile, one of Nabal's servants told Abigail:
David's men were often nearby while we were taking care of the sheep in the fields. They were very good to us, they never hurt us, and nothing was ever stolen from us while they were nearby. With them around day or night, we were as safe as we would have been inside a walled city.
David sent some messengers from the desert to wish our master well, but he shouted insults at them. 17 He's a bully who won't listen to anyone.
Isn't there something you can do? Please think of something! Or else our master and his family and everyone who works for him are all doomed.
18 Abigail quickly got together 200 loaves of bread, two large clay jars of wine, the meat from five sheep, a large sack of roasted grain, 100 handfuls of raisins, and 200 handfuls of dried figs. She loaded all the food on donkeys 19 and told her servants, “Take this on ahead, and I'll catch up with you.” She didn't tell her husband Nabal what she was doing.
20 Abigail was riding her donkey on the path that led around the hillside, when suddenly she met David and his men heading straight at her.
21 David had just been saying, “I surely wasted my time guarding Nabal's things in the desert and keeping them from being stolen! I was good to him, and now he pays me back with insults. 22 I swear that by morning, there won't be a man or boy left from his family or his servants' families. I pray that God will punish me if I don't do it!”
23 Abigail quickly got off her donkey and bowed down in front of David. 24 Then she said:
Sir, please let me explain! 25 Don't pay any attention to that good-for-nothing Nabal. His name means “fool,” and it really fits him!
I didn't see the men you sent, 26-27 but please take this gift of food that I've brought and share it with your followers. The Lord has kept you from taking revenge and from killing innocent people. But I hope your enemies and anyone else who wants to harm you will end up like Nabal. I swear this by the living Lord and by your life.
28 Please forgive me if I say a little more. The Lord will always protect you and your family, because you fight for him. I pray that you won't ever do anything evil as long as you live. 29 The Lord your God will keep you safe when your enemies try to kill you. But he will snatch away their lives quicker than you can throw a rock from a sling.
30 The Lord has promised to do many good things for you, even to make you the ruler of Israel. The Lord will keep his promises to you, 31 and now your conscience will be clear, because you won't be guilty of taking revenge and killing innocent people.
When the Lord does all those good things for you, please remember me.
32 David told her:
I praise the Lord God of Israel! He must have sent you to meet me today. 33 And you should also be praised. Your good sense kept me from taking revenge and killing innocent people. 34 If you hadn't come to meet me so quickly, every man and boy in Nabal's family and in his servants' families would have been killed by morning. I swear by the living Lord God of Israel who protected you that this is the truth.
35 David accepted the food Abigail had brought. “Don't worry,” he said. “You can go home now. I'll do what you asked.”
36 Abigail went back home and found Nabal throwing a party fit for a king. He was very drunk and feeling good, so she didn't tell him anything that night. 37 But when he sobered up the next morning, Abigail told him everything that had happened. Nabal had a heart attack, and he lay in bed as still as a stone. 38 Ten days later, the Lord took his life.
39-40 David heard that Nabal had died. “I praise the Lord!” David said. “He has judged Nabal guilty for insulting me. The Lord kept me from doing anything wrong, and he made sure that Nabal hurt only himself with his own evil.”
David and Abigail Are Married
Abigail was still at Carmel. So David sent messengers to ask her if she would marry him.
41 She bowed down and said, “I would willingly be David's slave and wash his servants' feet.”
42 Abigail quickly got ready and went back with David's messengers. She rode on her donkey, while five of her servant women walked alongside. She and David were married as soon as she arrived.
43 David had earlier married Ahinoam from the town of Jezreel, so both she and Abigail were now David's wives. 44 Meanwhile, Saul had arranged for Michal to marry Palti the son of Laish, who came from the town of Gallim.
Samuēla nāve
1 Samuēls nomira, un viss Israēls sapulcējās, apraudāja viņu un apbedīja viņa mājās Rāmā. Tad Dāvids cēlās un devās lejā uz Pārānas tuksnesi.
Nābāla sieva Abīgaila
2 Māonā bija kāds vīrs, kuram piederēja īpašums Karmelā. Šis vīrs bija ļoti bagāts, viņam piederēja trīs tūkstoši avju un tūkstotis kazu. Viņš devās uz Karmelu cirpt savas avis. 3 Šo vīru sauca Nābāls un viņa sievu Abīgaila. Sieva bija gudra un daiļa, bet vīrs – viņš bija kālebietis – pēc dabas skarbs un ļauns. 4 Tuksnesī Dāvids padzirdēja, ka šis cērp savas avis. 5 Dāvids sūtīja desmit puišus, sacīdams: “Uzkāpiet Karmelā un, kad nonāksiet pie Nābāla, sveiciniet viņu manā vārdā ar mieru. 6 Sakiet: lai ilgs mūžs tev un miers, lai miers tavam namam un visam, kas tavs. 7 Esmu dzirdējis, ka pie tevis ir avju cirpēji. Tad nu, kad tavi gani bija pie mums, mēs tos neaizskārām, un nekas viņiem nepazuda visu laiku, kamēr viņi bija Karmelā. 8 Prasi saviem puišiem, un viņi tev pastāstīs! Lai mani puiši gūst tavu vēlību, jo labā dienā mēs esam atnākuši – sniedz jel, ko nu atrodi, saviem kalpiem un savam dēlam Dāvidam!” 9 Dāvida puiši atnāca pie Nābāla un Dāvida vārdā pateica viņam visu, kas sakāms, un gaidīja. 10 Nābāls atbildēja Dāvida kalpiem: “Kas ir Dāvids? Kas ir Jišaja dēls? Šodien ir milzums kalpu, kas pamukuši no sava kunga. 11 Vai tad es došu savu maizi un ūdeni, un savu kaujamo lopu, ko esmu kāvis cirpējiem, kaut kādiem vīriem, par kuriem es pat nezinu, no kurienes tie ir?!” 12 Dāvida puiši apgriezās un devās atpakaļ, atnāca pie Dāvida un visu viņam izstāstīja. 13 Dāvids teica saviem vīriem: “Apjoziet zobenus!” Tie apjoza zobenus, un arī Dāvids apjoza zobenu. Ap četri simti vīru gāja līdzi Dāvidam, bet divi simti palika pie mantām. 14 Viens no Nābāla kalpiem pastāstīja viņa sievai Abīgailai: “Palūk, Dāvids no tuksneša bija atsūtījis vēstnešus ar svētību pie mūsu kunga, bet viņš tos izlamāja. 15 Taču tie vīri bija pret mums ļoti labi, viņi mūs neaiztika, un nekas mums nepazuda visu laiku, kamēr mēs bijām kopā ar viņiem uz lauka. 16 Gan nakti, gan dienu viņi bija kā siena ap mums visu laiku, kamēr mēs, ganīdami avis, bijām ar tiem kopā. 17 Tad nu zini un raugi, ko darīt, jo nelaime velkas pār mūsu kungu un visu viņa namu, bet viņš ir tāds neģēlis, ka ar viņu nevar sarunāt.” 18 Abīgaila steigšus ņēma divi simti maizes, divus ādas vīna traukus, piecas jau sagatavotas avis, piecus mērus grauzdumu, simts rozīņu plāceņu un divi simti vīģu plāceņu un sakrāva uz ēzeļiem. 19 Saviem puišiem viņa teica: “Ejiet pa priekšu, un es jums sekošu!” Bet savam vīram Nābālam viņa neko neteica. 20 Jādama uz ēzeļa, viņa nonāca kalna aizsegā, un redzi – Dāvids ar saviem vīriem nāca lejā viņai pretī, un viņa tos sastapa. 21 Dāvids bija teicis: “Tiešām, velti esmu sargājis visu, kas šim bija tuksnesī, ka viņam nekas nepazustu. Viņš man labu atmaksā ar ļaunu! 22 Tā lai Dievs dara Dāvida ienaidniekiem un vēl pieliek, ja no visiem viņējiem es līdz rītam atstāšu dzīvu kaut vienu, kas pret mūri mīž!” 23 Ieraudzījusi Dāvidu, Abīgaila steigšus nokāpa no ēzeļa, krita Dāvida priekšā uz sava vaiga un klanījās līdz zemei. 24 Viņa krita pie viņa kājām un sacīja: “Mans kungs, tā ir mana vaina! Ļauj, lai tava kalpone runā, uzklausi savu kalponi! 25 Lai jel mans kungs neklausās šajā neģēlī Nābālā, jo, kāds viņa vārds, tāds viņš pats. Nejēga ir viņa vārds, un nejēdzība ir ar viņu. Bet es, tava kalpone, neredzēju mana kunga puišus – tos, kurus tu sūtīji. 26 Un nu, mans kungs, – dzīvs Kungs un dzīva tava dvēsele! – Kungs tevi ir atturējis izliet asinis un atriebt sevi ar paša roku. Lai taviem ienaidniekiem un tiem, kas vēlē manam kungam ļaunu, ir kā Nābālam! 27 Te ir svētības dāvana, kuru tava kalpone atnesusi savam kungam, tā dodama puišiem, kas staigā mana kunga pēdās. 28 Jel piedod savas kalpones pārkāpumu, un Kungs uzcels paliekamu namu manam kungam, jo mans kungs izcīna Kunga karus; un ļaunums netiks atrasts tevī nemūžam. 29 Un, ja kāds cilvēks celtos tevi vajāt un tīkotu tavas dzīvības, tad Kungs būs iesējis mana kunga dzīvību dzīvo kūlī, bet tavu ienaidnieku dzīvības viņš izlingos ar lingu! 30 Kad Kungs būs darījis manam kungam visu labo, ko viņš tev solījis, un iecēlis tevi par valdnieku Israēlā, 31 lai tad mana kunga sirds neļogās un nav apgrūtināta ar velti izlietām asinīm – ka mans kungs pats sevi atriebis. Kad Kungs darīs labu manam kungam, piemini savu kalponi!”
32 Dāvids teica Abīgailai: “Slavēts Kungs, Israēla Dievs, kas šodien tevi sūtījis man pretī! 33 Svētīta tava izmaņa un svētīta tu, ka šodien atturēji mani, ka neaptraipos asinīm un neatriebju sevi pats! 34 Patiešām – dzīvs Kungs, Israēla Dievs, kurš mani atturējis nodarīt tev ļaunu! – ja tu nebūtu steigusies nākt man pretī, līdz rīta gaismai Nābālam nebūtu atlicis neviena, kas pret mūri mīž.” 35 Dāvids pieņēma no viņas rokām, ko viņa bija atnesusi, un teica: “Ej mājās ar mieru. Redzi, es esmu tevi uzklausījis un pagodinājis.” 36 Kad Abīgaila atgriezās pie Nābāla, redzi, viņa namā bija tādas dzīres kā ķēniņam, sirds viņam līksma un pats galīgi piedzēries. Viņa tam itin neko neteica līdz rīta gaismai. 37 No rīta, kad Nābālam dzērums bija izgājis, sieva tam visu izstāstīja. Sirds viņam pamira, un viņš sastinga kā akmens. 38 Pēc kādām desmit dienām Kungs sita Nābālu, un viņš nomira. 39 Kad Dāvids dzirdēja, ka Nābāls miris, viņš teica: “Slavēts Kungs, kas atprasījis no Nābāla manu kaunu un atturējis savu kalpu no ļauna, bet Nābāla ļaunumu Kungs vērsis atpakaļ pār viņa galvu.” Un Dāvids sūtīja pie Abīgailas runāt, lai viņa kļūst tam par sievu. 40 Dāvida kalpi atnāca uz Karmelu pie Abīgailas un runāja ar viņu, sacīdami: “Dāvids mūs sūtīja pie tevis, lai ņemtu tevi viņam par sievu.” 41 Viņa piecēlās, noliecās ar seju līdz zemei un sacīja: “Redzi, tava verdzene gatava būt par kalponi un mazgāt kājas mana kunga kalpiem!” 42 Abīgaila steigšus cēlās un sēdās uz ēzeļa, un piecas meičas gāja tai līdzi. Viņa devās nopakaļ Dāvida vēstnešiem un kļuva viņa sieva. 43 Vēl Dāvids ņēma Ahīnoamu no Jizreēlas, un viņas abas bija tam sievas.
44 Bet Sauls savu meitu Mīhalu, Dāvida sievu, deva Paltī, Lajiša dēlam, no Galīmas.
