The Death of Samuel
1 Samuel died, and all the Israelites came together and mourned for him. Then they buried him at his home in Ramah.
David and Abigail
After this, David went to the wilderness of Paran. 2-3 There was a man of the clan of Caleb named Nabal, who was from the town of Maon, and who owned land near the town of Carmel. He was a very rich man, the owner of three thousand sheep and one thousand goats. His wife Abigail was beautiful and intelligent, but he was a mean, bad-tempered man.
Nabal was shearing his sheep in Carmel, 4 and David, who was in the wilderness, heard about it, 5 so he sent ten young men with orders to go to Carmel, find Nabal, and give him his greetings. 6 He instructed them to say to Nabal: “David sends you greetings, my friend, with his best wishes for you, your family, and all that is yours. 7 He heard that you were shearing your sheep, and he wants you to know that your shepherds have been with us and we did not harm them. Nothing that belonged to them was stolen all the time they were at Carmel. 8 Just ask them, and they will tell you. We have come on a feast day, and David asks you to receive us kindly. Please give what you can to us your servants and to your dear friend David.”
9 David's men delivered this message to Nabal in David's name. Then they waited there, 10 and Nabal finally answered, “David? Who is he? I've never heard of him! The country is full of runaway slaves nowadays! 11 I'm not going to take my bread and water, and the animals I have butchered for my sheepshearers, and give them to people who come from I don't know where!”
12 David's men went back to him and told him what Nabal had said. 13 “Buckle on your swords!” he ordered, and they all did. David also buckled on his sword and left with about four hundred of his men, leaving two hundred behind with the supplies.
14 One of Nabal's servants said to Nabal's wife Abigail, “Have you heard? David sent some messengers from the wilderness with greetings for our master, but he insulted them. 15 Yet they were very good to us; they never bothered us, and all the time we were with them in the fields, nothing that belonged to us was stolen. 16 They protected us day and night the whole time we were with them looking after our flocks. 17 Please think this over and decide what to do. This could be disastrous for our master and all his family. He is so mean that he won't listen to anybody!”
18 Abigail quickly gathered two hundred loaves of bread, two leather bags full of wine, five roasted sheep, two bushels of roasted grain, a hundred bunches of raisins, and two hundred cakes of dried figs, and loaded them on donkeys. 19 Then she said to the servants, “You go on ahead and I will follow you.” But she said nothing to her husband.
20 She was riding her donkey around a bend on a hillside when suddenly she met David and his men coming toward her. 21 David had been thinking, “Why did I ever protect that fellow's property out here in the wilderness? Not a thing that belonged to him was stolen, and this is how he pays me back for the help I gave him! 22 May God strike me dead if I don't kill every last one of those men before morning!”
23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly dismounted and threw herself on the ground 24 at David's feet, and said to him, “Please, sir, listen to me! Let me take the blame. 25 Please, don't pay any attention to Nabal, that good-for-nothing! He is exactly what his name means—a fool! I wasn't there when your servants arrived, sir. 26 It is the Lord who has kept you from taking revenge and killing your enemies. And now I swear to you by the living Lord that your enemies and all who want to harm you will be punished like Nabal. 27 Please, sir, accept this present I have brought you, and give it to your men. 28 Please forgive me, sir, for any wrong I have done. The Lord will make you king, and your descendants also, because you are fighting his battles; and you will not do anything evil as long as you live. 29 If anyone should attack you and try to kill you, the Lord your God will keep you safe, as someone guards a precious treasure. As for your enemies, however, he will throw them away, as someone hurls stones with a sling. 30 And when the Lord has done all the good things he has promised you and has made you king of Israel, 31 then you will not have to feel regret or remorse, sir, for having killed without cause or for having taken your own revenge. And when the Lord has blessed you, sir, please do not forget me.”
32 David said to her, “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you today to meet me! 33 Thank God for your good sense and for what you have done today in keeping me from the crime of murder and from taking my own revenge. 34 The Lord has kept me from harming you. But I swear by the living God of Israel that if you had not hurried to meet me, all of Nabal's men would have been dead by morning!” 35 Then David accepted what she had brought him and said to her, “Go back home and don't worry. I will do what you want.”
36 Abigail went back to Nabal, who was at home having a feast fit for a king. He was drunk and in a good mood, so she did not tell him anything until the next morning. 37 Then, after he had sobered up, she told him everything. He suffered a stroke and was completely paralyzed. 38 Some ten days later the Lord struck Nabal and he died.
39 When David heard that Nabal had died, he said, “Praise the Lord! He has taken revenge on Nabal for insulting me and has kept me his servant from doing wrong. The Lord has punished Nabal for his evil.”
Then David sent a proposal of marriage to Abigail. 40 His servants went to her at Carmel and said to her, “David sent us to take you to him to be his wife.”
41 Abigail bowed down to the ground and said, “I am his servant, ready to wash the feet of his servants.” 42 She rose quickly and mounted her donkey. Accompanied by her five maids, she went with David's servants and became his wife.
43 David had married Ahinoam from Jezreel, and now Abigail also became his wife. 44 Meanwhile, Saul had given his daughter Michal, who had been David's wife, to Palti son of Laish, who was 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.
