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Then Samueldied; and allIsraelgathered together and mourned for him, and buried him at his house in Ramah. And Davidarose and wentdown to the wilderness of Paran.
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Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel; and the man was veryrich, and he had threethousandsheep and a thousandgoats. And it came about while he was shearing his sheep in Carmel
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(now the man'sname was Nabal, and his wife'sname was Abigail. And the woman was intelligent* and beautiful in appearance, but the man was harsh and evil in his dealings, and he was a Calebite ),
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'Now I have heard that you have shearers; now your shepherds have been with us and we have not insulted them, nor have they missedanythingall the days they were in Carmel.
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'Ask your youngmen and they will tell you. Therefore let my youngmenfindfavor in your eyes, for we have come on a festiveday. Pleasegivewhatever you find at hand to your servants and to your sonDavid.' "
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But NabalansweredDavid'sservants and said, "Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? There are manyservantstoday who are eachbreakingaway from his master.
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Davidsaid to his men, "Each of you gird on his sword." So eachmangirded on his sword. And Davidalsogirded on his sword, and about fourhundredmenwent up behindDavid while two hundredstayed with the baggage.
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"Yet the men were verygood to us, and we were not insulted, nor did we missanything as long* as we went about with them, while we were in the fields.
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"Now therefore, know and considerwhat you should do, for evil is plottedagainst our master and againstall his household; and he is such a worthlessman that no one can speak to him."
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Then Abigailhurried and took two hundred loaves of bread and twojugs of wine and fivesheep already prepared and fivemeasures of roastedgrain and a hundredclusters of raisins and two hundredcakes of figs, and loaded them on donkeys.
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It came about as she was riding on her donkey and comingdown by the hiddenpart of the mountain, that behold, David and his men were comingdowntoward her; so she met them.
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Now David had said, "Surely in vain I have guardedall that this man has in the wilderness, so that nothing* was missed of all that belonged to him; and he has returned me evil for good.
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She fell at his feet and said, "On me alone, my lord, be the blame. And please let your maidservantspeak to you, and listen to the words of your maidservant.
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"Please do not let my lordpayattention to thisworthlessman, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name and folly is with him; but I your maidservant did not see the youngmen of my lordwhom you sent.
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"Now therefore, my lord, as the LORDlives, and as your soullives, since the LORD has restrained you from sheddingblood, and from avenging yourself by your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seekevilagainst my lord, be as Nabal.
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"Pleaseforgive the transgression of your maidservant; for the LORD will certainlymake for my lord an enduringhouse, because my lord is fighting the battles of the LORD, and evil will not be found in you all your days.
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"Should anyonerise up to pursue you and to seek your life, then the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with the LORD your God; but the lives of your enemies He will sling out as from the hollow of a sling.
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this will not causegrief or a troubledheart to my lord, both by having shedbloodwithoutcause and by my lord having avenged himself. When the LORDdealswell with my lord, then remember your maidservant."
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"Nevertheless, as the LORDGod of Israellives, who has restrained me from harming you, unless you had comequickly to meet me, surely* there would not have been left to Nabaluntil the morninglight as much as one male*."
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So Davidreceived from her handwhat she had brought him and said to her, "Go up to your house in peace. See, I have listened to you and granted your request."
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Then Abigailcame to Nabal, and behold, he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal'sheart was merrywithin him, for he was very*drunk; so she did not tell him anything at all*until the morninglight.
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When Davidheard that Nabal was dead, he said, "Blessed be the LORD, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal and has keptback His servant from evil. The LORD has also returned the evildoing of Nabal on his own head." Then Davidsent a proposal to Abigail, to take her as his wife.
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Then Abigailquicklyarose, and rode on a donkey, with her fivemaidens who attended* her; and she followed* the messengers of David and became his wife.