Davide, Nabala ndi Abigayeli
1Samueli anamwalira, ndipo Aisraeli onse anasonkhana kudzalira maliro ake ndipo anamuyika mʼmanda ku mudzi kwawo ku Rama.
Ndipo Davide anapita ku chipululu cha Parani. 2Kunali munthu wina wolemera kwambiri ku Maoni amene malo ake a ntchito anali ku Karimeli. Iyeyu anali ndi mbuzi 1,000 ndi nkhosa 3,000. 3Dzina lake linali Nabala ndipo anali wa fuko la Kalebe. Dzina la mkazi wake linali Abigayeli. Anali mkazi wanzeru ndi wokongola, koma mwamuna wake, wa banja la Kalebe, anali wowuma mtima ndi wamwano pa zochita zake.
4Davide anamva akanali ku chipululu kuti Nabala akumeta nkhosa. 5Choncho anatuma anyamata khumi nawawuza kuti, “Pitani kwa Nabala ku Karimeli ndipo mukamulonjere mʼdzina langa. 6Mukamuwuze kuti, ‘Mtendere ukhale ndi inu, banja lanu pamodzi ndi zonse zimene muli nazo.
7“ ‘Tsono ndamva kuti muli ndi anthu ometa nkhosa. Pamene abusa anu anali nafe kuno, sitinawachite china chilichonse choyipa, ndipo sanasowe kanthu pa nthawi yonse imene anali ku Karimeli. 8Muwafunse antchito anu ndipo akuwuzani. Kotero akomereni mtima anyamata anga, pakuti tabwera pa nthawi yachikondwerero. Chonde apatseniko antchito anuwo ndi mwana wanu Davide chilichonse chimene mungakhale nacho.’ ”
9Anyamata a Davide aja atafika, anamuwuza Nabala zonse zimene Davide anayankhula. Ndipo anadikira yankho.
10Nabala anayankha anyamata a Davide kuti, “Kodi Davide ndi ndani? Mwana wa Yese ndi ndani? Masiku ano pali antchito ambiri amene akuthawa kwa mabwana awo. 11Nditengerenji buledi, madzi ndi nyama zimene ndaphera anthu anga ometa nkhosa ndi kuzipereka kwa anthu amene sindikudziwa kumene achokera?”
12Choncho anyamata a Davide aja anatembenuka nabwerera. Atafika anafotokozera Davide mawu onse a Nabala. 13Davide anawuza anthu ake kuti, “Aliyense amangirire lupanga lake!” Choncho aliyense anamangirira lupanga lake. Davidenso anamangirira lupanga lake. Anthu pafupifupi 400 ndiwo anapita ndi Davide, pamene anthu 200 anatsala ndi katundu.
14Tsono mmodzi mwa antchito anawuza Abigayeli mkazi wa Nabala kuti, “Davide anatumiza amithenga kuchokera ku chipululu kudzalonjera mbuye wathu, koma iye anawalalatira. 15Komatu anthuwa anatichitira zabwino kwambiri. Sanatizunze, ndipo nthawi yonse imene tinali nawo ku busa sitinasowe kanthu. 16Ankatitchinjiriza ngati mpanda usiku ndi usana nthawi yonse tinkaweta nkhosa. 17Tsono onani chimene mungachite, chifukwa zimenezi zingadzetse tsoka pa mbuye wathu pamodzi ndi nyumba yake. Paja mbuye athu aja ndi munthu wa khalidwe loyipa moti palibe amene angathe kuyankhula naye.”
18Ndipo Abigayeli sanataye nthawi. Iye anatenga malofu a buledi 200, matumba a chikopa awiri a vinyo, nkhosa zisanu zowotcheratu, makilogalamu 17 a tirigu wokazinga, makeke a mphesa zowuma 100, ndiponso makeke a nkhuyu 200, ndipo anazisenzetsa abulu. 19Kenaka anawuza antchito ake kuti, “Tsogolani, ine ndikutsatirani.” Koma sanawuze mwamuna wake Nabala.
20Mayi uja atakwera pa bulu wake ndi kufika pa tsinde la phiri, anangoona Davide ndi ankhondo ake akubwera kunali iye. Choncho anakumana nawo. 21Nthawiyi nʼkuti Davide atanena kuti, “Kani ndinalondera pachabe katundu wa munthu uyu mʼchipululu muja! Ndipotu palibe kanthu nʼkamodzi komwe kake kamene kanasowa. Tsono wandibwezera zoyipa mʼmalo mwa zabwino. 22Mulungu andilange kwambiri ngati pofika mmawa nditakhale nditasiyako ngakhale munthu mmodzi mwa onse amene ali nawo.”
23Abigayeli ataona Davide, anatsika pa bulu wake mofulumira ndipo anadzigwetsa pansi pamaso pa Davide. 24Ali chigonere choncho pa mapazi a Davide anati, “Mbuye wanga, kulakwa kukhale pa ine ndekha. Chonde lolani kuti mdzakazi wanune ndiyankhule nanu, ndipo mumve mawu a ine mdzakazi wanu. 25Mbuye wanga musasamale za mwamuna wanga Nabala, munthu wa khalidwe loyipa. Iyeyu ali monga dzina lake liliri. Monga dzina lake litanthauza kuti chitsiru, ndiye kuti zake zonse ndi zauchitsiru basi. Koma ine mdzakazi wanu, sindinawaone anthu amene mbuye wanga munawatuma. 26Tsono mbuye wanga muli apa, ndikulumbira pali Yehova wamoyo amene wakuletsani kuti musakhetse magazi a munthu ndi kulipsira nokha, kuti adani anu amene afuna kukuchitani zoyipa adzakhale ngati Nabala. 27Choncho, nazi mphatso zimene mdzakazi wanu ndabwera nazo kwa mbuye wanga kuti zipatsidwe kwa anyamata amene muli nawo. 28Chonde khululukani zolakwa za ine mdzakazi wanu. Ndithu Yehova adzakhazikitsa banja la mbuye wanga mu ufumu, popeza mukumenya nkhondo ya Yehova. Choncho choyipa sichidzapezeka mwa inu masiku onse a moyo wanu. 29Ngati munthu wina akuwukirani ndi kukulondani, Yehova Mulungu wanu adzateteza moyo wa mbuye wanga monga mmene munthu asungira chuma mʼphukusi, koma moyo wa adani anu adzawutaya kutali monga momwe munthu amaponyera mwala ndi legeni. 30Yehova adzakuchitirani mbuye wanga zabwino zonse zimene anakulonjezani. Adzakuyikani kukhala wolamulira Aisraeli. 31Zikadzatero, inu mbuye wanga simudzakhala ndi chikumbumtima choti munakhetsa magazi kapena kulipsira popanda chifukwa. Koma Yehova akadzakuchitirani zabwino zonsezi musadzandiyiwale ine mdzakazi wanu.”
32Tsono Davide anawuza Abigayeli kuti, “Alemekezeke Yehova Mulungu wa Israeli, amene wakutuma iwe lero kuti ukumane nane. 33Yehova akudalitseni chifukwa cha nzeru zanu pondiletsa lero kuti ndisakhetse magazi ndi kubwezera adani anga ndi manja anga. 34Kunena zoona, pali Yehova Wamoyo, Mulungu wa Israeli, amene wandiletsa kuti ndisakupwetekeni, mukanapanda kubwera msanga kudzakumana nane, palibe munthu aliyense wamwamuna wa Nabala akanasiyidwa wamoyo pakucha mmawa.”
35Ndipo Davide analandira kwa mayiyo zimene anamutengera ndipo anati, “Pitani kwanu mu mtendere. Ine ndamva mawu anu ndipo ndavomera zimene mwapempha.”
36Abigayeli atabwerera kwa Nabala anamupeza ali mʼnyumba akuchita mphwando ngati la mfumu. Iye anali atakondwa kwambiri popeza anali ataledzera kwambiri. Choncho mkazi wakeyo sanamuwuze kalikonse mpaka mmawa kutacha. 37Tsono mmawa, mowa utamuchoka Nabala, mkazi wake anamuwuza zonse. Pomwepo mtima wake unaleka kugunda ndipo unawuma gwaa ngati mwala. 38Patapita masiku khumi, Yehova anakantha Nabala ndipo anafa.
39Pamene Davide anamva kuti Nabala wamwalira, iye anati, “Alemekezeke Yehova, walipsira Nabala chipongwe chimene anandichita ndipo anandiletsa ine mtumiki wake kuti ndisachite choyipa. Yehova wabwezera pamutu pa Nabala choyipa chimene iye anachita.”
Kenaka Davide anatumiza mawu kwa Abigayeli, kumupempha kuti akhale mkazi wake. 40Anyamata a Davide atafika ku Karimeli anawuza Abigayeli kuti, “Davide watituma kwa iwe kuti tikutenge ukhale mkazi wake.”
41Abigayeli anagwada nagunditsa nkhope yake pansi ndipo anati, “Ine mdzakazi wa mbuye wanga ndakonzeka kutumikira ngakhale kusambitsa mapazi a anyamata ake.” 42Motero Abigayeli ananyamuka mofulumira nakwera bulu wake. Tsono iye pamodzi ndi anamwali ake asanu amene ankamutumikira, anatsagana ndi amithenga a Davide aja ndipo anakakhala mkazi wake wa Davide. 43Davide nʼkuti atakwatiranso Ahinoamu wa ku Yezireeli ndipo onse awiri anali akazi ake. 44Koma Sauli anali atakwatitsa Mikala, mkazi wa Davide kwa Paliti mwana wa Laisi wa ku Galimu.
David, Nabal and Abigail
1When Samuel died, the whole nation of Israel gathered together. They were filled with sorrow because he was dead. They buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David went down into the Desert of Paran.
2A certain man in Maon was very wealthy. He owned property there at Carmel. He had 1,000 goats and 3,000 sheep. He was clipping the wool off the sheep in Carmel. 3His name was Nabal. His wife’s name was Abigail. She was a wise and beautiful woman. But her husband was rude and mean in the way he treated others. He was from the family of Caleb.
4David was staying in the Desert of Paran. While he was there, he heard that Nabal was clipping the wool off his sheep. 5So he sent for ten young men. He said to them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel. Greet him for me. 6Say to him, ‘May you live a long time! May everything go well with you and your family! And may things go well with everything that belongs to you!
7“ ‘I hear that you are clipping the wool off your sheep. When your shepherds were with us, we treated them well. The whole time they were at Carmel nothing that belonged to them was stolen. 8Ask your own servants. They’ll tell you. We’ve come to you now at a happy time of the year. Please be kind to my men. Please give me and my men anything you can find for us.’ ”
9When David’s men arrived, they gave Nabal the message from David. Then they waited.
10Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are running away from their masters these days. 11Why should I give away my bread and water? Why should I give away the meat I’ve prepared for those who clip the wool off my sheep? Why should I give food to men who come from who knows where?”
12So David’s men turned around and went back. When they arrived, they reported to David every word Nabal had spoken. 13David said to his men, “Each of you put on your swords!” So they did. David put his sword on too. About 400 men went up with David. Two hundred men stayed behind with the supplies.
14One of the servants warned Abigail, Nabal’s wife. He said, “David sent some messengers from the desert to give his greetings to our master. But Nabal shouted at them and was rude to them. 15David’s men had been very good to us. They treated us well. The whole time we were near them out in the fields, nothing was stolen. 16We were taking care of our sheep near them. During that time, they were like a wall around us night and day. They kept us safe. 17Now think it over. See what you can do. Horrible trouble will soon come to our master and his whole family. He’s such an evil man that no one can even talk to him.”
18Abigail didn’t waste any time. She got 200 loaves of bread and two bottles of wine. The bottles were made out of animal skins. She got five sheep that were ready to be cooked. She got a bushel of grain that had been cooked. She got 100 raisin cakes. And she got 200 cakes of pressed figs. She loaded all of it on the backs of donkeys. 19Then she told her servants, “Go on ahead. I’ll follow you.” But she didn’t tell her husband Nabal about it.
20Abigail rode her donkey into a mountain valley. There she saw David and his men. They were coming down toward her. 21David had just said, “Everything we’ve done hasn’t been worth a thing! I watched over that fellow’s property in the desert. I made sure none of it was stolen. But he has paid me back evil for good. 22I won’t leave even one of his men alive until morning. If I do, may God punish me greatly!”
23When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey. She bowed down in front of David with her face toward the ground. 24She fell at his feet. She said, “Pardon your servant, sir. Please let me speak to you. Listen to what I’m saying. Let me take the blame myself. 25Please don’t pay any attention to that evil man Nabal. His name means Foolish Person. And that’s exactly what he is. He’s always doing foolish things. I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to see the men you sent. 26Sir, the Lord has kept you from killing Nabal and his men. He has kept you from using your own hands to get even. So may what’s about to happen to Nabal happen to all your enemies. May it happen to everyone who wants to harm you. And may it happen just as surely as the Lord your God and you are alive. 27I’ve brought a gift for you. Give it to the men who follow you.
28“Please forgive me if I shouldn’t have done that. The Lord your God will certainly give you and your family line a kingdom that will last. That’s because you fight the Lord’s battles. You won’t do anything wrong as long as you live. 29Someone may chase you and try to kill you. But the Lord your God will keep your life safe like a treasure hidden in a bag. And he’ll destroy your enemies. Their lives will be thrown away, just as a stone is thrown from a sling. 30The Lord will do for you every good thing he promised to do. He’ll appoint you ruler over Israel. 31When that happens, you won’t have this heavy load on your mind. You won’t have to worry about how you killed people without any reason. You won’t have to worry about how you got even. The Lord your God will give you success. When that happens, please remember me.”
32David said to Abigail, “Give praise to the Lord. He is the God of Israel. He has sent you today to find me. 33May the Lord bless you for what you have done. You have shown a lot of good sense. You have kept me from killing Nabal and his men this day. You have kept me from using my own hands to get even. 34It’s a good thing you came quickly to meet me. If you hadn’t come, not one of Nabal’s men would have been left alive by sunrise. And that’s just as sure as the Lord, the God of Israel, is alive. He has kept me from harming you.”
35Then David accepted from her what she had brought him. He said, “Go home in peace. I’ve heard your words. I’ll do what you have asked.”
36Abigail went back to Nabal. He was having a dinner party in the house. It was the kind of dinner a king would have. He had been drinking too much wine. He was very drunk. So she didn’t tell him anything at all until sunrise. 37The next morning Nabal wasn’t drunk anymore. Then his wife told him everything. When she did, his heart grew weak. He became like a stone. 38About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal down. And he died.
39David heard that Nabal was dead. So he said, “Give praise to the Lord. Nabal was rude to me. But the Lord stood up for me. He has kept me from doing something wrong. He has paid Nabal back for the wrong things he did.”
Then David sent a message to Abigail. He asked her to become his wife. 40His servants went to Carmel. They said to Abigail, “David has sent us to you. He wants you to come back with us and become his wife.”
41Abigail bowed down with her face toward the ground. She said, “I am your servant. I’m ready to serve him. I’m ready to wash the feet of his servants.” 42Abigail quickly got on a donkey and went with David’s messengers. Her five female servants went with her. She became David’s wife. 43David had also married Ahinoam from Jezreel. Both of them became his wives. 44But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s first wife, to Paltiel. Paltiel was from Gallim. He was the son of Laish.
