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.
Samuel Wu
1Afei, Samuel wui, na Israel nyinaa hyia yɛɛ nʼayi. Na wosiee no wɔ ne kurom Rama. Na Dawid tu kɔɔ Maon sare so.
2Na ɔbarima bi fi Maon a na ɔwɔ agyapade wɔ baabi a ɛbɛn Karmel yɛ ɔdefo kɛse. Na ɔwɔ mmirekyi apem ne nguan mpensa a na otwitwa wɔn nwi wɔ Karmel. 3Saa ɔbarima no din de Nabal, na ne yere nso din de Abigail. Na ɔyɛ ɔbea a onim nyansa na ne ho nso yɛ fɛ, nanso na ne kunu a ɔyɛ Kalebni no mpɔw ɛ, na ne suban nso nyɛ fɛ.
4Bere a Dawid tee sɛ Nabal retwitwa ne mmoa ho nwi no, 5ɔsomaa mmrante du kɔɔ ne nkyɛn. Ɔde nkra maa wɔn se, 6“Wo nkwa so! Wo ne wo fifo nyinaa nya akwahosan! Na wʼagyapade nyinaa nso saa ara.
7“Mate sɛ woretwitwa wo nguan ne mmirekyi ho nwi. Bere a na mo nguanhwɛfo wɔ yɛn nkyɛn ha no, yɛanyɛ wɔn basabasa. Na mmere dodow a wodii wɔ Karmel no nso, wɔn biribiara anyera. 8Bisa wo ara wʼasomfo na wɔbɛka akyerɛ wo. Yɛaba ha wɔ afahyɛ bere, ɛno nti, mesrɛ wo, ma wo nkoa ne wo ba Dawid biribiara a wo nsa bɛso so.”
9Dawid mmerante no de nkra no maa Nabal. Afei wɔtwɛnee.
10Nabal buaa Dawid asomfo no se, “Hena ne saa Dawid yi? Saa Yisai babarima yi dwene sɛ ɔne hena? Nnansa yi, asomfo bebree retetew wɔn ho afi wɔn wuranom ho. 11Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ mede me brodo ne me nsu ne mʼaboa a makum no nam a mede rebɛma me nwitwitwafo no ma nnipa a obi nnim faako a wofi?”
12Na Dawid mmarima no san kɔe, kɔkaa de Nabal kae no kyerɛɛ no. 13Dawid ka kyerɛɛ ne mmarima no se, “Momfa mo afoa.” Na Dawid nso faa ne de. Mmarima bɛyɛ sɛ ahannan na wɔkaa Dawid ho kɔe, ɛnna mmarima ahannu nso tena wɛn akode no.
14Nabal asomfo no mu baako kɔka kyerɛɛ Nabal yere Abigail se, “Dawid somaa abɔfo fi sare no so sɛ wɔne yɛn wura mmɛkasa, nanso ɔyeyaw wɔn. 15Nanso Dawid nnipa no ye ma yɛn. Wɔanyɛ yɛn bɔne biara. Bere a yɛne wɔn wɔ hɔ no, wɔamfa yɛn biribiara. 16Anadwo ne awia nyinaa, na wɔbɔ yɛn ne nguan no ho ban. 17Enti dwene ho yiye, anyɛ saa a asɛm bɛto yɛn wura ne nʼabusua nyinaa. Ɔyɛ obi a ne koma nye na obiara ntumi nkasa nkyerɛ no.”
18Abigail ansɛe bere koraa. Ɔfaa brodo mua ahannu, nsa aboa nhoma abien, nguan anum a wɔakum wɔn asiesie wɔn, nkyewe susude anum, bobe ɔfam ɔha ne bobe aba a wɔabɔ no atɔwatɔw ahannu de soaa mfurum. 19Na ɔka kyerɛɛ nʼasomfo se, “Munni kan nkɔ. Metiw mo.” Nanso wanka nea na ɔreyɛ no ankyerɛ ne kunu Nabal.
20Ɔte nʼafurum so nam ara kosii bepɔw bi asiansian mu no, ohuu Dawid nso ne ne mmarima sɛ wɔrehyia no. 21Na Dawid aka se, “Mfaso biara nni so sɛ mahwɛ saa onipa yi agyapade so wɔ sare so a ne biribiara anyera. Ɔde bɔne atua me papa a meyɛɛ no no so ka. 22Sɛ ɛba sɛ ɔkyena ne fini barima bi da so te ase a, Onyankopɔn ne me nni no ɔyaw so pa ara.”
Abigail Pata Dawid
23Abigail huu Dawid no, ntɛm ara, ohuruw fii nʼafurum no so sii fam, bɔɔ ne mu ase wɔ nʼanim. 24Ɔhwee ne nan ase kae se, “Me wura migye saa asɛm yi ho afɔdi nyinaa to me ho so. Mesrɛ wo sɛ, tie asɛm a mewɔ ka. 25Minim sɛ Nabal yɛ otirimɔdenfo; mesrɛ wo, ntie no. Ɔyɛ ɔkwasea sɛnea ne din kyerɛ no. Na me, wʼafenaa, abɔfo a wosomaa wɔn no, manhu wɔn. 26Afei, me wura, mpɛn dodow a Awurade te ase, na wo nso wote ase na Awurade amma woamfa awudi ne aweretɔ anhyɛ wo nsam yi, ma mmusu mmra wʼatamfo nyinaa so, sɛnea bi aba Nabal so yi. 27Akyɛde a mede abrɛ wo ne wo mmerante no ni.
28“Mesrɛ wo, sɛ mafom a, fa kyɛ me. Akyinnye biara nni ho sɛ Awurade de ofi a nʼahenni ase betim bɛdom wo, efisɛ woreko Awurade ko. Na wonyɛɛ bɔne biara nso wɔ wʼasetena mu. 29Na sɛ ɛba sɛ wɔn a wɔpɛ wo kra no taataa wo so a, Awurade, wo Nyankopɔn, begye wo, abɔ wo ho ban sɛnea wɔbɔ ademude ho ban no. Na wʼatamfo nkwa de, ɛbɛyera te sɛ abo a wɔatow fi ahwimmo mu. 30Sɛ Awurade di bɔ a ɔhyɛɛ wo no nyinaa so ma wo, na ɔde wo di Israelhene a, 31mma eyi nnyɛ nkekae wɔ wʼabrabɔ mu. Na worensoa wʼahonim adesoa duruduru a efi mogyahwiegu ne aweretɔ a so nni mfaso ho. Na sɛ Awurade yɛ saa nneɛma akɛse yi ma wo a, mesrɛ wo, kae me!”
32Dawid buaa Abigail se, “Nhyira nka Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn a wama woabehyia me nnɛ. 33Da Awurade ase wɔ wʼadwene pa ho. Nhyira nka wo sɛ woamma me ankum ɔbarima no, na woamma mamfa me nsa antɔ were. 34Na meka Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn a wamma manyɛ wo bɔne no ntam sɛ, sɛ woanka wo ho ammehyia me a, anka ebedu ɔkyena anɔpa no, na Nabal mmarima no mu baako koraa nte ase.”
35Na Dawid gyee nʼakyɛde no, ka kyerɛɛ no se, “San kɔ fie asomdwoe mu. Yɛrenkum wo kunu no.”
36Bere a Abigail duu fie no, ohuu sɛ Nabal ato pon kɛse sɛ ɔhene. Na wabow nsa nti, wanka biribiara a ɛfa ɔne Dawid nhyiamu no ho ankyerɛ no kosii adekyee. 37Ade kyee a nʼani so daa hɔ no, Abigail kaa nsɛm a asisi no kyerɛɛ no. Nabal tee nsɛm no, obubu kaa mpa mu. 38Nnafua du akyi no, Awurade bɔɔ no ma owui.
Dawid Ware Abigail
39Dawid tee sɛ Nabal awu no, ɔkae se, “Nhyira nka Awurade a watua Nabal ka na wamma mankum no. Nabal anya ne bɔne so akatua.”
Na Dawid yɛɛ ntɛm soma kɔɔ Abigail nkyɛn, ma wɔkɔka kyerɛɛ no se ɔbɛware no. 40Asomfo no kɔɔ Karmel kɔka kyerɛɛ Abigail se, “Dawid asoma yɛn sɛ yɛmmra mmɛfa wo mmrɛ no sɛ ne yere.”
41Ɔbɔɔ ne mu ase de nʼanim kyerɛɛ fam kae se, “Yiw, masiesie me ho sɛ mɛsom Dawid asomfo mpo.” 42Ntɛm ara, Abigail huruw tenaa nʼafurum so, faa ne mmaawa baanum kaa ne ho, na ɔne Dawid asomfo no kɔe, na ɔbɛyɛɛ Dawid yere. 43Dawid waree Ahinoam25.43 Na Ahinoam yɛ Dawid yere a odi kan (27.3) a na ne babarima a odi kan no wɔfrɛ no Amnon. a ofi Yesreel, na wɔn baanu bɛyɛɛ ne yerenom. 44Na Saulo de ne babea Mikal, Dawid yere, ama ɔbarima bi a ofi Galim a ne din de Palti a na ɔyɛ Lais babarima.
