David

1Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?

David came to the town of Nob. He went to Ahimelech, a priest. A priest was a man who served God at the holy place. Ahimelech shook with fear when he saw David. He asked, "Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?"

2And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.

David said to Ahimelech, "The king gave me a job to do. He told me not to tell anyone about it. I told my men to meet me at a certain place."

3Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.

"So what food do you have here? Please give me five loaves of bread. Or give me whatever you can find."

4And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.

The priest answered, "I have no ordinary bread here. I only have holy bread, set apart for God. Your young men may eat it if they have kept away from women."

5And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.

David said, "Yes, we have kept away from women. We always do when I go out. My men and their things are clean and ready. That is true even on ordinary trips. It is even more true today."

6So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.

So the priest gave him the holy bread. It was the only bread he had. It was the special bread kept in front of the LORD. Fresh warm bread had just been put in its place.

7Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.

One of King Saul's servants was there that day. He was being kept at the holy place for some reason. His name was Doeg, and he came from Edom. He was the chief of Saul's shepherds.

8And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.

David asked Ahimelech, "Do you have a spear or a sword here? I did not bring my sword or my other weapons. The king's job had to be done in a hurry."

9And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.

The priest said, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine is here. You killed him in the valley of Elah. The sword is wrapped in cloth behind the ephod. Take it if you want it. There is no other sword here." David said, "There is none like it. Give it to me."

10And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

That day David ran away from Saul. He went to Achish, the king of the city of Gath.

11And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

The servants of Achish said to him, "Isn't this David, the king of his land? People danced and sang about him. They sang, 'Saul has killed thousands, and David ten thousands.'"

12And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

David kept thinking about what they said. He became very afraid of Achish, the king of Gath.

13And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.

So he acted strangely in front of them. He pretended to be out of his mind. He scratched marks on the doors of the gate. He let his spit run down his beard.

14Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?

Then Achish said to his servants, "Look, this man is out of his mind. So why did you bring him to me?"

15Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?

"Do I need more men like this? You brought him here to act wild in front of me. Should a man like this come into my house?"

1David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him.

So David left that place and hid in a cave called Adullam. His brothers and the rest of his family heard about it. They came down to be with him there.

2And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

Men who were in trouble came to David. So did men who owed money and men who were unhappy. About four hundred men joined him, and he became their leader.

3And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.

Then David went to a town called Mizpeh in the land of Moab. He asked the king of Moab, "Please let my father and mother stay with you. They can stay until I know what God will do for me."

4And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold.

David brought his parents to the king of Moab. They stayed with him the whole time David was hiding in his safe place.

5And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth.

Gad was a prophet, someone who told people what God said. Gad told David, "Do not stay in that safe place. Go to the land of Judah." So David left and went to the forest of Hareth.

6When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him;)

Saul heard that people had found David and his men. Saul was sitting in Gibeah under a tamarisk tree on the hill. He held his spear, and all his servants stood around him.

7Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;

Saul said to his servants, "Listen, men of Benjamin! Do you think David will give you fields and grape farms? Do you think he will make you leaders over his soldiers?

8That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that sheweth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

Is that why all of you have turned against me? Nobody told me my own son made a promise with David. Nobody feels sorry for me. Nobody told me my son helped David plan to attack me."

9Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

A man named Doeg from Edom was standing with Saul's servants. He said, "I saw David come to the town of Nob. He came to Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub.

10And he enquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

Ahimelech asked the LORD what David should do. He also gave David food and the sword of Goliath, the Philistine giant."

11Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.

So the king sent for Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub. He also sent for Ahimelech's whole family, the priests who lived in Nob. All of them came to the king.

12And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.

Saul said, "Listen to me, son of Ahitub." Ahimelech answered, "I am here, my lord."

13And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

Saul said, "Why did you and David plan against me? You gave him bread and a sword. You asked God what he should do. Now he is waiting to attack me."

14Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king’s son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?

Ahimelech answered the king, "No servant of yours is as loyal as David. He is married to your daughter. He leads your guards, and your house honors him.

15Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.

That was not the first time I asked God for him. I would never plan against you! Please do not blame me or my family. I knew nothing at all about any of this."

16And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father’s house.

But the king said, "Ahimelech, you will surely die. So will everyone in your family."

17And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD: because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.

The king told the guards standing near him, "Turn and kill the priests of the LORD. They helped David. They knew he ran away and did not tell me." But the king's servants would not raise a hand against the priests of the LORD.

18And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.

So the king said to Doeg, "You turn and kill the priests." Doeg from Edom turned and killed them. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen vest of a priest.

19And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

He also attacked Nob, the town where the priests lived. He killed the men and women there with the sword. He killed the children and babies too, and the cows, donkeys, and sheep.

20And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.

But one son of Ahimelech got away. His name was Abiathar, and he ran to David.

21And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the LORD’s priests.

Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD.

22And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father’s house.

David said to Abiathar, "I knew that day that Doeg was there. I knew he would tell Saul. It is my fault that your whole family died.

23Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.

Stay with me. Do not be afraid. The man who wants to kill me also wants to kill you. You will be safe with me."

1Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.

People brought David some news. "The Philistines are fighting the town of Keilah. They are stealing the grain there."

2Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.

So David asked the LORD what to do. "Should I go and fight these Philistines?" The LORD said, "Go. Fight the Philistines. Save Keilah."

3And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?

But David's men said to him, "We are already afraid here in Judah. We will be even more afraid at Keilah, facing the whole Philistine army."

4Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

So David asked the LORD again. The LORD answered him, "Get up and go down to Keilah. I will help you beat the Philistines."

5So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

So David and his men went to Keilah. They fought the Philistines and beat them badly. They took the animals the Philistines had. David saved the people of Keilah.

6And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

Earlier, Abiathar son of Ahimelech had run away to David at Keilah. He brought an ephod with him.

7And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.

Someone told Saul that David had gone to Keilah. Saul said, "God has handed him to me. He is stuck inside a town with gates and heavy bars."

8And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

So Saul called all his soldiers together for war. They would go to Keilah and trap David and his men there.

9And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.

David learned that Saul was planning to hurt him. He said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod here."

10Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.

Then David prayed, "LORD, God of Israel, I have heard something. Saul plans to come to Keilah and wreck the town because of me.

11Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down.

Will the men of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul really come, as I heard? LORD, God of Israel, please tell me." The LORD said, "He will come."

12Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up.

Then David asked, "Will the men of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?" The LORD said, "Yes, they will."

13Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.

So David and his men left Keilah. There were about six hundred of them. They moved from place to place. Saul heard that David had gotten away, so he stayed home.

14And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.

David stayed in safe hiding spots out in the desert. He stayed in the hills of the desert of Ziph. Saul looked for him every day. But God did not let Saul catch him.

15And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.

David was at a place called the wood, in the desert of Ziph. He saw that Saul had come out to kill him.

16And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

Then Jonathan, Saul's son, went to David at the wood. He helped David feel strong and trust God again.

17And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.

Jonathan said, "Do not be afraid. My father Saul will never catch you. You will be king over Israel. I will be right beside you. My father knows this too."

18And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

The two of them made a promise to each other before the LORD. David stayed at the wood. Jonathan went home.

19Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?

Then some men from Ziph came to Saul at Gibeah. They said, "David is hiding near us. He is in the safe spots at the wood, on the hill of Hachilah, south of Jeshimon.

20Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand.

So come down whenever you want, O king. We will make sure you get him."

21And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.

Saul said, "May the LORD bless you. You have been kind to me.

22Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly.

Please go and get ready. Watch where he goes. Find out who has seen him there. People tell me he is very clever.

23See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.

Look carefully. Learn every hiding place he uses. Then come back and tell me for sure. After that I will go with you. If he is in this land, I will search every family in Judah."

24And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.

So they went to Ziph ahead of Saul. David and his men were in the desert of Maon, on the flat land south of Jeshimon.

25Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

Saul and his men went to look for David. Someone warned David, so he went down to the rock and stayed in the desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he chased David there.

26And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.

Saul went along one side of the mountain. David and his men went along the other side. David hurried to get away from Saul. But Saul and his men were closing in around them.

27But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.

Then a messenger came to Saul. He said, "Come quickly! The Philistines are attacking our land."

28Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth.

So Saul stopped chasing David and went to fight the Philistines. That is why people call that place Selahammahlekoth.

29And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.

David went up from there. He lived in the safe hiding spots at Engedi.

1And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.

Saul came back from chasing the Philistines, a people who fought Israel. Then someone told him, "David is out in the wilderness of Engedi." The wilderness is dry, empty land with rocks and caves.

2Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.

So Saul picked three thousand of his best soldiers from all Israel. He took them to look for David and his men near the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

3And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.

On the way, Saul came to some sheep pens beside the road. There was a cave there. Saul went inside to go to the bathroom. David and his men were hiding far back in that same cave.

4And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily.

David's men whispered to him, "This is the day the LORD told you about. He said he would put your enemy in your hands. Now you can do whatever you want with him." So David crept up quietly. He cut off a corner of Saul's robe.

5And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.

Afterward, David felt bad inside. He was sorry he had cut off the corner of Saul's robe.

6And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.

He said to his men, "I must never do such a thing to my master. God chose Saul to be king, and oil was poured on his head to show it. I will not lift my hand to hurt him."

7So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.

David's words held his men back. He did not let them attack Saul. Then Saul got up, walked out of the cave, and went on his way.

8David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.

After that, David got up and went out of the cave too. He called out, "My lord the king!" Saul looked behind him. David bowed down with his face to the ground.

9And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?

David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to men who say I want to hurt you?"

10Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’s anointed.

"Today you saw it with your own eyes. The LORD put you in my hands there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you. But I let you live. I said, I will not hurt my master, because God chose him to be king."

11Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.

"Look, my father. See this piece of your robe in my hand. I cut it off, but I did not kill you. So you can see I have done nothing wrong to you. I have not sinned against you. Yet you keep hunting me to take my life."

12The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.

"Let the LORD decide who is right, you or me. Let the LORD pay you back for what you are doing to me. But I will never lift my hand against you."

13As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.

"There is an old saying: bad things come from bad people. But I will never lift my hand against you."

14After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.

"Who is the king of Israel coming out to fight? Who are you chasing? A dead dog? A flea?"

15The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.

"Let the LORD be the judge between you and me. Let him look at what happened and speak up for me. Let him keep me safe from your hand."

16And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.

When David finished speaking, Saul called back, "Is that your voice, David my son?" Then Saul cried out loud.

17And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.

Saul said to David, "You are more in the right than I am. You have been good to me. I have been bad to you."

18And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.

"Today you showed how well you have treated me. The LORD put me in your hands, and you did not kill me."

19For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.

"When a man finds his enemy, does he let him walk away safe? May the LORD be good to you for what you did for me today."

20And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.

"Now I know for sure that you will be king. The kingdom of Israel will be strong and steady under you."

21Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house.

"So promise me now, before the LORD. Promise you will not kill my children and their children after me. Promise you will not wipe my family name away."

22And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.

David made that promise to Saul. Then Saul went home. David and his men went back up to their safe hiding place in the rocks.

1And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

Samuel died. He was a prophet, a man who told people what God said. All Israel came together and cried for him. They buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David went down to the desert of Paran.

2And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

A very rich man lived in Maon. His land and work were in Carmel. He owned three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. He was cutting the wool off his sheep in Carmel.

3Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.

The man's name was Nabal. His wife's name was Abigail. She was smart, and she was beautiful. But Nabal was rude and mean in the way he treated people. His family came from Caleb.

4And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.

David was out in the desert. He heard that Nabal was cutting the wool from his sheep.

5And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name:

So David sent ten young men. He told them, "Go up to Carmel. Find Nabal. Say hello to him for me."

6And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.

"Say this to him: 'I hope you live a long life. Peace to you. Peace to your family and to everything you own.'"

7And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.

"'I hear that it is time to cut your sheep's wool. Your shepherds were out with us. We never hurt them. Nothing of theirs went missing the whole time they were in Carmel.'"

8Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.

"'Ask your young men. They will tell you it is true. So please be kind to my men. We have come on a feast day. Please give us whatever food you can spare. Give it to your servants and to your son David.'"

9And when David’s young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.

David's young men came and said all these words to Nabal for David. Then they waited.

10And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.

Nabal answered them, "Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse? Lots of servants run away from their masters these days."

11Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?

"Why should I give away my bread and my water? Why give away the meat I cooked for my workers? I do not even know where these men come from."

12So David’s young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings.

So David's young men turned around. They went back and told David every word Nabal had said.

13And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.

David told his men, "Put on your swords!" Every man put on his sword. David put his on too. About four hundred men went up with David. Two hundred stayed behind with the supplies.

14But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them.

One of Nabal's workers went and told Abigail, Nabal's wife. "David sent messengers from the desert to greet our master. But he yelled at them."

15But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields:

"Those men were very good to us. They never hurt us. Nothing of ours went missing while we lived near them out in the fields."

16They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.

"They were like a wall around us, day and night. They kept us safe the whole time we watched the sheep."

17Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.

"So think hard about what you should do. Trouble is coming for our master and everyone in his house. He is so mean that nobody can talk to him."

18Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.

Abigail hurried. She took two hundred loaves of bread and two leather bags of wine. She took five sheep already cooked and five big baskets of roasted grain. She took a hundred bunches of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs. She loaded it all onto donkeys.

19And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal.

She told her servants, "Go on ahead of me. I will come along behind you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal.

20And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert of the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met them.

She rode her donkey down a hidden path in the hills. Just then David and his men came down toward her. She met them there.

21Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good.

David had just been saying, "I guarded this man's things in the desert for nothing. Not one thing of his went missing. And he paid me back with meanness instead of kindness."

22So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

"May God punish me if I leave even one of Nabal's men alive by morning."

23And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,

When Abigail saw David, she quickly got down off her donkey. She bowed low with her face to the ground.

24And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.

She fell at his feet and said, "My lord, put the blame on me. Please let me speak to you. Please listen to my words."

25Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.

"Please pay no attention to that mean man Nabal. His name means 'Fool,' and he acts like one. I never saw the young men you sent."

26Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the LORD hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.

"As surely as the LORD lives, and as surely as you live, the LORD has held you back. He has kept you from killing and from paying people back yourself. May your enemies end up like Nabal."

27And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord, let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord.

"Now please take this gift I brought you. Let it be given to the young men who follow you."

28I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days.

"Please forgive me for the trouble. The LORD will keep your family strong for a long time. You fight the LORD's battles. May nothing evil be found in you as long as you live."

29Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.

"A man is chasing you and wants to kill you. But the LORD your God will hold your life safe with him. He will throw your enemies away like a stone from a sling."

30And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel;

"The LORD promised good things for you. He will do every one of them. He will make you the ruler over Israel."

31That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.

"Then you will not feel sad or guilty inside. You will not have killed people for no reason. You will not have paid them back yourself. And when the LORD is good to you, please remember me."

32And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me:

David said to Abigail, "Thank the LORD, the God of Israel. He sent you to meet me today."

33And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.

"Bless your good thinking, and bless you. Today you kept me from killing. You kept me from paying Nabal back myself."

34For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

"As surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, he stopped me from hurting you. If you had not hurried out to meet me, not one man of Nabal's would be alive by morning."

35So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.

So David took the gift she had brought him. He said, "Go home in peace. See, I have listened to you. I will do what you asked."

36And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.

Abigail went home to Nabal. He was having a big feast, like a king's feast. He felt happy, and he was very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until morning.

37But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.

In the morning Nabal was not drunk anymore. His wife told him everything. His heart failed inside him. He went stiff and still, like a stone.

38And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died.

About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal, and he died.

39And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife.

David heard that Nabal was dead. He said, "Thank the LORD. He stood up for me when Nabal insulted me. He kept me, his servant, from doing wrong. Nabal's own meanness came back on his own head." Then David sent a message to Abigail. He asked her to be his wife.

40And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife.

David's servants came to Abigail in Carmel. They said, "David sent us to you. He wants you to be his wife."

41And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.

She stood up and bowed with her face to the ground. She said, "I am here to serve. I will even wash the feet of my lord's servants."

42And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.

Abigail hurried and got on a donkey. Five of her servant girls went with her. She followed David's messengers, and she became his wife.

43David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives.

David had also married Ahinoam from the town of Jezreel. So both women were his wives.

44But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of Gallim.

But Saul had given his daughter Michal to another man. Michal had been David's wife. Saul gave her to Phalti, son of Laish, from Gallim.