Study Desk

So David promised, and Saul went home. David and his men returned to their hideout.

Samuel died, and people from all over Israel gathered to mourn for him when he was buried at his home in Ramah. Meanwhile, David moved his camp to Paran Desert.

Nabal was a very rich man who lived in Maon. He owned three thousand sheep and a thousand goats, which he kept at Carmel. His wife Abigail was sensible and beautiful, but he was from the Caleb clan and was rough and mean.

One day, Nabal was in Carmel, having his servants cut the wool from his sheep. David was in the desert when he heard about it.

This is what he said: Who does this David think he is? That son of Jesse is just one more slave on the run from his master, and there are too many of them these days.

He's a bully who won't listen to anyone. Isn't there something you can do? Please think of something! Or else our master and his family and everyone who works for him are all doomed.

Abigail was riding her donkey on the path that led around the hillside, when suddenly she met David and his men heading straight at her.

I swear that by morning, there won't be a man or boy left from his family or his servants' families. I pray that God will punish me if I don't do it!"

Don't pay any attention to that good-for-nothing Nabal. His name means "fool," and it really fits him! I didn't see the men you sent,

The Lord has promised to do many good things for you, even to make you the ruler of Israel. The Lord will keep his promises to you,

If you hadn't come to meet me so quickly, every man and boy in Nabal's family and in his servants' families would have been killed by morning. I swear by the living Lord God of Israel who protected you that this is the truth.

Ten days later, the Lord took his life.

David heard that Nabal had died. "I praise the Lord !" David said. "He has judged Nabal guilty for insulting me. The Lord kept me from doing anything wrong, and he made sure that Nabal hurt only himself with his own evil." Abigail was still at Carmel. So David sent messengers to ask her if she would marry him.

She bowed down and said, "I would willingly be David's slave and wash his servants' feet."

Then he sneaked up to Saul's camp. He noticed that Saul and his army commander Abner the son of Ner were sleeping in the middle of the camp, with soldiers sleeping all around them.

That same night, David and Abishai crept into the camp. Saul was sleeping, and his spear was stuck in the ground not far from his head. Abner and the soldiers were sound asleep all around him.

Abishai whispered, "This time God has let you get your hands on your enemy! I'll pin him to the ground with one thrust of his own spear."

"Don't kill him!" David whispered back. "The Lord will punish anyone who kills his chosen king.

But I pray that the Lord will keep me from harming his chosen king. Let's grab his spear and his water jar and get out of here!"

You're a complete failure! I swear by the living Lord that you and your men deserve to die for not protecting the Lord 's chosen king. Look and see if you can find the king's spear and the water jar that were near his head."