Study Desk

So Saul chose 3000 men from all over Israel and began searching for David and his men. They looked near Wild Goat Rocks.

Let the Lord be the judge. I hope the Lord will punish you for the wrong you did to me, but I won't fight you myself.

This shows that you are not my enemy. A man doesn't catch his enemy, and then just let him go. He doesn't do good things for his enemy. May the Lord reward you for being good to me today.

David sent ten young men to talk to Nabal. He told them, "Go to Carmel. Find Nabal and tell him ‘Hello' for me."

David gave them this message for Nabal: "May you and your family be well and all that you own be well.

I heard that you are cutting wool from your sheep. Your shepherds were with us for a while, and we did nothing wrong to them. We never took anything from your shepherds while they were at Carmel.

Ask your servants and they will tell you this is true. Please be kind to my young men. We come to you now, at this happy time. Please give these young men anything you can. Please do this for me, your friend David."

I have bread and water, and I have the meat I killed for my servants who cut the wool from my sheep. But I won't give them to men I don't even know."

His men protected us night and day. They were like a wall around us—they protected us while we were with them caring for the sheep.

David was saying, "I protected Nabal's property in the desert. I made sure not one of his sheep was missing. I did all that for nothing. I was good to him, but he was rude to me.

Abigail fell at his feet and said, "Sir, please let me talk to you. Listen to what I say. Blame me for what happened.

Please forgive me for doing wrong. I know the Lord will make your family strong because you fight his battles. People will never find anything bad about you as long as you live.

The Lord promised to do many good things for you, and he will keep his promises. He will make you leader over Israel.

David answered Abigail, "Praise the Lord , the God of Israel. Praise God for sending you to meet me.

God bless you for your good judgment. You kept me from killing innocent people today.

When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, "Praise the Lord ! He judged Nabal to be wrong for insulting me and kept me from doing something wrong. The Lord made Nabal pay for what he did." Then David sent a message to Abigail and asked her to be his wife.

Saul gathered 3000 of the best soldiers in Israel and went down to the desert of Ziph to search for David there.

So David sent out spies to know for certain that Saul had come after him again.

You made a big mistake. As surely as the Lord is alive, you and your men should die, because you didn't protect your master, the Lord 's chosen king. Look for the king's spear and the water jug that was near Saul's head. Where are they?"

Now don't make me die far away from the Lord 's presence. The king of Israel has come out looking for a flea. You are like a man hunting partridges in the mountains."