23 When Abigail saw David, she hurried (A)and got down from the donkey (B)and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground. 24 She fell at his feet and said, (C)“On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. 25 Let not my lord regard (D)this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal[a] is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent. 26 Now then, my lord, (E)as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because (F)the Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from (G)saving with your own hand, now then (H)let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal. 27 And now let this (I)present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28 Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the Lord will certainly make my lord (J)a sure house, because my lord (K)is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live. 29 If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord your God. And the lives of your enemies (L)he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling. 30 And when the Lord has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you and has appointed you prince[b] over Israel, 31 my lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for having shed blood without cause or for my lord (M)working salvation himself. And when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 25:25 Nabal means fool
  2. 1 Samuel 25:30 Or leader

23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground.(A) 24 She fell at his feet and said: “Pardon your servant, my lord,(B) and let me speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. 25 Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name means Fool(C),(D) and folly goes with him. And as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my lord sent. 26 And now, my lord, as surely as the Lord your God lives and as you live, since the Lord has kept you from bloodshed(E) and from avenging(F) yourself with your own hands, may your enemies and all who are intent on harming my lord be like Nabal.(G) 27 And let this gift,(H) which your servant has brought to my lord, be given to the men who follow you.

28 “Please forgive(I) your servant’s presumption. The Lord your God will certainly make a lasting(J) dynasty for my lord, because you fight the Lord’s battles,(K) and no wrongdoing(L) will be found in you as long as you live. 29 Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life,(M) the life of my lord will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God, but the lives of your enemies he will hurl(N) away as from the pocket of a sling.(O) 30 When the Lord has fulfilled for my lord every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him ruler(P) over Israel, 31 my lord will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lord your God has brought my lord success, remember(Q) your servant.”(R)

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