1 Samuel 25:3

25:3 The man’s name was Nabal, ¹  and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was both wise ²  and beautiful, but the man was harsh and his deeds were evil. He was a Calebite.

1 Samuel 25:5

25:5 he ³  sent ten servants, ⁴  saying to them, ⁵  “Go up to Carmel to see Nabal and give him greetings in my name. ⁶ 

1 Samuel 25:10

25:10 But Nabal responded to David’s servants, “Who is David, and who is this son of Jesse? This is a time when many servants are breaking away from their masters!

1 Samuel 25:14

25:14 But one of the servants told Nabal’s wife Abigail, “David sent messengers from the desert to greet ⁷  our lord, but he screamed at them.

1 Samuel 27:3

27:3 David settled with Achish in Gath, along with his men and their families. ⁸  David had with him his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail the Carmelite, Nabal’s widow.

¹ sn The name נָבָל (Nabal) means “foolish” or “senseless” in Hebrew, and as an adjective the word is used especially of persons who have no perception of ethical or religious claims. It is an apt name for this character, who certainly typifies such behavior.

² tn Heb “good of insight”; KJV “of good understanding”; NAB, NIV, TEV “intelligent”; NRSV “clever.”

³ tn Heb “David”; for stylistic reasons the pronoun has been used in the translation.

⁴ tn Or “young men.”

⁵ tn Heb “and David said to the young men.”

⁶ tn Heb “and inquire concerning him in my name in regard to peace.”

⁵ tn Heb “bless.”

⁷ tn Heb “a man and his house.”