So Saul took three thousand select men from all Israel and went to find David and his men in the region of the rocks of the mountain goats.

Afterward David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off an edge of Saul’s robe.

David restrained his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and started down the road.

David said to Saul, “Why do you pay attention when men say, ‘David is seeking to do you harm’?

May the Lord be our judge and arbiter. May he see and arbitrate my case and deliver me from your hands!”

Now if a man finds his enemy, does he send him on his way in good shape? May the Lord repay you with good this day for what you have done to me.

There was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. This man was very wealthy; he owned three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. At that time he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

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!

Should I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers and give them to these men? I don’t even know where they came from!”

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

When Abigail saw David, she got down quickly from the donkey, threw herself down before David, and bowed to the ground.

Falling at his feet, she said, “My lord, I accept all the guilt! But please let your female servant speak with my lord! Please listen to the words of your servant!

The Lord will do for my lord everything that he promised you, and he will make you a leader over Israel.

Praised be your good judgment! May you yourself be rewarded for having prevented me this day from shedding blood and taking matters into my own hands!

Then David took from her hand what she had brought to him. He said to her, “Go back to your home in peace. Be assured that I have listened to you and responded favorably.”

In the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him about these matters. He had a stroke and was paralyzed.

So Saul arose and went down to the desert of Ziph, accompanied by three thousand select men of Israel, to look for David in the desert of Ziph.

When Saul recognized David’s voice, he said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” David replied, “Yes, it’s my voice, my lord the king.”

The Lord rewards each man for his integrity and loyalty. Even though today the Lord delivered you into my hand, I was not willing to extend my hand against the Lord’s chosen one.

So Achish gave him Ziklag on that day. (For that reason Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah until this very day.)