Samuel replied, “If that is the case, ¹  then what is this sound of sheep in my ears and the sound of cattle that I hear?”

So Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the Lord’s house. But Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision.

God will severely punish David, ¹  if I leave alive until morning even one male ²  from all those who belong to him!”

Now Saul was walking behind the ¹  oxen as he came from the field. Saul asked, “What has happened to the people? Why are they weeping?” So they told him about ²  the men of Jabesh.

The next day Saul placed the people in three groups. They went to the Ammonite camp during the morning watch and struck them ¹  down until the hottest part of the day. The survivors scattered; no two of them remained together.

Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines at night; we will rout ¹  them until the break of day. ²  We won’t leave any of them alive!” ³  They replied, “Do whatever seems best to you.” ⁴  But the priest said, “Let’s approach God here.”

Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives – he who has prevented me from harming you – if you had not come so quickly to meet me, by morning’s light not even one male belonging to Nabal would have remained alive!”

When Abigail went back to Nabal, he was holding a banquet in his house like that of the king. Nabal was having a good time ¹  and was very intoxicated. She told him absolutely nothing ²  until morning’s light.