1. And Samuel died, and all Israel was gathered together, and they mourned for him, and buried him in his house in Ramatha. And David rose and went down into the wilderness of Pharan.
2. Now there was a certain man in the wilderness of Maon, and his possessions were in Carmel, and the man was very great: and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and it happened that he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.
3. Now the name of the man was Nabal: and the name of his wife was Abigail. And she was a prudent and very comely woman, but her husband was churlish, and very bad and ill natured: and he was of the house of Caleb.
4. And when David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep,
5. He sent ten young men, and said to them: Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and salute him in my name with peace.
6. And you shall say: Peace be to my brethren, and to thee, and peace to thy house, and peace to all that thou hast.
7. I heard that thy shepherds that were with us in the desert were shearing: we never molested them, neither was there ought missing to them of the flock at any time, all the while they were with us in Carmel.
8. Ask thy servants, and they will tell thee. Now therefore let thy servants find favour in thy eyes: for we are come in a good day, whatsoever thy hand shall find give to thy servants, and to thy son David.
9. And when David's servants came, they spoke to Nabal all these words in David's name: and then held their peace.