22. So may God do unto the enemies of David and more also, if by morning I leave even one male of all who belong to him.”
23. When Abigail saw David, she hurriedly got down from the donkey and fell before David upon her face. And she bowed herself to the ground.
24. So she fell at his feet and said, “Against me alone, my lord, is the guilt. Please let your handmaid speak in your ears, and hear the words of your handmaid.
25. Please do not let my lord set his heart against this worthless man, against Nabal. For as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name and folly is with him. But I, your handmaid, did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent.
26. Now my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from coming in bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now let your enemies, and those seeking to do evil to my lord, be as Nabal.
27. Now let this blessing which your maidservant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord.
28. “Please forgive the transgression of your handmaid, for the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fights the battles of the Lord, and evil will not be found in you all your days.
29. Even if a man rises to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord will be bound in the bundle of the living with the Lord your God. But the lives of your enemies He will sling out, as from the hollow of a sling.
30. It will be, when the Lord does for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you and has appointed you ruler over Israel,
31. that this will be no grief to you, nor an offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. But when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your handmaid.”
32. David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me.
33. And blessed is your discretion, and blessed are you who have kept me this day from coming to shed blood and from avenging myself with my own hand.
34. For as the Lord, the God of Israel lives, who has restrained me from injuring you, if you had not hurried to come and meet me, surely there would not have been left even one male to Nabal by the morning light.”
35. So David received from her hand what she had brought him and said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. See, I have obeyed your voice, and have granted your request.”
36. Abigail came to Nabal, and he was feasting in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. Therefore she told him nothing until the morning light.