9. When David’s men arrived, they gave the message to Nabal, but Nabal insulted them.
10. He answered them, “Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many slaves are running away from their masters today!
11. I have bread and water, and I have meat that I killed for my servants who cut the wool. But I won’t give it to men I don’t know.”
12. David’s men went back and told him all Nabal had said.
13. Then David said to them, “Put on your swords!” So they put on their swords, and David put on his also. About four hundred men went with David, but two hundred men stayed with the supplies.
14. One of Nabal’s servants said to Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “David sent messengers from the desert to greet our master, but Nabal insulted them.
15. These men were very good to us. They did not harm us. They stole nothing from us during all the time we were out in the field with them.
16. Night and day they protected us. They were like a wall around us while we were with them caring for the sheep.