1. And Shemu’ĕl died, and all Yisra’ĕl gathered and mourned for him, and buried him at his home in Ramah. And Dawiḏ arose and went down into the Wilderness of Paran.
2. Now there was a man in Ma‛on and his work was in Karmel, and the man was very great. And he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And he came to be shearing his sheep in Karmel.
3. And the name of the man was Naḇal, and the name of his wife Aḇig̅ayil. And she was a woman of good understanding and good-looking. But the man was hard and evil in his doings. And he was of Kalĕḇ.
4. And Dawiḏ heard in the wilderness that Naḇal was shearing his sheep.
5. And Dawiḏ sent ten young men, and Dawiḏ said to the young men, “Go up to Karmel, and you shall come to Naḇal, and greet him in my name,
6. and say this, ‘Long life and peace to you! And peace to your house, and peace to all that you have!
7. ‘And now, I have heard that you have shearers. Now your shepherds have been with us. We did not put them to shame, and not a speck of theirs was missing all the days they were in Karmel.
8. ‘Ask your young men, and let them inform you. So let my young men find favour in your eyes, for we come on a good day. Please give whatever comes to your hand to your servants and to your son Dawiḏ.’ ”
9. And the young men of Dawiḏ came and spoke to Naḇal according to all these words in the name of Dawiḏ, and waited.
10. But Naḇal answered the servants of Dawiḏ and said, “Who is Dawiḏ, and who is the son of Yishai? The servants who are running away from their masters, have become many nowadays.
11. “And shall I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?”
12. And the young men of Dawiḏ turned around on their way and went back, and came and reported to him all these words.
13. And Dawiḏ said to his men, “Each one gird on his sword.” So they each girded on his sword, and Dawiḏ also girded on his sword. And about four hundred men went with Dawiḏ, and two hundred remained with the baggage.