Samuel Dies
1 Samuel died, and people from all over Israel gathered to mourn for him when he was buried at his home in Ramah. Meanwhile, David moved his camp to Paran Desert.
Abigail Keeps David from Killing Innocent People
2-3 Nabal was a very rich man who lived in Maon. He owned 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats, which he kept at Carmel. His wife Abigail was sensible and beautiful, but he was from the Caleb clan and was rough and mean.
4 One day, Nabal was in Carmel where his servants were cutting the wool from his sheep. David was in the desert when he heard about it. 5-6 So he sent ten men to Carmel with this message for Nabal:
I hope that you and your family are healthy and that all is going well for you. 7 I've heard that you are cutting the wool from your sheep.
When your shepherds were with us in Carmel, we didn't harm them, and nothing was ever stolen from them. 8 Ask your shepherds, and they'll tell you the same thing.
My servants are your servants, and you are like a father to me. This is a day for celebrating, so please be kind and share some of your food with us.
9 David's men went to Nabal and gave him David's message, then they waited for Nabal's answer.
10 This is what he said:
Who does this David think he is? That son of Jesse is just one more slave on the run from his master, and there are too many of them these days. 11 What makes you think I would take my bread, my water, and the meat that I've had cooked for my own servants and give it to you? Besides, I'm not sure that David sent you!
12 The men returned to their camp and told David everything Nabal had said.
13 “Everybody get your swords!” David ordered.
They all strapped on their swords. Two hundred men stayed behind to guard the camp, but the other 400 followed David.
14-16 Meanwhile, one of Nabal's servants told Abigail:
David's men were often nearby while we were taking care of the sheep in the fields. They were very good to us, they never hurt us, and nothing was ever stolen from us while they were nearby. With them around day or night, we were as safe as we would have been inside a walled city.
David sent some messengers from the desert to wish our master well, but he shouted insults at them. 17 He's a bully who won't listen to anyone.
Isn't there something you can do? Please think of something! Or else our master and his family and everyone who works for him are all doomed.
18 Abigail quickly got together 200 loaves of bread, two large clay jars of wine, the meat from five sheep, a large sack of roasted grain, 100 handfuls of raisins, and 200 handfuls of dried figs. She loaded all the food on donkeys 19 and told her servants, “Take this on ahead, and I'll catch up with you.” She didn't tell her husband Nabal what she was doing.
20 Abigail was riding her donkey on the path that led around the hillside, when suddenly she met David and his men heading straight at her.
21 David had just been saying, “I surely wasted my time guarding Nabal's things in the desert and keeping them from being stolen! I was good to him, and now he pays me back with insults. 22 I swear that by morning, there won't be a man or boy left from his family or his servants' families. I pray that God will punish me if I don't do it!”
23 Abigail quickly got off her donkey and bowed down in front of David. 24 Then she said:
Sir, please let me explain! 25 Don't pay any attention to that good-for-nothing Nabal. His name means “fool,” and it really fits him!
I didn't see the men you sent, 26-27 but please take this gift of food that I've brought and share it with your followers. The Lord has kept you from taking revenge and from killing innocent people. But I hope your enemies and anyone else who wants to harm you will end up like Nabal. I swear this by the living Lord and by your life.
28 Please forgive me if I say a little more. The Lord will always protect you and your family, because you fight for him. I pray that you won't ever do anything evil as long as you live. 29 The Lord your God will keep you safe when your enemies try to kill you. But he will snatch away their lives quicker than you can throw a rock from a sling.
30 The Lord has promised to do many good things for you, even to make you the ruler of Israel. The Lord will keep his promises to you, 31 and now your conscience will be clear, because you won't be guilty of taking revenge and killing innocent people.
When the Lord does all those good things for you, please remember me.
32 David told her:
I praise the Lord God of Israel! He must have sent you to meet me today. 33 And you should also be praised. Your good sense kept me from taking revenge and killing innocent people. 34 If you hadn't come to meet me so quickly, every man and boy in Nabal's family and in his servants' families would have been killed by morning. I swear by the living Lord God of Israel who protected you that this is the truth.
35 David accepted the food Abigail had brought. “Don't worry,” he said. “You can go home now. I'll do what you asked.”
36 Abigail went back home and found Nabal throwing a party fit for a king. He was very drunk and feeling good, so she didn't tell him anything that night. 37 But when he sobered up the next morning, Abigail told him everything that had happened. Nabal had a heart attack, and he lay in bed as still as a stone. 38 Ten days later, the Lord took his life.
39-40 David heard that Nabal had died. “I praise the Lord!” David said. “He has judged Nabal guilty for insulting me. The Lord kept me from doing anything wrong, and he made sure that Nabal hurt only himself with his own evil.”
David and Abigail Are Married
Abigail was still at Carmel. So David sent messengers to ask her if she would marry him.
41 She bowed down and said, “I would willingly be David's slave and wash his servants' feet.”
42 Abigail quickly got ready and went back with David's messengers. She rode on her donkey, while five of her servant women walked alongside. She and David were married as soon as she arrived.
43 David had earlier married Ahinoam from the town of Jezreel, so both she and Abigail were now David's wives. 44 Meanwhile, Saul had arranged for Michal to marry Palti the son of Laish, who came from the town of Gallim.
وفاة صموئيل وزواج داود
1 وتُوفِّيَ صَموئيلُ، فاجتمَعَ بَنو إِسرائيلَ، وناحوا علَيهِ ودَفنوهُ قريـبا مِنْ بـيتِهِ في الرَّامةِ. وبَعدَ هذا قامَ داوُدُ ونزَلَ إلى بَرِّيَّةِ فارانَ.
2 وكانَ هُناكَ رجُلٌ يُقيمُ في مدينةِ مَعونَ ولَه أملاكٌ في الكرمَلِ، وكانَ هذا الرَّجلُ غنيًّا جِدًّا، لَه ثَلاثَةُ آلافٍ مِنَ الغنَمِ وألفٌ مِنَ المعَزِ، وكانَ يجُزُّ غنَمَهُ في الكرمَلِ. 3 واسمُ الرَّجلِ نابالُ واسمُ زوجتِهِ أبـيجايِلُ. وكانَت أبـيجايِلُ ذَكيَّةً وجميلةً وكانَ نابالُ رجُلا فظًّا سيِّـئَ التَّصرُّفِ، وهوَ مِنْ قبـيلَةِ كالَبَ. 4 فسمِـعَ داوُدُ وهوَ في البَرِّيَّةِ أنَّ نابالَ يجُزُّ غنَمَهُ، 5 فأرسَلَ إليهِ عشَرَةً مِنَ الفِتيانِ وقالَ لهُم: «روحوا إلى نابالَ في الكرمَلِ، وسلِّموا علَيهِ باسمي 6 وقولوا لَه: «عشتَ ودُمتَ سالِما أنتَ وأهلُكَ وكُلُّ ما لَكَ. 7 سَمِعتُ الآنَ أنَّكَ تجُزُّ غنَمَكَ فاعلَمْ أنَّ رُعاتَكَ كانوا معَنا، فما أذَيناهُم ولا أخَذْنا مِنهُم شيئا طُولَ إقامَتِهم في الكرمَلِ. 8 سَلْ رُعاتَكَ يُخبِروكَ. فليَنعَمْ رُسُلي بِرِضاكَ، لأنَّهُم جاؤوا إليكَ في يومِ خَيرٍ، فابعَثْ معَهُم لابنِكَ داوُدَ ورِجالِه ممَّا تَيسَّر».
9 فجاءَ الفِتيانُ إلى نابالَ وكلَّموهُ بكلِّ هذا الكلامِ باسمِ داوُدَ. وانتَظَروا. 10 فأجابَهُم نابالُ: «مَنْ هوَ داوُدُ؟ مَنْ هوَ ابنُ يَسَّى؟ كثُرَ اليومَ العبـيدُ الّذينَ هرَبوا مِنْ عِندِ أسيادِهِم. 11 كيفَ لي أنْ آخُذَ خُبزي ومائي وذبـيحَتي الّتي ذَبحتُ للَّذينَ يَجُزُّونَ غنَمي وأُعطيها لقومٍ لا أعرِفُ مِنْ أينَ هُم؟» 12 فرجَعَ الفِتيانُ وأخبَروا داوُدَ بِما سَمِعوا. 13 فقالَ داوُدُ لِرِجالهِ: «تَقلَّدوا سُيوفَكُم». ففَعَلوا وتَقلَّدَ داوُدُ سيفَهُ أيضا، وصعِدَ على رأسِ أربعِ مئةِ رَجُلٍ، وبَقيَ مِئَتا رَجُلٍ يَحرسونَ الأمتعةَ.
14 فقالَ واحدٌ مِنْ خدَمِ نابالَ لأبـيجايلَ زوجَتِهِ: «أرسَلَ داوُدُ رُسلا مِنَ البَرِّيَّةِ يُسلِّمونَ على سيِّدِنا، فثارَ غضبُهُ علَيهِم. 15 ورجالُ داوُدَ أحسَنوا إلينا جِدًّا، فما آذونا وما أخذوا لنا شيئا كُلَّ أيّامِنا معَهُم في البَرِّيَّةِ، 16 وكانوا يُدافِعونَ عنَّا ليلا ونهارا طُولَ إقامَتِنا معَهُم ونحنُ نرعى الغنَمَ. 17 فاعلَمي هذا وانظُري الآنَ ماذا تَعملينَ، لأنَّ الشَّرَّ يتهدَّدُ سيِّدَنا وكُلَّ أهلِ بَيتِهِ، وهوَ صَعبُ المزاجِ لا يَقدِرُ أحدٌ أنْ يُكلِّمَهُ».
18 فأسرَعَت أبـيجايلُ وأخذَت مئتي رَغيفٍ، وزقَّي خمرٍ، وخمسةَ خرافٍ مَشويَّةٍ، وخمْسَ كيلاتٍ مِنَ الفَريكِ، ومئةَ عُنقودٍ مِنَ الزَّبـيبِ، ومئتَي قُرصٍ مِنَ التِّينِ، وحملَتْ ذلِكَ كُلَّهُ على حميرٍ 19 وقالَت لِخَدَمِها: «إستَبِقوني فأتبعَكُم». ولم تُخبِرْ زَوجَها نابالَ شيئا. 20 وبَينَما هيَ راكبَةٌ على الحمارِ ونازِلةٌ في لِحفِ الجبَلِ، إذا بِداوُدَ ورِجالِهِ مُنحدِرونَ صَوبَها فالتقَت بِهِم. 21 وكانَ داوُدُ يقولُ في نفْسِهِ: «عبَثا حافَظتُ على ما لهذا الرَّجلِ في البَرِّيَّةِ، فما فقَدَ مِنْ جميعِ ما هوَ لَه شيئا، فبادلَني الخَيرَ شرًّا. 22 ويلٌ لي مِنَ اللهِ إنْ أبقَيتُ إلى الصُّبحِ ذَكَرا مِنْ جميعِ أهلِ بَيتِهِ».
23 فلمَّا رأت أبـيجايِلُ داوُدَ، نزَلَت في الحالِ عَنْ حمارِها وانحنَت حتّى الأرضِ أمامَهُ، 24 ووقَعَت على رِجليهِ وقالت: «عليَّ يقعُ اللَّومُ يا سيِّدي، فَدَعْني أنا جاريَتكَ أتكلَّمُ على مسمَعِكَ، وأصغِ أنتَ لِكلامي. 25 لا تهتمَّ بهذا الرَّجلِ اللَّئيمِ نابالَ، لأنَّ اسمَهُ يَنطبِقُ على مُسمَّاهُ وهوَ الحَماقةُ. فأمَّا أنا جاريَتُكَ فما رأيتُ الّذينَ أرسلتَهُم. 26 والآنَ يا سيِّدي، حَيٌّ هوَ الرّبُّ وحَيٌّ أنتَ، إنَّ الرّبَّ الّذي منعَكَ عَنْ سَفكِ الدِّماءِ بـيَدِكَ انتِقاما لِنَفْسِكَ، سَيُعاقبُ أعداءَكَ وكُلَّ مَنْ يَطلُبُ لكَ الشَّرَّ مِثلَ نابالَ. 27 والآنَ إليكَ بهذِهِ الهديَّةِ الّتي جاءَتكَ بِها جاريتُكَ، فأعطِها لرِجالِكَ. 28 واصفَحْ عَنْ إساءةِ جاريَتِكَ إليكَ، ولا بُدَّ أنْ يُقيمَ لكَ الرّبُّ مُلكا وطيدا، لأنَّكَ يا سيِّدي تُحاربُ حروبَ الرّبِّ ولا تفعَلُ شرًّا طُولَ أيّامِ حياتِكَ. 29 وإذا قامَ أحدٌ ليُطاردَكَ ويَطلبَ حياتَكَ، فلتَكُنْ حياتُكَ يا سيِّدي مَصرورةً في صُرَّةِ الأحياءِ معَ الرّبِّ إلهِكَ، وأمَّا حياةُ أعدائِكَ فليَرمِها الرّبُّ كما في كفَّةِ المِقلاعِ. 30 وإذا عَمِلَ الرّبُّ لكَ يا سيِّدي كُلَّ ما وعدَكَ بهِ مِنَ الخَيرِ وجعَلَكَ رئيسا على إِسرائيلَ، 31 فلا يكونُ هُنالِكَ ما يُخلِّيكَ تشعُرُ بالنَّدَمِ وتَبكيتِ الضَّميرِ لأنَّكَ سَفَكتَ دَما بِــغَيرِ سبَبٍ انتِقاما لِنَفْسكَ. وإذا أنعَمَ الرّبُّ علَيكَ، يا سيِّدي، فاذكرْني أنا جاريَتُكَ».
32 فقالَ داوُدُ لأبـيجايِلَ: «مُبارَكٌ الرّبُّ إلهُ إِسرائيلَ الّذي أرسَلَكِ اليومَ إليَّ. 33 مُبارَكَةٌ حِكمَتُكِ، ومُبارَكَةٌ أنتِ، لأنَّكِ مَنَعتِني اليومَ مِنْ سَفكِ الدِّماء انتِقاما لِنَفْسي بـيَدي. 34 ولكِنْ، حَيٌّ هوَ الرّبُّ إلهُ إِسرائيلَ الّذي مَنعَني عَنِ الإساءةِ إليكِ، لو لم تُسرِعي وتأتي إليَّ لَما بَقيَ لِنابالَ إلى الصُّبحِ ذَكَرٌ في بَيتِه». 35 وأخذَ داوُدُ مِنْ يَدِها الهديَّةَ وقالَ لها: «عودي إلى بَيتِكِ بِسلامٍ، واعلَمي أنِّي سَمعتُ لكِ وأكرَمتُكِ».
36 فعادت أبـيجايلُ إلى نابالَ، فإذا في بَيتِهِ وليمةٌ كوليمةِ المُلوكِ. وكانَ نابالُ مُبتهِـجَ القلبِ مِنْ شدَّةِ السُّكرِ، فلم تُخبرْهُ أبـيجايِلُ بِشيءٍ إلى طلوعِ الصَّباحِ. 37 وعِندَما أفاقَ مِنْ سُكرِهِ في الصَّباحِ أخبرَتهُ بكُلِّ ما جرى لها، فصارَ مِثلَ الحجَرِ وماتَ قلبُهُ في صَدرِهِ. 38 وبَعدَ نحوِ عشَرَةِ أيّامٍ ضربَ الرّبُّ نابالَ فماتَ.
39 فلمَّا سمِـعَ داوُدُ بموتِ نابالَ قالَ: «تبارَكَ الرّبُّ الّذي انتَقَم مِنهُ على ما عيَّرني بهِ، ومَنَعني أنا عبدهُ عنِ الشَّرِّ وردَّ شَرَّ نابالَ إلى رأسِهِ». وأرسَلَ داوُدُ إلى أبـيجايِلَ يُخبِرُها أنَّهُ يُريدُ أنْ يأخُذَها زَوجَةً لهُ. 40 فجاءَها رُسلُ داوُدَ في الكَرمَلِ وقالوا لها: «أرسَلَنا داوُدُ إليكِ طالبا أنْ يأخُذَكِ زَوجَةً لهُ». 41 فقامَت وانحنَت حتّى الأرضِ وقالت: «إعتَبِرْ جاريَتَكَ أمَةً لكَ، يا سيِّدي لِتَغسِلَ أرجُلَ عبـيدِكَ». 42 وقامَت مُسرِعةً ورَكبَت حمارا ومَعَها خَمسٌ مِنْ جَواريها وراءَها، وتَبِــعت رُسُلَ داودَ وصارت لَه زوجَةً.
43 وتزوَّجَ داوُدُ أيضا أخينوعَمَ مِنْ يزرَعيلَ فصارَ لَه زَوجتانِ. 44 فأمَّا شاوُلُ، فأعطى ميكالَ ابنَتَهُ الّتي تَزوَّجَها داوُدُ زوجَةً لِفلطيِّ بنِ لايشَ مِنْ جَلِّيمَ.
