Discovery Box1 Samuel 25:23-35 
Context25:23 When Abigail saw David, she got down quickly from the donkey, threw herself down before David, and bowed to the ground. 25:24 Falling at his feet, she said, “My lord, I accept all the guilt! But please let your female servant speak with my lord! Please listen to the words of your servant! 25:25 My lord should not pay attention to this wicked man Nabal. He simply lives up to his name! His name means ‘fool,’ and he is indeed foolish! 1 But I, your servant, did not see the servants my lord sent. 2
25:26 “Now, my lord, as surely as the Lord lives and as surely as you live, it is the Lord who has kept you from shedding blood and taking matters into your own hands. Now may your enemies and those who seek to harm my lord be like Nabal. 25:27 Now let this present 3 that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the servants who follow 4 my lord. 25:28 Please forgive the sin of your servant, for the Lord will certainly establish the house of my lord, because my lord fights the battles of the Lord. May no evil be found in you all your days! 25:29 When someone sets out to chase you and to take your life, the life of my lord will be wrapped securely in the bag 5 of the living by the Lord your God. But he will sling away the lives of your enemies from the sling’s pocket! 25:30 The Lord will do for my lord everything that he promised you, 6 and he will make 7 you a leader over Israel. 25:31 Your conscience will not be overwhelmed with guilt 8 for having poured out innocent blood and for having taken matters into your own hands. When the Lord has granted my lord success, 9 please remember your servant.”
25:32 Then David said to Abigail, “Praised 10 be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you this day to meet me! 25:33 Praised be your good judgment! May you yourself be rewarded 11 for having prevented me this day from shedding blood and taking matters into my own hands! 25:34 Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives – he who has prevented me from harming you – if you had not come so quickly to meet me, by morning’s light not even one male belonging to Nabal would have remained alive!” 25:35 Then David took from her hand what she had brought to him. He said to her, “Go back 12 to your home in peace. Be assured that I have listened to you 13 and responded favorably.” 14
1 tn Heb “and foolishness is with him.”
2 tn Heb “my lord’s servants, whom you sent.”
3 tn Heb “blessing.”
4 tn Heb “are walking at the feet of.”
5 tn Cf. KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV “bundle”; NLT “treasure pouch.”
6 tn Heb “according to all which he spoke, the good concerning you.”
7 tn Heb “appoint.”
8 tn Heb “and this will not be for you for staggering and for stumbling of the heart of my lord.”
9 tn Heb “and the
10 tn Heb “blessed” (also in vv. 33, 39).
11 tn Heb “blessed.”
12 tn Heb “up.”
13 tn Heb “your voice.”
14 tn Heb “I have lifted up your face.”
