1And Shmu’el died; and all Yisra’el gathered themselves together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.
2And there was a man in Ma’on, whose possessions were in Karmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats; and he was shearing his sheep in Karmel. 3Now the name of the man was Naval; and the name of his wife Aviga’il; and the woman was of good understanding, and of a beautiful form; but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Kalev. 4And David heard in the wilderness that Naval was shearing his sheep. 5And David sent ten young men, and David said unto the young men, “Get you up to Karmel, and go to Naval, and greet him in my name; 6and you shall say this, ‘Life and shalom unto you, and shalom to your house, and shalom unto all that you have. 7And now I have heard that you have shearers; your shepherds have now been with us, and we did them no hurt, neither was there anything missing unto them, all the while they were in Karmel. 8Ask your young men, and they will tell you; therefore let the young men find favor in your eyes; for we come on a good day; give, I pray, whatsoever comes to your hand, unto your servants, and to your son David’.”
9And when David’s young men came, they spoke to Naval according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased. 10And Naval answered David’s servants, and said, “Who is David? And who is the son of Yishai? There are many servants now-a-days that break away every man from his master; 11shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men of whom I know not whence they are?” 12So David’s young men turned on their way, and went back, and came and told him according to all these words. 13And David said unto his men, “Gird every man his sword.” And they girded every man his sword; and David also girded his sword; and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the baggage. 14But one of the young men told Aviga’il, Naval’s wife, saying, “Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he flew upon them. 15But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither did we miss anything, as long as we went with them, when we were in the fields; 16they were a wall unto us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 17Now therefore know and consider what you will do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his house; for he is such a base fellow, that one cannot speak to him.” 18Then Aviga’il made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched grain, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys. 19And she said unto her young men, “Go on before me; behold, I come after you.” But she did not tell her husband Naval. 20And it was so, as she rode on her donkey, and came down by the cover of the mountain, that, behold, David and his men came down towards her; and she met them.
21Now David had said, “Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him; and he has returned me evil for good. 22God do so unto the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that pertains to him by the morning light, so much as one male.”
23And when Aviga’il saw David, she made haste, and alighted from her donkey, and fell before David on her face, and bowed down to the ground. 24And she fell at his feet, and said, “Upon me, my Adon, upon me be the iniquity; and let your handmaid, I pray, speak in your ears, and hear you the words of your handmaid. 25Let not my Adon, I pray, regard this base fellow, even Naval; for as his name is, so is he: Naval is his name, and churlishness is with him; but I your handmaid saw not the young men of my Adon, whom you did send. 26Now therefore, my Adon, as יהוה lives, and as your soul lives, seeing יהוה has withheld you from bloodguiltiness, and from finding redress for yourself with your own hand, now therefore let your enemies, and them that seek evil to my Adon, be as Naval. 27And now this present which your servant has brought unto my Adon, let it be given unto the young men that follow my Adon. 28Forgive, I pray, the trespass of your handmaid; for יהוה will certainly make my Adon
a sure house, because my Adon fights the battles of יהוה ; and evil is not found in you all your days. 29And though man is risen up to pursue you, and to seek your soul, yet the soul of my Adon shall be bound in the bundle of life with יהוה your Elohim; and the souls of your enemies, them shall he sling out, as from the hollow of a sling. 30And it shall come to pass, when יהוה shall have done to my Adon according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and shall have appointed you prince over Yisra’el, 31that this shall be no stumbling-block unto you, nor offense of heart unto my Adon, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my Adon has found redress for himself. And when יהוה shall have dealt well with my Adon, then remember your handmaid.”
32And David said to Aviga’il, “Blessed be יהוה Elohei Yisra’el, who sent you this day to meet me; 33and blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, that has kept me this day from bloodguiltiness, and from finding redress for myself with my own hand. 34For in very deed, as יהוה Elohei Yisra’el lives, who has withheld me from hurting you, except you had made haste and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Naval by the morning light so much as one male.” 35So David received of her hand that which she had brought him; and he said unto her, “Go up in shalom to your house; see, I have hearkened to your voice, and have accepted your person.”
36And Aviga’il came to Naval; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Naval’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk; so she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light. 37And it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Naval, that his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 38And it came to pass about ten days later, that יהוה smote Naval, so that he died. 39And when David heard that Naval was dead, he said, “Blessed be יהוה , that has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Naval, and has kept back His servant from evil; and the evil-doing of Naval has יהוה returned upon his own head.”
And David sent and spoke concerning Aviga’il, to take her to him as a wife. 40And when the servants of David were come to Aviga’il to Karmel, they spoke unto her, saying, “David has sent us unto you, to take you to him as a wife.” 41And she arose, and bowed down with her face to the earth, and said, “Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my Adon.” 42And Aviga’il hastened, and arose, and rode upon a donkey, with five damsels of hers that followed her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife. 43David also took Akhino’am of Yizreil; and they became both of them his wives. 44Now Sha’ul had given Mikhal his daughter, David’s wife, to Palti Ben La’ish, who was of Galim.
אוַיָּמָת שְׁמוּאֵל וַיִּקָּבְצוּ כָל יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּסְפְּדוּ לוֹ וַיִּקְבְּרֻהוּ בְּבֵיתוֹ בָּרָמָה; וַיָּקָם דָּוִד וַיֵּרֶד אֶל מִדְבַּר פָּארָן.
בוְאִישׁ בְּמָעוֹן וּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ בַכַּרְמֶל וְהָאִישׁ גָּדוֹל מְאֹד וְלוֹ צֹאן שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וְאֶלֶף עִזִּים; וַיְהִי בִּגְזֹז אֶת צֹאנוֹ בַּכַּרְמֶל. גוְשֵׁם הָאִישׁ נָבָל וְשֵׁם אִשְׁתּוֹ אֲבִגָיִל; וְהָאִשָּׁה טוֹבַת שֶׂכֶל וִיפַת תֹּאַר וְהָאִישׁ קָשֶׁה וְרַע מַעֲלָלִים וְהוּא כלבו (כָלִבִּי). דוַיִּשְׁמַע דָּוִד בַּמִּדְבָּר: כִּי גֹזֵז נָבָל אֶת צֹאנוֹ. הוַיִּשְׁלַח דָּוִד עֲשָׂרָה נְעָרִים; וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד לַנְּעָרִים עֲלוּ כַרְמֶלָה וּבָאתֶם אֶל נָבָל וּשְׁאֶלְתֶּם לוֹ בִשְׁמִי לְשָׁלוֹם. ווַאֲמַרְתֶּם כֹּה לֶחָי; וְאַתָּה שָׁלוֹם וּבֵיתְךָ שָׁלוֹם וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר לְךָ שָׁלוֹם. זוְעַתָּה שָׁמַעְתִּי כִּי גֹזְזִים לָךְ; עַתָּה הָרֹעִים אֲשֶׁר לְךָ הָיוּ עִמָּנוּ לֹא הֶכְלַמְנוּם וְלֹא נִפְקַד לָהֶם מְאוּמָה כָּל יְמֵי הֱיוֹתָם בַּכַּרְמֶל. חשְׁאַל אֶת נְעָרֶיךָ וְיַגִּידוּ לָךְ וְיִמְצְאוּ הַנְּעָרִים חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ כִּי עַל יוֹם טוֹב בָּנוּ; תְּנָה נָּא אֵת אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא יָדְךָ לַעֲבָדֶיךָ וּלְבִנְךָ לְדָוִד.
טוַיָּבֹאוּ נַעֲרֵי דָוִד וַיְדַבְּרוּ אֶל נָבָל כְּכָל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה בְּשֵׁם דָּוִד; וַיָּנוּחוּ. יוַיַּעַן נָבָל אֶת עַבְדֵי דָוִד וַיֹּאמֶר מִי דָוִד וּמִי בֶן יִשָׁי; הַיּוֹם רַבּוּ עֲבָדִים הַמִּתְפָּרְצִים אִישׁ מִפְּנֵי אֲדֹנָיו. יאוְלָקַחְתִּי אֶת לַחְמִי וְאֶת מֵימַי וְאֵת טִבְחָתִי אֲשֶׁר טָבַחְתִּי לְגֹזְזָי; וְנָתַתִּי לַאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַעְתִּי אֵי מִזֶּה הֵמָּה. יבוַיַּהַפְכוּ נַעֲרֵי דָוִד לְדַרְכָּם; וַיָּשֻׁבוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ וַיַּגִּדוּ לוֹ כְּכֹל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה. יגוַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד לַאֲנָשָׁיו חִגְרוּ אִישׁ אֶת חַרְבּוֹ וַיַּחְגְּרוּ אִישׁ אֶת חַרְבּוֹ וַיַּחְגֹּר גַּם דָּוִד אֶת חַרְבּוֹ; וַיַּעֲלוּ אַחֲרֵי דָוִד כְּאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אִישׁ וּמָאתַיִם יָשְׁבוּ עַל הַכֵּלִים. ידוְלַאֲבִיגַיִל אֵשֶׁת נָבָל הִגִּיד נַעַר אֶחָד מֵהַנְּעָרִים לֵאמֹר: הִנֵּה שָׁלַח דָּוִד מַלְאָכִים מֵהַמִּדְבָּר לְבָרֵךְ אֶת אֲדֹנֵינוּ וַיָּעַט בָּהֶם. טווְהָאֲנָשִׁים טֹבִים לָנוּ מְאֹד; וְלֹא הָכְלַמְנוּ וְלֹא פָקַדְנוּ מְאוּמָה כָּל יְמֵי הִתְהַלַּכְנוּ אִתָּם בִּהְיוֹתֵנוּ בַּשָּׂדֶה. טזחוֹמָה הָיוּ עָלֵינוּ גַּם לַיְלָה גַּם יוֹמָם כָּל יְמֵי הֱיוֹתֵנוּ עִמָּם רֹעִים הַצֹּאן. יזוְעַתָּה דְּעִי וּרְאִי מַה תַּעֲשִׂי כִּי כָלְתָה הָרָעָה אֶל אֲדֹנֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל בֵּיתוֹ; וְהוּא בֶּן בְּלִיַּעַל מִדַּבֵּר אֵלָיו. יחוַתְּמַהֵר אבוגיל (אֲבִיגַיִל) וַתִּקַּח מָאתַיִם לֶחֶם וּשְׁנַיִם נִבְלֵי יַיִן וְחָמֵשׁ צֹאן עשוות (עֲשׂוּיוֹת) וְחָמֵשׁ סְאִים קָלִי וּמֵאָה צִמֻּקִים וּמָאתַיִם דְּבֵלִים; וַתָּשֶׂם עַל הַחֲמֹרִים. יטוַתֹּאמֶר לִנְעָרֶיהָ עִבְרוּ לְפָנַי הִנְנִי אַחֲרֵיכֶם בָּאָה; וּלְאִישָׁהּ נָבָל לֹא הִגִּידָה. כוְהָיָה הִיא רֹכֶבֶת עַל הַחֲמוֹר וְיֹרֶדֶת בְּסֵתֶר הָהָר וְהִנֵּה דָוִד וַאֲנָשָׁיו יֹרְדִים לִקְרָאתָהּ; וַתִּפְגֹשׁ אֹתָם.
כאוְדָוִד אָמַר אַךְ לַשֶּׁקֶר שָׁמַרְתִּי אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לָזֶה בַּמִּדְבָּר וְלֹא נִפְקַד מִכָּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ מְאוּמָה; וַיָּשֶׁב לִי רָעָה תַּחַת טוֹבָה. כבכֹּה יַעֲשֶׂה אֱלֹהִים לְאֹיְבֵי דָוִד וְכֹה יֹסִיף: אִם אַשְׁאִיר מִכָּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ עַד הַבֹּקֶר מַשְׁתִּין בְּקִיר.
כגוַתֵּרֶא אֲבִיגַיִל אֶת דָּוִד וַתְּמַהֵר וַתֵּרֶד מֵעַל הַחֲמוֹר; וַתִּפֹּל לְאַפֵּי דָוִד עַל פָּנֶיהָ וַתִּשְׁתַּחוּ אָרֶץ. כדוַתִּפֹּל עַל רַגְלָיו וַתֹּאמֶר בִּי אֲנִי אֲדֹנִי הֶעָוֹן; וּתְדַבֶּר נָא אֲמָתְךָ בְּאָזְנֶיךָ וּשְׁמַע אֵת דִּבְרֵי אֲמָתֶךָ. כהאַל נָא יָשִׂים אֲדֹנִי אֶת לִבּוֹ אֶל אִישׁ הַבְּלִיַּעַל הַזֶּה עַל נָבָל כִּי כִשְׁמוֹ כֶּן הוּא נָבָל שְׁמוֹ וּנְבָלָה עִמּוֹ; וַאֲנִי אֲמָתְךָ לֹא רָאִיתִי אֶת נַעֲרֵי אֲדֹנִי אֲשֶׁר שָׁלָחְתָּ. כווְעַתָּה אֲדֹנִי חַי יהוה וְחֵי נַפְשְׁךָ אֲשֶׁר מְנָעֲךָ יהוה מִבּוֹא בְדָמִים וְהוֹשֵׁעַ יָדְךָ לָךְ; וְעַתָּה יִהְיוּ כְנָבָל אֹיְבֶיךָ וְהַמְבַקְשִׁים אֶל אֲדֹנִי רָעָה. כזוְעַתָּה הַבְּרָכָה הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר הֵבִיא שִׁפְחָתְךָ לַאדֹנִי; וְנִתְּנָה לַנְּעָרִים הַמִּתְהַלְּכִים בְּרַגְלֵי אֲדֹנִי. כחשָׂא נָא לְפֶשַׁע אֲמָתֶךָ: כִּי עָשֹׂה יַעֲשֶׂה יהוה לַאדֹנִי בַּיִת נֶאֱמָן כִּי מִלְחֲמוֹת יהוה אֲדֹנִי נִלְחָם וְרָעָה לֹא תִמָּצֵא בְךָ מִיָּמֶיךָ. כטוַיָּקָם אָדָם לִרְדָפְךָ וּלְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת נַפְשֶׁךָ; וְהָיְתָה נֶפֶשׁ אֲדֹנִי צְרוּרָה בִּצְרוֹר הַחַיִּים אֵת יהוה אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְאֵת נֶפֶשׁ אֹיְבֶיךָ יְקַלְּעֶנָּה בְּתוֹךְ כַּף הַקָּלַע. לוְהָיָה כִּי יַעֲשֶׂה יהוה לַאדֹנִי כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֶת הַטּוֹבָה עָלֶיךָ וְצִוְּךָ לְנָגִיד עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל. לאוְלֹא תִהְיֶה זֹאת לְךָ לְפוּקָה וּלְמִכְשׁוֹל לֵב לַאדֹנִי וְלִשְׁפָּךְ דָּם חִנָּם וּלְהוֹשִׁיעַ אֲדֹנִי לוֹ; וְהֵיטִב יהוה לַאדֹנִי וְזָכַרְתָּ אֶת אֲמָתֶךָ.
לבוַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד לַאֲבִיגַל: בָּרוּךְ יהוה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר שְׁלָחֵךְ הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה לִקְרָאתִי. לגוּבָרוּךְ טַעְמֵךְ וּבְרוּכָה אָתְּ: אֲשֶׁר כְּלִתִנִי הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה מִבּוֹא בְדָמִים וְהֹשֵׁעַ יָדִי לִי. לדוְאוּלָם חַי יהוה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר מְנָעַנִי מֵהָרַע אֹתָךְ: כִּי לוּלֵי מִהַרְתְּ ותבאתי (וַתָּבֹאת) לִקְרָאתִי כִּי אִם נוֹתַר לְנָבָל עַד אוֹר הַבֹּקֶר מַשְׁתִּין בְּקִיר. להוַיִּקַּח דָּוִד מִיָּדָהּ אֵת אֲשֶׁר הֵבִיאָה לוֹ; וְלָהּ אָמַר עֲלִי לְשָׁלוֹם לְבֵיתֵךְ רְאִי שָׁמַעְתִּי בְקוֹלֵךְ וָאֶשָּׂא פָּנָיִךְ.
לווַתָּבֹא אֲבִיגַיִל אֶל נָבָל וְהִנֵּה לוֹ מִשְׁתֶּה בְּבֵיתוֹ כְּמִשְׁתֵּה הַמֶּלֶךְ וְלֵב נָבָל טוֹב עָלָיו וְהוּא שִׁכֹּר עַד מְאֹד; וְלֹא הִגִּידָה לּוֹ דָּבָר קָטֹן וְגָדוֹל עַד אוֹר הַבֹּקֶר. לזוַיְהִי בַבֹּקֶר בְּצֵאת הַיַּיִן מִנָּבָל וַתַּגֶּד לוֹ אִשְׁתּוֹ אֶת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה; וַיָּמָת לִבּוֹ בְּקִרְבּוֹ וְהוּא הָיָה לְאָבֶן. לחוַיְהִי כַּעֲשֶׂרֶת הַיָּמִים; וַיִּגֹּף יהוה אֶת נָבָל וַיָּמֹת. לטוַיִּשְׁמַע דָּוִד כִּי מֵת נָבָל וַיֹּאמֶר בָּרוּךְ יהוה אֲשֶׁר רָב אֶת רִיב חֶרְפָּתִי מִיַּד נָבָל וְאֶת עַבְדּוֹ חָשַׂךְ מֵרָעָה וְאֵת רָעַת נָבָל הֵשִׁיב יהוה בְּרֹאשׁוֹ.
וַיִּשְׁלַח דָּוִד וַיְדַבֵּר בַּאֲבִיגַיִל לְקַחְתָּהּ לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה. מוַיָּבֹאוּ עַבְדֵי דָוִד אֶל אֲבִיגַיִל הַכַּרְמֶלָה; וַיְדַבְּרוּ אֵלֶיהָ לֵאמֹר דָּוִד שְׁלָחָנוּ אֵלַיִךְ לְקַחְתֵּךְ לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה. מאוַתָּקָם וַתִּשְׁתַּחוּ אַפַּיִם אָרְצָה; וַתֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה אֲמָתְךָ לְשִׁפְחָה לִרְחֹץ רַגְלֵי עַבְדֵי אֲדֹנִי. מבוַתְּמַהֵר וַתָּקָם אֲבִיגַיִל וַתִּרְכַּב עַל הַחֲמוֹר וְחָמֵשׁ נַעֲרֹתֶיהָ הַהֹלְכוֹת לְרַגְלָהּ; וַתֵּלֶךְ אַחֲרֵי מַלְאֲכֵי דָוִד וַתְּהִי לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה. מגוְאֶת אֲחִינֹעַם לָקַח דָּוִד מִיִּזְרְעֶאל; וַתִּהְיֶיןָ גַּם שְׁתֵּיהֶן לוֹ לְנָשִׁים. מדוְשָׁאוּל נָתַן אֶת מִיכַל בִּתּוֹ אֵשֶׁת דָּוִד: לְפַלְטִי בֶן לַיִשׁ אֲשֶׁר מִגַּלִּים.
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 