1 Samuel 25

31 don't let this be a blemish on your record. Then you won't have to carry on your conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed and vengeance. And when the LORD has done these great things for you, please remember me!"

32 David replied to Abigail, "Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who has sent you to meet me today!

33 Thank God for your good sense! Bless you for keeping me from murdering the man and carrying out vengeance with my own hands.

34 For I swear by the LORD, the God of Israel, who has kept me from hurting you, that if you had not hurried out to meet me, not one of Nabal's men would be alive tomorrow morning."

35 Then David accepted her gifts and told her, "Return home in peace. We will not kill your husband."

36 When Abigail arrived home, she found that Nabal had thrown a big party and was celebrating like a king. He was very drunk, so she didn't tell him anything about her meeting with David until the next morning.

37 The next morning when he was sober, she told him what had happened. As a result he had a stroke,* and he lay on his bed paralyzed.¹

38 About ten days later, the LORD struck him and he died.

39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, "Praise the LORD, who has paid back Nabal and kept me from doing it myself. Nabal has received the punishment for his sin." Then David wasted no time in sending messengers to Abigail to ask her to become his wife.

40 When the messengers arrived at Carmel, they told Abigail, "David has sent us to ask if you will marry him."

41 She bowed low to the ground and responded, "Yes, I am even willing to become a slave to David's servants!"

42 Quickly getting ready, she took along five of her servant girls as attendants, mounted her donkey, and went with David's messengers. And so she became his wife.

43 David also married Ahinoam from Jezreel, making both of them his wives.

44 Saul, meanwhile, had given his daughter Michal, David's wife, to a man from Gallim named Palti son of Laish.

Read 1 Samuel 26

1: Hebrew his heart failed him.

^{New Living Translation Bible and Notes used with permission Tyndale House Publishers.}