4 While in the wilderness, David heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep.
5 So David sent ten servants, telling them, "Go up to Carmel. When you get to Nabal, greet him for me.
6 Say this to him: ‘Peace to you, your household, and all that is yours!
7 I’ve heard that you are now shearing sheep. As you know, your shepherds were with us in the wilderness. We didn’t mistreat them. Moreover, the whole time they were at Carmel, nothing of theirs went missing.
8 Ask your servants; they will tell you the same. So please receive these young men favorably, because we’ve come on a special day. Please give whatever you have on hand to your servants and to your son David.’"
9 When David’s young men arrived, they said all this to Nabal on David’s behalf. Then they waited.
10 But Nabal answered David’s servants, "Who is David? Who is Jesse’s son? There are all sorts of slaves running away from their masters these days.