2 Now there was a man in Ma‛on and his work was in Karmel, and the man was very great. And he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And he came to be shearing his sheep in Karmel.
3 And the name of the man was Naḇal, and the name of his wife Aḇig̅ayil. And she was a woman of good understanding and good-looking. But the man was hard and evil in his doings. And he was of Kalĕḇ.
4 And Dawiḏ heard in the wilderness that Naḇal was shearing his sheep.
5 And Dawiḏ sent ten young men, and Dawiḏ said to the young men, “Go up to Karmel, and you shall come to Naḇal, and greet him in my name,
6 and say this, ‘Long life and peace to you! And peace to your house, and peace to all that you have!
7 ‘And now, I have heard that you have shearers. Now your shepherds have been with us. We did not put them to shame, and not a speck of theirs was missing all the days they were in Karmel.
8 ‘Ask your young men, and let them inform you. So let my young men find favour in your eyes, for we come on a good day. Please give whatever comes to your hand to your servants and to your son Dawiḏ.’ ”