1 Samuel 25

“And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at…” Naming David and Israelites keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand…” The number three makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of…” Naming Abigail and Caleb keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.” Naming David and Nabal keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet…” The number ten makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was…” Naming Carmel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a…” Naming Ask and David keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And when David’s young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.” Naming David and Nabal keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“So David’s young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also…” The number four makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to…” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant…” The line’s distinctive content terms include conversant, fields, good. Its relationship to verses 14 and 16 shows what work it does in this passage.

“They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.” The line’s distinctive content terms include both, keeping, night. Its relationship to verses 15 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his…” Naming Belial keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five…” The number two makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal.” Naming Nabal keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert of the hill, and, behold, David and his men…” Naming David keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed…” Naming David and Surely keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself…” Naming David and Abigail keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee…” Naming Upon keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name…” Naming Nabal and Belial keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the LORD hath withholden thee from coming…” Naming Nabal keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord, let it even be given unto the young men that…” The line’s distinctive content terms include lord, blessing, follow. Its relationship to verses 26 and 28 shows what work it does in this passage.

“I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my…” The line’s distinctive content terms include LORD, battles, certainly. Its relationship to verses 27 and 29 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me:” Naming Abigail and Blessed keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from…” The line’s distinctive content terms include blessed, advice, avenging. Its relationship to verses 34 shows what work it does in this passage.

“For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal’s heart was…” Naming Nabal and Abigail keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that…” Naming Nabal keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died.” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.

“And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD , that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach…” Naming Nabal and David keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee…” Naming David and Abigail keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash…” The line’s distinctive content terms include arose, bowed, earth. Its relationship to verses 42 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after…” The number five makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives.” Naming Ahinoam and David keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of Gallim.” Naming David and Gallim keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.