David and his men had been like a wall of protection to the shepherds and flocks of Nabal; and now this rich man was asked to furnish from his abundance some relief to the necessities of those who had done him such valuable service. David and his men might have helped themselves from the flocks and herds, but they did not. They behaved themselves in an honest way. Their kindness, however, was lost upon Nabal. The answer he returned to David was indicative of his character: "Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? There be many servants nowadays that break away every man from his master. Shall I then take my bread, any my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?"

Tiden var netop inde til at klippe fårene, og mens det stod på, plejede folk at være meget gæstfri. David og hans mænd havde opbrugt deres forråd, og i overensstemmelse med tidens skik sendte Isajs søn ti af sine unge mænd hen til Nabal med en hilsen fra deres herre samt dette budskab: Fred være med dig, fred være med dit hus, og fred være med alt, hvad dit er! Jeg har hørt, at du har fåreklipning. Nu har dine hyrder opholdt sig hos os; vi har ikke fornærmet dem, og de har intet mistet i al den tid, de har været i Karmel; spørg kun dine folk, så skal de fortælle dig det. Fat godhed for folkene! Vi kommer jo til en festdag; giv dine trælle og din søn David, hvad du vil unde os!" (Karmel er en lille by i nærheden af Maon i Judæa og bør ikke forveksles med Karmels bjerg.)