As a result, David was forced to live as a fugitive. He and some 600 comrades eventually found refuge in the wilderness of Paran, south of Judah and toward the wilderness of Sinai.—1 Samuel 23:13; 25:1.

While there, they encountered shepherds employed by a man named Nabal. This wealthy descendant of Caleb owned 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats, and he sheared his sheep in Carmel, a city south of Hebron and perhaps only some 25 miles [40 km] from Paran.a