1 Samuel

1 Samuel 25:1

Samuel died and all of Israel assembled and mourned him.  While they didn't always obey or heed Samuel's words they respected him and honored him. 

1 Samuel 25:2-3

David moves down to the Desert of Maon and encounters Nabal.  Nabal means fool; but this fool was very rich.  His riches were only in what he possessed.  In spite of his riches and having a wise and beautiful wife, he was a harsh and evil man.  His money couldn't buy character, wisdom or joy. 

1 Samuel 25:4-13

Shearing time was a time of genorosity and feasting.  David, having protected Nabal's flocks from Philistine raids was now asking for some compesation in a polite manner.  These men protected the flocks not robbing from them.  Nabal scoffs at David and basically considers him a runaway slave.  Nabal had to know David, but his response shows a total lack of respect for him.  David tells his men to mount up and strap on their swords.  David's response here is a far cry from the patience and kindness shown to Saul.  This isn't the Godly response we might expect from David. 

1 Samuel 25:14-17

David plans to kill every male in the camp; this is in turn understood by the servants and told to abilgail.  Everyone seems to know Nabal is a thick headed fool.  The servants confirm that David's men were 'as a wall' showing they were worthy of reward during this time of feasting. 

1 Samuel 25:18-44

Abigail sends a bunch of food and provisions to them and she meets David as he is coming down to kill all the males of Nabal.  In haste Abigail was able to gather this much food.  It shows how rich Nabal was.  Abigail yields to David and takes responsibility for what happened.  It's almost like she was saying she failed to make this delivery earlier but now here it is. 

Everyone seems to understand that Nabal is a scoundrel.  We often feel justified in straightening out a scoundrel or putting them in their place.  That's certainly David's attitude.  But his heart was wrong.  Abigail is wise and makes a great argument that there was really no need for bloodshed.  She argues that he fights the battle of the Lord and there was no reason for him to shed her husbands blood because he was a fool.  The "bundle" in verse 29 is a Hebrew burial practice of bundling up valuables for burial.

David agrees and thanks Abigail for stopping him just in time.  Now Abigail goes back home and finds Nabal drunk.  She waits til morning and tells him what she did.  His heart fails him and he later dies.  David feels that God has upheld him and brought Nabal's evil as a judgment on him.  God seems to be able to take care of the fools without our help.  David asks Abigail to become his wife and she agrees.  

It is also noted that Michel, Saul's daughter was taken away from David by Saul and given as wife to another man.

©2015 Doug Ford