This chapter begins with the sad words that Samuel died. This is a major event – God’s man to and for the people – a truly great man from humble beginnings; one of the greatest men Israel ever had and yet one sentence is all that is recorded of his death and burial. All Israel lamented for him and buried him at his home in Ramah. David went down to the Wilderness of Paran.
In Numbers 20:29 and Deuteronomy 34:8 we read that the people mourned for 30 days at the deaths of Moses and Aaron, but no mention of it here, unless it is assumed from the words, “…. The Israelites gathered together and lamented for him.” (v1) but it doesn’t actually say that.
Wouldn’t you have thought that there would have been more said about the death of this great man of God. But Psalm 116 v 15 says “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his Saints.” That’s better than any earthly memorial. He is mentioned in Hebrews 11:32, which we often call God’s list of heroes of faith.
God’s work still goes on, He is not dependent upon one person.
In chapter 23 David had left Ziph when Saul was approaching and went to the Wilderness of Maon. We return to Maon where we find a man named Nabal who was very rich and did business in Carmel (v2,3). He had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats. The man’s name was Nabal, and his wife was Abigail. Nabal was harsh and evil, but Abigail was beautiful and of good understanding, she had beauty and brains. It was praise indeed for Abigail, because the only other women who have this Hebrew phrase ‘beautiful appearance’ was given to them are Rachel (Genesis 29:17) and Esther (Esther 2:7). Nabal was of the house of Caleb and was a rich and successful businessman, but he was rough and ready. For two opposites to be married to each other is hard to imagine.
In today’s ‘throw away society’, where if people get ‘fed up’ with a thing, it is time for a change and we ‘get rid’. This is evidenced in the number of things that we throw away, even to making television programs showing recycling. This is the positive side, but sadly, there is a negative side which applies to relationships and marriages. Abigail and Nabal would probably have fallen into that latter category, and people would have urged them to split because they were so incompatible. Our divorce courts are probably inundated with them. It is said that 1 in 2 marriages end in this way, and what is even more sad, it includes numerous Christian marriages.
It is a very delicate and difficult subject, and there may not be an easy answer, but may I give you this thought from the late Bible Teacher, Alan Redpath who said, “May I say to you lovingly, but firmly, if such a circumstance has befallen you, that is no reason for you to invoke the law of the country to get out of the entanglement. Perhaps God knew that you needed the fiery trial to humble you and make you a testimony to your partner. The Bible says you must stay as you are. Maybe there will come to you one day, as there came to Abigail, a new opportunity; but until then, it is for you to prove the grace and power of the Lord in your heart to strengthen you and keep you pure.”
Back to the scene – David was in the wilderness with his band of men, no doubt very hungry. He heard that Nabal was in the area shearing his many sheep, so David sent 10 young men to speak to Nabal to ask for provisions (v4-9). It is said that sheep-shearing time was a time of generosity and hospitality to others.
It is evident that David and his band had previously come across Nabal’s shepherds and his flock and spent some time with them in the fields. David sent his representatives to speak peace (v6) to remind Nabal of their honesty and mercy towards his workers. They had possibly even protected his men and his flocks. “Your shepherds were with us, and we did not hurt them, nor was there anything missing from them all the while they were in Carmel. Ask your young men, and they will tell you.” David was on the run – he and his men would have been desperate for food and could have taken sheep from Nabal’s large flock, but they didn’t. They went to Nabal on a Feast Day – a day when some of the flock would have been taken out and made ready to eat – and asked for food.
Nabal answered (v10, 11) “Who is David, this son of Jesse? There are many servants nowadays who break away from their masters; shall I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men I do not know?” In other words, Nabal had no respect for David. It seems that he knew who he was but couldn’t care less. He was very self-centered which is usually evident where people have everything.
David’s men returned empty-handed and disappointed. David was angry and prepared to retaliate and took 400 of his men, armed, and 200 stayed with the supplies(v13). David was a great fighter and was ready to fight, but it was not a Godly way to react. He hadn’t reacted like that to Saul even when he had been insulted and had the chance.
He intended to wipe out Nabal (v 22) but one of Nabal’s young men went to Abigail (v14-17), Nabal’s wife and pleaded David’s case, and related how David’s men had protected them and treated them well. Not only did Nabal have no regard for David, Nabal’s servants evidently didn’t have a high regard for their master – one of these young men called him “a scoundrel” (v17) – (margin) “son of Belial”. He says that Nabal is unapproachable – one can’t talk to him – he knows it all, he is proud and stupid. He advised Abigail that David is planning to attack, and they would all be in danger, including Abigail.
Abigail gathered together provisions and accompanied her servants to take them to David (v18-20). Abigail took a huge amount of provisions which shows that Nabal was a rich man, and these provisions were readily available. She did not tell Nabal what she was doing, and she rode on a donkey under cover of the hill and met David and his men.
David had said that his men had defended Nabal’s workers and had been repaid evil for good. David’s attitude is not good. He naturally feels aggrieved, he should have left it to God to deal with Nabal, but he sort of invoked God, but threatened his own revenge, to wipe out all Nabal’s males before morning (v21,22). It was the normal reaction from the world, but not from a man of God.
Revenge is never right. Vengeance belongs to God, but He never repays as we would. He will deal with injustices and will judge those who do wrong in His perfect way.
Abigail had ridden under cover of the hill, and it was very likely that she would have been hidden until the last moment. Abigail sees David before he sees her (v23). She dismounted and fell on her face before David, bowing to the ground. Even though it had not been Abigail’s guilt, but her husband’s, she takes the blame for his behaviour – “On me, my lord, on me let this iniquity be!” She came in humility and asked permission to speak and pleaded for her husband (v23-31).
Nabal clearly has a reputation – Abigail also calls him scoundrel (v 25) when she met David. “For as his name is, so is he – Nabal is his name (meaning fool) and folly is with him”.
Imagine, calling your son Nabal = fool! Strange what names parents give to their children – or is it?
She is either good with words or she has great insight, she is certainly very shrewd – she recognizes David is on The LORD’s side(v 28) and will be future King (v 30). She puts in a word for herself – (v 31) “But when the LORD has dealt well with my LORD, then remember your maidservant”. She explained that she had not seen the men when they came to Nabal. She cleverly suggests that The LORD has held David back from shedding their blood and getting his revenge on Nabal and his household. She spoke of David’s character in high regard. David would have admitted that he was thinking the worst of Nabal, and surely, he must have felt chastised. She recognized that The LORD was with David and fighting his battles. She reminded him of The LORD’s promises for him and that he would one day be king.
Abigail was very loyal to David, but she was not very loyal to her husband, Nabal. She showed a lack of respect towards her husband. This was not the right attitude even though her husband had behaved badly towards David and his men. Not only that but she had acted behind his back in bringing provisions.
Marriage is beautiful relationship, ordained by God, and both husband and wife have great responsibilities. It would have been better if she had discussed it fully with her husband and told him what she planned to do even if he disagreed with her. The Bible says that wives should obey their husbands in The Lord, which may sound one sided, but it also says that husbands should love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it, which is a massive commitment when one considers just how much Christ loved us. It is clear that Nabal and Abigail were very different characters, one probably had a belief in God, the other not so. I know it can be difficult when there is a disagreement, but the problem can be solved by trusting in The Lord. I’m sure that Abigail could have spoken kindly to Nabal, she certainly had a charming tongue.
It could be said that she was justified in doing what she did because innocent people, as well as the guilty Nabal, would have died at the hand of David. The Bible doesn’t explain that. She appealed to David’s honour and goodness rather than his bad side which he could have carried out had she not done what she did. It is conceivable that she could similarly have appealed to Nabal.
What we read in v32-35 could lead us to accept that she persuaded David from doing the evil deed. David is completely bowled over and he thanks and gives praise to God (v32-34). He is thankful that God sent her to him and that God kept him from revenge and slaughtering Nabal and all his men. He had said, “Surely by morning light no males would have been left to Nabal!” So, David received from her hand what she had brought him, and said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. See, I have heeded your voice and respected your person.” He told Abigail to go in peace.
Abigail had reminded him that he was to be king. If he had killed Nabal and his household, his people would have doubted him, and found it difficult to trust him in the future. One commentator suggests that it might have given Saul every reason to kill him. Up to now David had only done what was right before God and Saul was totally unjustified in hunting him down.
We are never justified in sinning against another however badly they have treated us.
She returned to Nabal who by then was drunk from his feasting (v 36). There was no point in speaking to him in that state, he was very drunk, so she waited until morning. Nabal was “…. feasting like a king” – overindulgence – there would have been plenty to spare for David and his men. In the morning, she told him, when the wine had worn off and he was stunned. v 37 “His heart died with in him and he became like a stone”. – similar to a heart attack and stroke all at same time. He lingered on for 10 days and then (v38) “The LORD struck Nabal and he died”. Seems quite drastic!
Little did Nabal know but that he had been on the brink of being slaughtered, and there he was feasting and getting drunk. He was certainly living up to his name. He thought he had everything, but in practice, he had nothing. Like Jesus said about the man who said he would pull down his barns and build greater because he considered that he had all he needed for the future and could take his ease, eat, drink and be merry. God said that that man was a fool because that night he would die and have to leave it to someone else.
God is a just God. Nabal obviously deserved death for what he had done. How amazing that David wanted to kill him, but he was kept from doing so, and God did it.
The amazing thing is not, who God actually kills or causes the death of, but the fact that we are alive. We all deserve death for our sin – “…the wages of sin is death.” Nabal was struck down by God because of – his selfishness, his pride, his meanness, his disrespect for the LORD’s anointed, his disrespect for the servant of God. The Bible does not say that we should not drink alcohol, but it does condemn the sin of drunkenness.
Deuteronomy 32:35 says, “Vengeance is Mine says the LORD” (see also Rom 12:19, Heb 10:30).
Does God kill people? Yes, there are many in Scripture – usually because of disobedience to God and always because of sin.
David thanked God for restraining him from revenge and murder (v39). He recognized that this was God’s judgment on Nabal.
David doesn’t hang about – when he hears of Nabal’s death, he sent his servants with a proposal – of marriage! Most women would insist that the man came in person on bended knee, even with flowers, and it’s probably a lot more romantic, but she accepted and in v 42 she “rose in haste… and became his wife”. No delay, she couldn’t wait just as David couldn’t. Abigail bowed to ground and humbly offered to wash the servants’ feet. She hastily got on her donkey, taking five maids and followed the messengers to David and became his wife.
David took two wives Abigail and Ahinoam. (v43). This seems to have been allowed in Old Testament times but never recommended, in fact it is not in accordance with God’s will, and trouble usually ensued. Saul, to spite David, had given Michal (David’s wife) to another man (v44) – just like that! David seemed to have a troublesome family life, it was far from blessed.
