They say food is the way to a man’s heart. That proves true when David meets Abigail. Yet maybe not exactly as you would imagine. As you might expect, I am anxious to move on with our story. Things are busy in the life of David. We all want to continue reading through the Book of 1 Samuel with the desire to finish our studies of this book soon. So, what happens next?
OPENING A NEW PART OF THE STORY
1 Samuel is about to get exciting in a whole different way. This is because David is about to have a fateful feud with a man named Nabal. The passages we are looking at today have always been one of my favorite stories about David. This part of the story clearly speaks to the fact that God looks after those who are obedient to His ways.
Let’s turn to 1 Samuel Chapter 25. Here we start with some very sad news. The great Prophet Samuel died. All of Israel mourned his death. Samuel was buried in his hometown, Ramah.
Saul and David had relied on Samuel as a prophet and national leader. Neither of them could turn to him now. Samuel would be missed by many. He had been the faithful leader behind the leaders for a long time. What would happen next?
DAVID MOVES TO MOAN
David grew restless. He moved down into the Desert of Paran. This was close to Moan, a suburb of Carmel. Carmel was the home of a man named Nabal. Nabal was very wealthy. He owned a thousand goats and three thousand sheep. On this day he was shearing the sheep in Carmel. The shearing of 3000 sheep would be very profitable in the wool market of those days.
The scriptures speak of Nabal, an unlikely descendant of the Israelite named Caleb, having a beautiful, intelligent wife named Abigail. Perhaps their marriage had been arranged. Who knows? Abigail and Nabal seem to be opposites. She is smart and lovely. He is surly and mean. Nabal was not very good at dealing with people. He enjoyed communicating in horrible ways.
The name, Nabal, means “fool.” That name may be our first clue about this man’s character. The only thing he had going for him was his inherited wealth. It seemed he used his position in life ruthlessly, only to acquire more wealth.
DAVID PROTECTS NABAL’S MEN
Nabal had a home located on the outskirts of Carmel in the town called Moan. David and his men were aware of Nabal’s property in Moan because they were hiding in the area from Saul.
Some of the men who went to work for Nabal had once been part of David’s men. It is possible that David had taught them how to be good shepherds so that they could earn a living. Being fugitives, they were probably easily hired for less wages. Nabal hired them as shepherds. They had worked hard tending Nabal’s 3000 sheep, night and day. David and his men, being friends who wished these shepherds well, protected them. They helped to watch over their flocks as they worked in the fields for Nabal.
David dealt with the men who worked for Nabal honorably. Though it would have been very easy for him to do so, David never took any of Nabal’s sheep for his own men. The Mighty Men of David spent a lot of time and effort protecting Nabal’s flocks. Nabal expected a lot from his shepherds. Since David’s men were encircling the flocks in their hiding, they were always close by when protection was needed.
DAVID’S MEN NEED FOOD
Life on the run was hard. David’s men often went hungry. Word came to David that Nabal was shearing his sheep at Carmel. The Mighty Men were growing low on supplies. David sent ten young men up to meet with Nabal. He told them to greet Nabal in David’s name. They were to say to Nabal ‘Long life to you! Good health to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours! Now we hear that it is sheep-shearing time. When your shepherds were with us, we did not mistreat them, and the whole time they were at Carmel nothing of theirs was missing. Ask your own servants and they will tell you. Therefore, be favorable toward David’s men, since we come at a festive time. Please give your servants and your son David whatever you can find for them.”
SHEEP SHEARING TRADITIONS
That was a very nice way of asking Nabal if he would share with them from his wealth. It was a polite, respectful neighborly request. However, we have already learned that Nabal was a foolish and selfish drunk. How do you think their words fell upon his ears?
Here is a good time to consider an interesting side-note about sheep-shearing. Whenever this activity is mentioned in a bible story, it is typically at a time for avenging a wrong. Examples are numerous, such as the passages of Genesis 31 when Jacob takes what is rightfully his from Laban’s flocks. Also, we could consider Genesis 38 when Tamar lured Judah into a situation that would secure her rightful progeny. If someone had done wrong, the time of sheering of the sheep was the time for them to correct it. This was the traditional practice.
Sheepshearing was a festival tied to feasting, celebrating, and settling old scores. Perhaps this is why David approached Nabal to ask for food during the sheering season. David needed to provide food for his men. He was feeding over 600 men. Nabal owed them favor, since they had helped his shepherds many times, without pay or compensation.
NABAL HAD PROSPERED DUE TO DAVID’S PROTECTION
David’s men where the reason Nabal had such numerous sheep to be sheared. The Mighty Men of David had protected Nabal’s herds from the common marauders in the land. There were many in those days. These robbers loved taking another man’s flocks for themselves. David had also protected the shepherds and the sheep from many attacks by wild animals. Most likely these were untrained shepherds. If not for David’s men’s protection, Nabal’s sheep shearing profits would have been much less.
So, David’s men delivered the message to Nabal. Then they waited patiently on his answer. Finally, Nabal sent an answer back through them to David. He said, “Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?”
A FOOLISH ANSWER THAT PROVOKED WRATH
David’s men delivered Nabal’s foolish answer to David. This answer didn’t sit well with David. It was his first inclination to react quickly. He told his men to strap on their swords. About four hundred men went up with David to destroy Nabal and his men. Two hundred of David’s men stayed at camp to guard the few supplies they had left.
David had every intention to destroy Nabal and his family. He was very angry. In the midst of this anger, he didn’t take time to think about the future or his reputation in the land. He wanted revenge. He had made his name known to Nabal already. His revenge would reveal this hiding place to Saul. Up to this point, David had not been a vengeful man. His last encounter with Saul had proven this. He was known for his compassion and forgiveness. Think about how he spared the life of King Saul in the cave.
WALKING IN THE FLESH INSTEAD OF THE SPIRIT
Still, David’s anger was getting the best of him. Anger is a very human tendency which we all have to learn how to overcome. One fit of anger can destroy a typically peaceful man’s reputation forever. If you want to know another story about that, remember when Moses struck the rock in the wilderness. Up until that point, Moses had been the most humble man on earth. He had done everything appropriately. This one huge mistake kept him from crossing over to the Promised Land with all of his people. Anger is one of Satan’s best tools for destroying godly men.
David could have easily experienced the same fate as Moses. However, because of His great love for David, God had carefully positioned the right people in order to prevent this problem. God had David’s back and He protected David in the most unlikely way. There was a woman named Abigail who had a countenance that did not allow anger to take control. Her beautiful spirit rescued David from himself. Every man should have such a woman at his side. It makes all the difference in the world.
A WORD FROM A WISE SERVANT
It definitely pays to employ loyal and trustworthy servants. One of Abigail’s servants heard of this storm that was brewing in the land. Maybe he was one of Nabal’s shepherds. He explained the facts to Abigail. This is what he said to her:
“David sent messengers from the wilderness to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them. Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat us. The whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing. Night and day, they were a wall around us the whole time we were herding our sheep near them. Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him.”
ACTION IN PLACE OF WORDS
Abigail, being the smart woman that she was, acted quickly. She took 200 loaves of bread, 2 skins of wine, five dressed sheep, 60 pounds of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and 200 cakes of pressed figs. Quickly she and her servants loaded them on donkeys. She told her servants to go on ahead of her. She followed them. None of this was mentioned to Nabal.
In the meantime, David and his men were on the way with destruction in mind. David said to his men, “It has been useless – all of my watching over this fellow’s property in the wilderness so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good. May God deal with David, ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male who belongs to him!”
This was another mistake that David’s anger almost caused him to make. He took a stupid vow in haste without considering his words. As David and his men were descending the mountain on their way to destroy the home of Nabal, Abigail met them on the way.
THE MESSAGE OF PEACE CAME FIRST
First they saw the supplies she sent ahead. Because of this, they received Abigail with caution and did not immediately harm her.
Being very bold and courageous, Abigail rounded the corner. She found herself face-to-face with David. Probably trembling with fear, she got off her donkey and bowed down to the ground before him. This show of deep respect must have made up to David for all that Nabal had lacked. Abigail, being a woman who knew her place, had appeased his anger. David was probably more shocked at this act of humility than seeing the supplies she had sent ahead.
THE HEALING OF A SOFTLY SPOKEN WORD
Then, with a soft and reverent voice, Abigail spoke to David: “Pardon your servant, my lord, and let me speak to you. Hear what your servant has to say. Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name. His name means Fool, and folly goes with him.”
Her kind voice pleaded with David. “And as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my lord sent. And now, my lord, as surely as the Lord your God lives, and as you live, since the Lord has kept you from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, may your enemies and all who are intent on harming my lord be like Nabal. And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my lord, be given to the men who follow you.”
She continued, “Please forgive your servant’s presumption. The Lord your God will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because you fight the Lord’s battles, and no wrongdoing will be found in you as long as you live. Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my lord will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God, but the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling.”
WORDS OF PROPHECY FROM A GODLY WOMAN
Abigail continued slowly describing every aspect of David’s predicament with accuracy. “When the Lord has fulfilled for my lord every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him ruler over Israel, my lord will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lord your God has brought my lord success, remember your servant.”
Now that is a pretty amazing speech for Abigail to have come up with in a very small window of time. I wonder how on earth she did that? How did she know that David would become the next King of Israel? Why did it even matter to her? Perhaps she was so faithful that God gave her the words to say. The scriptures don’t go into detail, but I marvel at Abigail’s knowledge, grace and wisdom.
DAVID GIVES HIS BLESSING TO ABIGAIL
Apparently her words had that very same affect on David. So, David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me form harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak.”
ONE WOMAN’S WORDS AND ACTIONS BRING PEACE TO ALL
So, David accepted her gifts. He sent Abigail home in peace. David agreed with her words and granted her requests.
Abigail reached home looking for Nabal. His sheep-shearing had gone well. He was very busy holding a banquet fit for a king. Of course, he was drunk, as usual. So, Abigail didn’t speak to him that moment. She waited until daybreak. Next morning, when Nabal was hung over, but sober, Abigail told Nabal what had happened.
THE END OF NABAL
The thought of his own foolishness must have disturbed Nabal greatly. The scriptures report that his heart failed him and he was like stone. I’m thinking he must have experienced a heart attack and a stroke simultaneously.
We aren’t sure of all of the facts, but apparently Nabal was carried to bed paralyzed. He didn’t move for ten days. At the end of those ten days, Nabal died. The scriptures actually say, “the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.”
VENGENCE BELONGS TO THE LORD
Someone reported Nabal’s death to David. David said, “Praise to the Lord, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal’s wrongdoing on his own head.”
The scriptures don’t spell out the words for us here, but it is clear to see how God uses women as well as men in his work. Abigail had listened to God’s direction in her time of need. She had obediently done the right thing. God then delivered her household. I suppose, when Nabal died, the estate he once owned passed on to Abigail, his wife and widow.
UNEXPECTED BLESSINGS FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS
Abigail was now one of the richest women in Carmel. Not only that, but she had also gained the attention of one of the finest men in the land. His name was David.
David sent word to Abigail. He asked her to come and be his wife. Abigail, being the wise woman she was, bowed down to the ground and said, “I am your servant and am ready to serve you and wash the feet of my lord’s servant’s.” Then Abigail gathered her best five female servants around her. Taking them along, she mounted her donkey and went with David’s messengers in order to become his wife.
Abigail was David’s second or third wife, depending on whether or not we count Michal. The scriptures mention that David had already married Ahinoam of Jezreel before Abigail. So now David had two wives. There was no more mention of Michal, Saul’s daughter, or the fact that she had been David’s wife. It seemed that Saul had given her in marriage to Paltiel, the son of Laish, who was from Gallim. I’m guessing, but I suppose the King had the right to annul marriages. Saul must have annulled David’s marriage to Micah.
A LOVE STORY
This is a beautiful love story. I think that Abigail and David must have been very much in love. However, this is so much more than a simple love story. Next week we will dive into all of the amazing hidden meanings associated with this part of David’s life with Abigail.
For now I’ll leave with a prayer that we too will become as wise, humble and obedient as Abigail. A good starting place might be approaching our studies of the scriptures with reverence and humility. Like I imagine Abigail might have been, we should all be seeking God’s wisdom in every letter and verse of the holy scriptures.