From 1 Samuel 25-27
A man named Nabal disrespects David. David in turn prepares to wipe out Nabal and everyone in his tribe. Nabal’s wife, Abigail is more discerning than her husband. She rushes to prevent David from destroying them and saving his people. In the gospel, Jesus warns his followers how important it is to accept God’s son. He too destroys and saves.
This post is part of my bible in a year series.
Passage and Comments
David may have spared Saul’s life, but wisely he is still wary of him and has not returned.
On his travels he comes to a place called Carmel in the wilderness of Paran. There he comes into contact with many sheep and shepherds owned by a man named Nabal.
While he is there David protects Nabal’s sheep from raiders and Nabals men recognise the good he is doing them. After a time David sends some of his men to Nabal to request that they feast together.
Nabal rejects and insults the men claiming to know nothing of David.
Nabal means fool and he just insulted the soon to be messiah.
When the men return to David and report what happens. David is furious. He prepares for battle.
21 Now David had said, “Surely in vain have I guarded all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him, and he has returned me evil for good. 22 God do so to the enemies of David and more also, if by morning I leave so much as one male of all who belong to him.” (1 Sam 25.21-23)
However Nabal also has a discerning and beautiful wife named Abigail.
She found out what had happened and realised the gravity of her husband’s mistake.
Behind his back Abigail hastily prepares food for David and his men and rushes over to him to prevent the calamity.
23 When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from the donkey and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground. 24 She fell at his feet and said, “On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. 25 Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent.
26 Now then, my lord, as the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, because the LORD has restrained you from bloodguilt and from saving with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal. (1 Sam 25.23-27)
When Abigail meets David she takes ownership of her husband’s mistake and pleads for mercy. Her husband she acknowledges is an idiot. If she had heard of what David requested this never would have happened.
She recognises the LORD has restrained David from bloodguilt. That is if David had killed them all for what happened he would have been in the wrong because she had not heard of his request. Only her husband had. She also says their act of vengeance and destruction would have been an act of salvation (‘saving with your own hand’). I guess for his own men as they need food. She equates their salvation with Nabal’s destruction. Finally she wishes David’s enemies will be as foolish as her husband Nabal was.
27 And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28 Please forgive the trespass of your servant.
For the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the LORD, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live.
29 If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the LORD your God.
And the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling.
30 And when the LORD has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you and has appointed you prince over Israel, 31 my lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for having shed blood without cause or for my lord working salvation himself. And when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.” (1 Sam 25.27-31)
Abigail has clearly heard of David’s exploits and know the LORD is with him and has great plans for him. She asks when he comes into his power that he not regret restraining himself now (not ‘having shed blood without cause’ and ‘working salvation’ for his men) and remember her well.
32 And David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! 33 Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand! 34 For as surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there had not been left to Nabal so much as one male.” 35 Then David received from her hand what she had brought him. And he said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. See, I have obeyed your voice, and I have granted your petition.” (1 Sam 25.32-35)
‘Blessed be you who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand’
The two go together. David would have destroyed them and in doing so saved his own people. But because of Abigail’s discretion, he relented.
Story of Israel
The LORD was with David. It was only a matter of time that he would become king of Israel. Nabal made a foolish mistake in rejecting him as he did. He should have respected the LORD’s anointed as his wife Abigail did.
Good or bad, the people of Israel needed to respect the LORD’s anointed. His Christ and king.
Story of Jesus
Today’s passage reminds us we need to be wary how we treat the Christ. The LORD’s anointed one. In the gospel Jesus shares a parable.
33 “Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. 34 When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. 35 And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. 37 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ 39 And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
“ ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. 44 And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” (Mt 21.33-44)
David was succeeded by Jesus the Christ. Jesus is by far the greater. The stone the builders rejected. The stone which will break to pieces his opponents. Destruction and salvation. Jesus will destroy his opponents and save his people.
How have you been treating the LORD’s Christ? Are you like Nabal? Or are you more like Abigail?
Copyright © Joshua Washington and thescripturesays, 2016. All Rights Reserved.
