Today I read 1 Samuel 25, about David, Nabal and Abigail. David almost destroyed Nabal and the males of his household but Abigail intervened and saved everyone. Today I considered that a wise woman can sometimes stop a battle.
Peace, Almost Battle, and Marriage
David and his men kept the land safe, almost battled because of lack of respect for their efforts, and David ended up with more wives in the end (1 Samuel 25:1-44). After Samuel died, David went to the wilderness of Paran. Nabal was rich and had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats in Carmel. David and his men had been protecting Nabal’s servants and animals. David heard Nabal was shearing sheep and sent 10 men to ask that he provide them with something for being good to his people. Nabal was evil in his doing and replied “who is David” and said he won’t give food for his shearers to David’s men. David was angry when he heard Nabal’s response, put on his sword, and had his men put on their swords. As David approached to kill the men in Nabal’s household, a servant told Nabal’s wise and beautiful wife Abigail what happened. Abigail quickly gathered a lot of food, and followed her servants to meet David. When Abigail saw David, she jumped off her donkey and bowed before David. Abigail asked David to spare them, take the food she had, and forgive them because she knew David would be ruler over Israel one day. David accepted and left, glad that he had not committed evil and killed them. Abigail told her husband the next day. Nabal’s heart died and he physically died 10 days later. David found out, sent to Abigail to marry him, and also married Ahinoam. Saul gave David’s wife Michal to Phalti. David gained wives from where he was protecting.
Questions and Thoughts for Today
Sheep are often sheared before some are killed and David having been a shepherd would know this. David asking Nabal at the time of shearing makes sense. Nabal would have also known that David was a warrior and anointed to be the next king. Nabal’s dismissive attitude and acting like their efforts did not matter would have been very insulting. Abigail knew it was insulting. Her behavior saved her household.
Have you seen someone who can calm people before the fight breaks out? What did they do that would remind you of how Abigail addressed David?