“Abigail’s Wisdom – 1 Samuel 25:2-40”
[By Kathleen Chatot]
A certain man who’s name is Nabal lived in Maon, [Judah area. In today’s world this would be the west bank], he was a master-flocker of 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats in Carmel, a few miles north. Nabal was very wealthy, he had a wife named Abigail. She was intelligent and beautiful, but her husband, a Calebite, was mean and evil with his dealings.
While David and his band of 600 men were in the same area as Nabal’s sheepherders, they protected, guarded, and watched over the workers so they would not be in harm’s way. The Philistines regularly would raid the land.
Why were David and his men in the area? King Saul searched daily to kill David because of his hatred for him. The kingdom was torn away from Saul, and David was going to eventually replace Saul. David and his men stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds in the hill country.
The day of sheep shearing was a festive occasion with merriment and lots of savory food. David sent ten of his men to Carmel to talk with Nabal. David instructed them to be polite and offer a peaceful hand. After the pleasantries were over, tell Nabal how we protected his workers and flocks from harm, they were never mistreated, all the time they were dwelling together. There was no loss of any kind, nothing of theirs was missing.
David and his men were asking for some compensation for the protection they gave his workers and flocks. This request was not usual for it was a customary practice.
The narrative continues with Nabal’s response of insults and meanness towards David. “Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Why did Nabal mention Jesse if he did not know him? He also called David a slave!!!! He knew who David was, being a Calebite, a descendant of Caleb. This family founded the city of Bethlehem, David’s birthplace. You would think that Nabal would be very thankful and grateful for David’s generosity. Not losing any livestock under David’s watch gave Nabal more money return from the shearing, but NOOOOO!!! He had to be a real detestable and hateful person.
This news got back to David and he, being so ticked off, rashly announced that he was going to destroy everything belonging to Nabal. This news of destruction was told to Abigail, Nabal’s wife, by a servant who vouched for everything that David did for Nabal. How they watched and protected us day and night while we were tending the sheep. Nabal also knew that David and his men were nearby. How could he not know?
Abigail wasted no time. She prepared a huge food fest with 200 loaves of bread, 5 dressed sheep, wine, 100 cakes of raisins, 5 seah of roasted corn, [45 qts] 200 cakes of pressed figs. She may have had this food ready because of the shearing feast day. Abigail had the provisions loaded onto donkeys and sent the servants on ahead of her. She did not tell Nabal. Some things are better left unsaid for a time.
In verse 20, Abigail is on her way down the side of the hill and she noticed David and his men coming toward her. I am sure they are not trotting along, but coming full tilt. To infinity and beyond!!!! It is interesting how God’s hand is in this scenario with Abigail coming down the side of the hill and David racing toward her at precisely the same time to meet up, face to face.
When Abigail sees David, she immediately dismounts from her donkey and falls to her face before him and bowed down to the ground at his feet. She humbles herself by stating, “…On me alone, my lord, be the blame” (Vs. 24, NASB). When Abigail speaks to David, she does so with integrity and wisdom, calling him lord. She tells David to not pay attention to her witless husband, for his name is Nabal and folly is with him. Then she asks for mercy because of Nabal’s foolishness, and pleads with David to not take revenge.
Abigail tells David something very profound which makes him rethink the situation. She lets David know that his response to Nabal’s outburst of ungratefulness was no different than that of King Saul pursuing him daily.
The hatred Saul had for David overcame any logic. Abigail’s wise action prevents David from using his power as a leader for personal vengeance, the very thing that Saul was doing.
Abigail then asks David to forgive her transgression. She has said things to David that he may not want to hear, but because of her good understanding of the impending danger, she was willing to be a living and holy sacrifice (Romans 12:1). She put her life on the line for her husband and his household. It was not customary for a Hebrew woman to give advice to a man unless in dire emergency and this would most definitely be the time.
Verse 3 says that Abigail was intelligent and beautiful in appearance, but she was more. She was of good courage, and depended on her own reasoning, but put on God’s grace to soften David from his knee jerk response to Nabal. She also foretells a glorious end of David’s troubles, “…the Lord will certainly make for my lord an enduring house” (Vs. 28, NASB).
David is overwhelmed with Abigail’s strength and God fearing poise, and he praises the name of God for sending her to him to stop his revenge against the mean, ugly, hateful, Nabal. He accepts her savory food gift, then tells her to go home in peace. Sometimes a way to a man’s heart is thru his stomach!!!
The next day after Nabal sobered up from the merriment of the banquet, Abigail told Nabal all these things, and Nabal’s heart became like stone and he died ten days later. Abigail eventually became David’s wife.
Abigail is truly a brave woman with brains, dignity, honor, and with a godly mind. In this day and age, many women cultivate their beauty and not their brains. It has been said, “Beauty is only skin deep” also, “A lovely face can hide an empty mind.” Abigail was truly a proverbial woman (Proverbs 31: 20, 25, 26, 30, NASB). Prov. 31:20 – “She extends her hand to the poor, And she stretches out her hands to the needy.” Vs. 25 – “Strength and dignity are her clothing, And she smiles at the future.” Vs. 26 – “She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.” Vs. 30 – “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.”
Abigail’s God fearing character gave her the strength to persevere at all costs. She did not let fear hold her back, but moved onward in God’s courage and wisdom.
She was humble and kind and sought peace with those around her.
Abigail’s story is a reminder of how we also can be a “Living and holy sacrifice”. Presenting yourself as one is not for cowards.
Thanks Kathleen More women, even Godly women, needs to be remind of this