25:1 The prophet Samuel passes on from the earth. Respectful of him and grateful for his service, all of Israel mourned. Samuel's mother, Hannah, prayed emphatically for him. She promised him to God if she could conceive him. Hannah and Samuel remained committed to God and served Him well.
After Samuel is buried in Ramah (and his soul is released to Spirit) David journeys to the desert of Paran.
25:2-3 In Moan, there is a rich man named Nabal and his wife Abigail. Abigail is wise and lovely but Nabal is cantakerous and dishonest.
25:4-6 David sends 10 of his messengers to Nabal with a pleasant greeting during the time of shearing sheep (which was a time of cultural celebration).
25:7-8 David and his men enabled Nabal to be as successful as he is; they provided protection for his livestock. David tells his servants to request from Nabal provision for David's men, as David has been the protection for his sheep.
25:9-11 But Nabal shows ingratitude and denies David's request. Nabal is unwilling even to be charitable enough to share for the sake of generosity. We are asked by God to be enablers of righteous forces. David, keeper and protector of sheep, dedicated his life to the defense of the Israelites. Nabal benefited doubly as David protected his livestock, but foolishly denied to reciprocate.
We must think of these disagreements figuratively. Nabal's refusal is symbolic of opposition to justice and greed over charity.
25:12-13 When David receives the news, he prepares 400 of his men with their swords; 200 of the men remain with the supplies.
25:14-17 A servant informs Abigail of the situation: David's men came and requested provision but were denied by Nabal. The servant explains to Abigail that David's protection was necessary, helpful and honest. Without him, they likely would have lost their sheep. Everyone around Nabal disagrees with his decision but the servants hope Abigail will be able to rectify it.
25:18-19 Abigail puts together 200 loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five sheep, money, roasted grain, cakes of raisins, cakes of pressed figs and loads all of it onto donkeys. She tells the servants to go ahead and proceed with it all toward David and she follows.
25:20-22 As David approaches Nabal's land, Abigail approaches David's men in a mountain ravine. David's angered speech identifies what he sees as the problem: Nabal has paid evil for good. David has fought such ideologies for much of his life and refuses to ignore it now.
25:23-27 Abigail approaches David with apology and deference. She offers the provisions Nabal should have offered and explains that had she been informed, they would have received them the first time. She explains her husband to be a foolish man and comparable to David's other foolish enemies.
25:28-31 Abigail proves to be both faithful and wise. She reminds David of his righteous innocence, and God's defense on his behalf. David does not need to mar himself by harming or killing Nabal. God always takes care of his righteous children; He always redeems. Abigail is grateful for David's work and service and does not wish for this situation to result in needless chaos.
25:32-34 David is immediately grateful for Abigail's intervention. Although David gives the credit to God for keeping him from a massive and deadly mistake, he is also grateful to Abigail for being the instrument through which He could do so. David was incensed by Nabal's actions and it caused him to react out of character.
God understands that we are not perfect. We feel anger and are sometimes tempted to act on it. But as long as we remain faithful to God's instruction, He insures the we do not have to succumb to anger. After all, David taught us that wickedness proceeds from wicked. It's a cycle for a slave. God does not want us to be trapped in a cycle, like slaves, to our anger or discontent. Because David trusted and listened to God, God was able to defuse his anger and keep him from a mistake.
But Abigail evidences another part of ourselves: the ability to be the instruments through which blessings come. God's instruction and provision can come from, and often does, dutiful children/servants of His. Abigail boldly took a righteous position on this issue in order to save many men and David's soul. She acted selflessly, courageously and faithfully... all components of an instrument of God.
25:35 David is restored and sends Abigail back in peace.
It's important to realize that David was not mollified because of the provisions Abigail brought. The word of God Abigail brought defused David's anger. Abigail reminded David, and us, that we do not have to seek vengeance. We keep busy doing righteous work, God keeps busy protecting and defending us while we do.
God is able to focus His attention on the orchestration from "up there"; we take on some of the work down here. And truly it is blessed work: If we will serve as the instrumental, tool, and vessel, He will provide the material, the ability and the blessing. For God is able to perfect the details, the intricacies of life and blessing. It is most generous of Him to allow us to participate in the unfolding of blessings.
25:36-38 Abigail returns to find Nabal inebriated. Nabal is drunk and celebrating his wealth ostentatiously, greedily. Abigail decides to wait to tell Nabal of the circumstances (a wise decision as inebriation alters the brain and not for the better). Indeed Abigail waits until Nabal is sober to tell him. Nabal will meet his mistake with a clear head. Upon receipt of the news, Nabal is... paralyzed. Literally maybe but figuratively definitely, Nabal's evil drains him of life.
Shortly after, he dies. An unrighteous soul is already dead, having discarded their spiritual life through evil actions. Wickedness proceeds from wicked. Our actions are an echo that reverberates back to us; we receive what we give, Galatians 6:7-9.
25:39-40 As He always does, God restores the righteous. David remained innocent and God dealt with his enemies. When we trust God with our lives, we thrive. We must trust Him the way that Adam and Eve did not; choose to live in His protected garden.
David sends his messengers to Abigail; David asks to marry her. Indeed she is a righteous, wise and thus lovely woman. (Saul gave David's wife Michal to another man, but David is not opposed to bigamy.) None of us are perfect but, David's interest in Abigail would provide her the with provision and protection that widowhood never could in the ancient society.
25:41-42 Abigail accepts with deference (feet washing a sign of trust and love). With her five female servants, she went to David and became his wife.
25:43-44 David also marries Ahinoam. Today, polygamy is ghastly arrangement but we must make allowances for the time period and culture. Also, we must allow that David is as imperfect as each of us. Ultimately, he has a good and faithful heart and is trying to navigate the world just like the rest of us. In Biblical times, some men and their wives took on additional members for the expansion of the family name (Abraham and Jacob for example). It was not done so out of evil.
Our ultimate, perfect example: Jesus, did not have any wives. He was solely dedicated to following the word and fulfilling the will of God. The apostle Paul followed in his footsteps, stating that rather than necessary, marriage was an option for those who simply needed that romantic outlet, 1 Corinthians 7:8-9 (polygamy, then, is not encouraged - unless to protect a widow from destitution, Deuteronomy 25:5).
To further "hammer" this monogamy point home: Matthew 19:5-6 "'For this reason a man [singular] shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife [singular], and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”
To further "hammer" this monogamy point home: Matthew 19:5-6 "'For this reason a man [singular] shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife [singular], and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”
