Text -- 1 Samuel 25:1-9 (NET)

The Death of Samuel

25:1 Samuel died, and all Israel assembled and mourned him. They buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David left and went down to the desert of Paran.

David Marries Abigail the Widow of Nabal

25:2 There was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. This man was very wealthy; he owned three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. At that time he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 25:3 The man’s name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was both wise and beautiful, but the man was harsh and his deeds were evil. He was a Calebite. 25:4 When David heard in the desert that Nabal was shearing his sheep, 25:5 he sent ten servants, saying to them, “Go up to Carmel to see Nabal and give him greetings in my name. 25:6 Then you will say to my brother, “Peace to you and your house! Peace to all that is yours! 25:7 Now I hear that they are shearing sheep for you. When your shepherds were with us, we neither insulted them nor harmed them the whole time they were in Carmel. 25:8 Ask your own servants; they can tell you! May my servants find favor in your sight, for we have come at the time of a holiday. Please provide us– your servants and your son David– with whatever you can spare.” 25:9 So David’s servants went and spoke all these words to Nabal in David’s name. Then they paused.

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Wesley: 1Sa 25:1

Those have hard hearts, that can bury their faithful ministers with dry eyes, and are not sensible of the loss of them who have prayed for them, and taught them the way of the Lord.

Wesley: 1Sa 25:2

In some part of this wilderness Israel wandered, when they came out of Egypt. The place would bring to mind God's care concerning them, which David might now improve for his own encouragement.

Wesley: 1Sa 25:3

That is, the joy of his father: yet he could not promise himself much joy of her, when he married her to such an husband: it seems, in inquiring, (no unfrequent thing) more after his wealth, than after his wisdom.

Wesley: 1Sa 25:3

This is added to aggravate his crime, that he was a degenerate branch of that noble stock of Caleb, and consequently of the tribe of Judah, as David was.

Wesley: 1Sa 25:4

Which times were celebrated with feasting.

Wesley: 1Sa 25:6

By this expression David both congratulates Nabal's felicity, and tacitly minds him of the distress in which he and his men were.

Wesley: 1Sa 25:7

This considering the licentiousness of soldiers, and the necessities David and his men were exposed to, was no small favour, which Nabal was bound both in justice, and gratitude, and prudence to requite.

Wesley: 1Sa 25:8

That is, in a day of feasting and rejoicing; when men are most chearful and liberal; when thou mayst relieve us out of thy abundance without damage to thyself; when thou art receiving the mercies of God, and therefore obliged to pity and relieve distressed and indigent persons.

JFB: 1Sa 25:1

After a long life of piety and public usefulness, he left behind him a reputation which ranks him among the greatest of Scripture worthies.

JFB: 1Sa 25:1

That is, his own mausoleum. The Hebrews took as great care to provide sepulchers anciently as people do in the East still, where every respectable family has its own house of the dead. Often this is in a little detached garden, containing a small stone building (where there is no rock), resembling a house, which is called the sepulcher of the family--it has neither door nor window.

JFB: 1Sa 25:1

This removal had probably no connection with the prophet's death; but was probably occasioned by the necessity of seeking provision for his numerous followers.

JFB: 1Sa 25:1

Stretching from Sinai to the borders of Palestine in the southern territories of Judea. Like other wildernesses, it presented large tracts of natural pasture, to which the people sent their cattle at the grazing season, but where they were liable to constant and heavy depredations by prowling Arabs. David and his men earned their subsistence by making reprisals on the cattle of these freebooting Ishmaelites; and, frequently for their useful services, they obtained voluntary tokens of acknowledgment from the peaceful inhabitants.

JFB: 1Sa 25:2

Now Kurmul. The district takes its name from this town, now a mass of ruins; and about a mile from it is Tell Main, the hillock on which stood ancient Maon.

JFB: 1Sa 25:2

His property consisted in cattle, and he was considered wealthy, according to the ideas of that age.

JFB: 1Sa 25:3

Of course, of the same tribe with David himself; but many versions consider Caleb ("dog") not as a proper, but a common noun, and render it, "he was snappish as a dog."

JFB: 1Sa 25:4-9

David and his men lurked in these deserts, associating with the herdsmen and shepherds of Nabal and others and doing them good offices, probably in return for information and supplies obtained through them. Hence when Nabal held his annual sheep-shearing in Carmel, David felt himself entitled to share in the festival and sent a message, recounting his own services and asking for a present. "In all these particulars we were deeply struck with the truth and strength of the biblical description of manners and customs almost identically the same as they exist at the present day. On such a festive occasion, near a town or village, even in our own time, an Arab sheik of the neighboring desert would hardly fail to put in a word either in person or by message; and his message, both in form and substance, would be only a transcript of that of David" [ROBINSON].

Clarke: 1Sa 25:1

And Samuel died - Samuel lived, as is supposed, about ninety-eight years; was in the government of Israel before Saul from sixteen to twenty years; and ceased to live, according to the Jews, about four months before the death of Saul; but according to Calmet and others, two years. But all this is very uncertain; how long he died before Saul, cannot be ascertained. For some account of his character, see the end of the chapter, 1Sa 25:44 (note)

Clarke: 1Sa 25:1

Buried him in his house - Probably this means, not his dwelling-house, but the house or tomb he had made for his sepulture; and thus the Syriac and Arabic seem to have understood it

Clarke: 1Sa 25:1

David - went down to the wilderness of Paran - This was either on the confines of Judea, or in Arabia Petraea, between the mountains of Judah and Mount Sinai; it is evident from the history that it was not far from Carmel, on the south confines of Judah.

Clarke: 1Sa 25:3

The name of the man was Nabal - The word נבל nabal signifies to be foolish, base, or villanous; and hence the Latin word nebulo , knave, is supposed to be derived

Clarke: 1Sa 25:3

The name of his wife Abigail - The joy or exultation of my father. A woman of sense and beauty, married to the boor mentioned above, probably because he was rich. Many women have been thus sacrificed

Clarke: 1Sa 25:3

Of the house of Caleb - והוא כלבי vehu Chalibbi , "he was a Calebite."But as the word caleb signifies a dog, the Septuagint have understood it as implying a man of a canine disposition, and translate it thus, και ὁ ανθρωπος κυνικος, he was a doggish man. It is understood in the same way by the Syriac and Arabic.

Clarke: 1Sa 25:6

Peace be both to thee - This is the ancient form of sending greetings to a friend: Peace to Thee, peace to thy Household, and peace to all that Thou Hast. That is, May both thyself, thy family, and all that pertain unto thee, be in continual prosperity

Perhaps David, by this salutation, wished Nabal to understand that he had acted so towards him and his property that nothing had been destroyed, and that all had been protected; see 1Sa 25:15-17.

Clarke: 1Sa 25:7

Thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not - It is most evident that David had a claim upon Nabal, for very essential services performed to his herdmen at Carmel. He not only did them no hurt, and took none of their flocks for the supply of his necessities, but he protected them from the rapacity of others; they were a Wall unto us, said Nabal’ s servants, both by night and day. In those times, and to the present day, wandering hordes of Arabs, under their several chiefs, think they have a right to exact contributions of provisions, etc., wherever they come; David had done nothing of this kind, but protected them against those who would.

Clarke: 1Sa 25:8

Whatsoever cometh to thine hand - As thou art making a great feast for thy servants, and I and my men, as having essentially served thee, would naturally come in for a share were we present; send a portion by my ten young men, for me and my men, that we also may rejoice with you. Certainly this was a very reasonable and a very modest request. This mode of address is not unfrequent among the Hindoos: "O father, fill the belly of thy son; he is in distress."

TSK: 1Sa 25:1

am 2944, bc 1060, An, Ex, Is 431

Samuel : 1Sa 28:3

lamented : Gen 50:11; Num 20:29; Deu 34:8; Act 8:2

in his house : 1Sa 7:17; 1Ki 2:34; 2Ch 33:20; Isa 14:18

the wilderness : Gen 14:6, Gen 21:21; Num 10:12, Num 12:16, Num 13:3, Num 13:26; Psa 120:5

TSK: 1Sa 25:2

Maon : 1Sa 23:24

possessions were : or, business was

Carmel : Not the famous mount Carmel, in the north of Canaan, and in the tribe of Asher; but a city, on a mountain of the same name, in the south of Judah, which seems to have given name to the surrounding territory. Eusebius and Jerome inform us, that there was in their time a town called Carmelia, ten miles east from Hebron, where the Romans kept a garrison, whose position well agrees with this Carmel.

man : Gen 26:13; 2Sa 19:32; Psa 17:14, Psa 73:3-7; Luk 16:19-25

three thousand : Gen 13:2; Job 1:3, Job 42:12

shearing : This was a very ancient custom, and appears to have been always attended with festivity. The ancient Romans, however, used to pluck off the wool from the sheep’ s backs; and hence a fleece was called vellus , a vellendo , from plucking it off. Pliny says, that in his time sheep were not shorn every where, but in some places the wool was still plucked off. Gen 38:13; 2Sa 13:23, 2Sa 13:24

Carmel : 1Sa 30:5; Jos 15:55

TSK: 1Sa 25:3

good : Pro 14:1, Pro 31:26, Pro 31:30, Pro 31:31

was churlish : 1Sa 25:10, 1Sa 25:11, 1Sa 25:17; Psa 10:3; Isa 32:5-7

and he was : Wehoo calibbee , literally, ""and he was a Calebite;""but as the word cailev signifies a dog, the Septuagint has understood it as implying a man of canine disposition, and translated it, και ανθρωπος κυνικος , ""and he was a doggish man.""It is understood in the same way by the Syriac and Arabic.

TSK: 1Sa 25:4

did shear : Gen 38:13; 2Sa 13:23

TSK: 1Sa 25:5

greet him : etc. Heb. ask him in my name of peace, 1Sa 17:22; Gen 43:23

TSK: 1Sa 25:6

liveth : 1Th 3:8; 1Ti 5:6

Peace be both : 2Sa 18:28 *marg. 1Ch 12:18; Psa 122:7; Mat 10:12, Mat 10:13; Luk 10:5; Joh 14:27; 2Th 3:16

TSK: 1Sa 25:7

thy shepherds : In those times, and at the present day, wandering Arabs, under their several chiefs, think that they have a right to exact contributions of provisions, etc., wherever they come. But David, though he lived in the wilderness like the Arab emirs, had not adopted their mannerscaps1 . ocaps0 ne of them, at the head of 600 men, would have demanded, from time to time, some provision or present from Nabal’ s servants, for permitting them to feed at quiet; and would have driven them away from the watering place upon any dislike. David had done nothing of this kind; but had protected them against those who would.

we hurt : Heb. we shamed, 1Sa 25:15, 1Sa 25:16, 1Sa 25:21, 1Sa 22:2; Isa 11:6-9; Luk 3:14; Phi 2:15, Phi 4:8

TSK: 1Sa 25:8

a good day : Neh 8:10-12; Est 9:19; Ecc 11:2; Luk 11:41, Luk 14:12-14

thy son : 1Sa 3:6, 1Sa 24:11

TSK: 1Sa 25:9

ceased : Heb. rested, or, became quiet, Gen 8:4; 2Ki 2:15; 2Ch 14:7

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: 1Sa 25:1

In his house at Ramah - Probably in the court or garden attached to his dwelling-house. (Compare 2Ch 33:20; 2Ki 21:18; Joh 19:41.)

The wilderness of Paran - The Septuagint has the far more probable reading "Maon."The wilderness of Paran lay far off to the south, on the borders of the wilderness of Sinai Num 10:12; 1Ki 11:18, whereas the following verse 1Sa 25:2 shows that the scene is laid in the immediate neighborhood of Maon. If, however, Paran be the true reading, we must suppose that in a wide sense the wilderness of Paran extended all the way to the wilderness of Beersheba, and eastward to the mountains of Judah (marginal references).

Barnes: 1Sa 25:2

Carmel - Not Mount Carmel on the west of the plain of Esdraelon, but the Carmel close to Maon (marginal references).

Shearing his sheep - Which was always a time of open-handed hospitality among flock-masters Gen 38:12-13; 2Sa 13:23-24.

Barnes: 1Sa 25:6

That liveth in prosperity - The Hebrew is obscure, and is variously interpreted. The simplest rendering is, "And ye shall say thus about (his) life,"i. e., with reference to his life, health, circumstances, etc.

Poole: 1Sa 25:2

Maon a place in or near to the wilderness of Paran. See 1Sa 23:24 .

Carmel not that Carmel in Issachar, of which see 1Sa 15:12 1Ki 18:19 ; but another in the tribe of Judah, near unto Maon, as appears from Jos 15:55 .

Poole: 1Sa 25:3

This is added to aggravate his crime, that he was a degenerate branch of that noble stock of Caleb, and consequently of the tribe of Judah, as David was.

Poole: 1Sa 25:4

Which times were celebrated with feasting and jollity. See 2Sa 13:23,24 .

Poole: 1Sa 25:6

To him that liveth in prosperity Heb. to him that liveth. Life is oft put for a prosperous and happy life, as in that prayer, Let the king live , 1Sa 10:24 1Ki 1:25 , and in other passages of Scripture, and other authors; for an afflicted and calamitous life is unworthy of the name of life, and is esteemed a kind of death, and oft so called, as 2Co 1:10 11:23 . By this expression David both congratulates Nabal’ s felicity, and tacitly minds him of the penury and distress in which David and his men now were.

To thine house i.e. to all thy family.

Unto all that thou hast to all thy goods. So David’ s prayer is very comprehensive, reaching to his soul, and body, and wife, and children, and servants, and all his estate.

Poole: 1Sa 25:7

Which, considering the licentiousness of soldiers, and the necessities which David and his men were oft exposed to, was no small favour and privilege, which Nabal was bound both ill justice, and gratitude, and prudence to requite.

Poole: 1Sa 25:8

In a good day i.e. in a day of feasting and rejoicing; when men are most cheerful and liberal; when thou mayst relieve us out of thy abundance without damage to thyself; when thou art receiving the mercies of God, and therefore obliged to pity and relieve distressed and indigent persons, Deu 12:12 14:26,29 15:7 .

Unto thy servants to us who have been and still are ready to serve and guard thee and thine. Or the word servants may be only used as a word of respect, frequently used in Scripture, where inferiors speak to superiors, especially when they be suppliants, and beg some favour.

To thy son so he calls himself, to show that respect and affection which he bore to Nabal, as being elder and wealthier than himself, and of the same tribe with himself, and a branch of so worthy a family as Nabal’ s was.

Haydock: 1Sa 25:1

Samuel died. The Rabbins say four months before Saul. (Seder, olam 13.) (Tirinus) ---

Others believe about two years; and suppose that he was 98 years old, twenty of which he had been judge: (Calmet) Salien says 38, and that he lived seventy-seven years. (Menochius) ---

On all these points the learned are divided, chap. vii. 15. They are more unanimous in praising (Haydock) the conduct of this most holy statesman. Grotius compares him with Aristides. (Calmet) ---

But he Holy Ghost gives Samuel a far more glorious character, Ecclesiasticus xlvi. 16., &c. (Haydock) ---

Both he and his mother are figures of the two testaments. Anna becomes fruitful ---

Samuel is substituted in the place of Heli. The sterility of Anna represents the incapacity of the Synagogue, to produce living and virtuous children. She bears Samuel, the figure of Jesus Christ, who reunites in his person the royal and the sacerdotal dignity. But under another point of view, Samuel, how perfect soever, must give place to the more perfect David, the glorious type of Jesus Christ, and thus the Synagogue, notwithstanding all her prerogatives, must yield to the Church. See St. Augustine, de C.[City of God?] xvii. 1, 4. Many of the ancients have looked upon Samuel as the high priest: but the generality have acknowledged that he was only a Levite, (Calmet) or an extraordinary priest, like Moses. (Haydock) ---

All Israel, or many from every tribe, assembled to attend his funeral; (Tirinus) and all mourned for him, as they had done for Moses and Aaron. (Salien) ---

House, or among his kindred, (Tirinus) in a place which he had chosen for his tomb. This is called the house of the wicked for ever; but the just raise their hopes much higher, and await a more splendid palace above, and a glorious resurrection. (Haydock) ---

The would not bury Samuel in his dwelling-house, as it could not then be entered without incurring an uncleanness. (Calmet) ---

His bones were translated with great respect to Constantinople, and a noble mausoleum was built for them by the emperor Justinian. (Procopius v.; St. Jerome, contra Vigil.) (Tirinus)

Haydock: 1Sa 25:2

Maon. Vatican Septuagint has the same word in the preceding verse, instead of Pharan. (Haydock) ---

Possessions. Hebrew, "work." Cattle then formed the chief source of riches. Carmel and Maon were not far from Pharan, in Arabia. (Calmet)

Haydock: 1Sa 25:3

Caleb, the famous companion of Josue. His name means, "a dog;" whence the Septuagint, "he was a Cynic." Josephus, "he followed the manners of the Cynics," who were remarkable for their impudence, like dogs. Caleb was of the same tribe as David, and ought to have been more favourable to him on that account, ver. 6. (Haydock)

Haydock: 1Sa 25:7

Molested them. This deserved some acknowledgment, as they might have done it with impunity. But David had also been of service to Nabal's men, as one of them told Abigail, ver. 16---21.

Haydock: 1Sa 25:8

Good day, set aside for rejoicing, w hen the sheep were shorn, 2 Kings xiii. 24.

Gill: 1Sa 25:1

And Samuel died,.... In the interval, when Saul and David were parted, and before they saw each other again; according to the Jewish chronology ^g, Samuel died four months before Saul; but other Jewish writers say ^h he died seven months before; Abarbinel thinks it was a year or two before; which is most likely and indeed certain, since David was in the country of the Philistines after this a full year and four months, if the true sense of the phrase is expressed in 1Sa 27:7; and Saul was not then dead; and so another Jewish chronologer ⁱ says, that Saul died two years after Samuel, to which agrees Clemens of Alexandria ^k; and according to the Jews ^l, he died the twentieth of Ijar, for which a fast was kept on that day:

and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him; his death being a public loss, not only to the college of the prophets, over which he presided, but to the whole nation; and they had reason to lament his death, when they called to mind, the many good offices he had done them from his youth upwards; and when the government was in his hands, which was administered in the most prudent and faithful manner; and after that they had his wise counsel and advice, his good wishes and prayers for them; and the rather they had reason to lament him, since Saul their king proved so bad as he did, and at this time a difference was subsisting between David and him:

and buried him in his house at Ramah; where he lived and died; not that he was buried in his house, properly so called, or within the walls of that building wherein he dwelt; though the Greeks ^m and Romans ⁿ used to bury in their own dwelling houses; hence sprung the idolatrous worship of the Lares, or household gods; but not the Hebrews, which their laws about uncleanness by graves would not admit of, see Num 19:15; but the meaning is, that they buried him in the place where his house was, as Ben Gersom interprets it, at Ramah, in some field or garden belonging to it. The author of the Cippi Hebraici says ^o, that here his father Elkanah, and his mother Hannah, and her two sons, were buried in a vault shut up, with, monuments over it; and here, some say ^p, Samuel's bones remained, until removed by Arcadius the emperor into Thrace; Benjamin of Tudela reports ^q, that when the Christians took Ramlah, which is Ramah, from the Mahometans, they found the grave of Samuel at Ramah by a synagogue of the Jews, and they took him out of the grave, and carried him to Shiloh, and there built a large temple, which is called the Samuel of Shiloh to this day:

and David arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran; on hearing of the death of Samuel, there to indulge his mourning for him; or rather that he might be in greater safety from Saul, being further off, this wilderness lying on the south of the tribe of Judah, and inhabited by Arabs, and these called Kedarenes; and now it was that he dwelt in the tents of Kedar, Psa 120:5.

Gill: 1Sa 25:2

And there was a man in Maon,.... A city of the tribe of Judah, from whence the wilderness had its name before mentioned; of which place, see Jos 15:55; though Ben Gersom takes it to signify a dwelling place; and that this is observed to show, that he did not dwell in a city, but had his habitation where his business lay, which was in Carmel, where his fields, gardens, and vineyards were: wherefore it follows:

whose possessions were in Carmel; not Carmel in the tribe of Issachar, but in the tribe of Judah, not far from Maon, and are mentioned together; see Gill on Jos 15:55; his cattle were there, his sheep particularly, for they are afterwards said to be shorn there; or "his work" ^r; his agriculture, his farming, where he was employed, or employed others in sowing seed, and planting trees:

and the man was very great; in worldly substance, though not in natural wisdom and knowledge, and especially in true religion and piety:

and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats; so the substance of men in those times was generally described by the cattle they had, whether of the herd or flock, in which it chiefly lay:

and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel; which was the custom in Judea and Syria, and was a very ancient one, as early as the times of Judah, yea, of Laban, see Gen 31:19; though the old Romans used to pluck off the wool from the sheep's backs; hence a fleece of wool was called "vellus a vellendo", from the plucking it off; and Pliny says ^s, in his time, that sheep were not shorn everywhere, but in some places the custom of plucking off the wool continued; and who elsewhere observes ^t, that the time of shearing was in June or July, or thereabouts; at which times a feast was made, and it is for the sake of that this is observed.

Gill: 1Sa 25:3

Now the name of the man was Nabal,.... Which signifies a "fool"; one would think his parents should not give him this name, though it is a name proper enough to men in common; and Kimchi thinks this was a nickname, which men gave him agreeably to his genius and conduct, and which is not improbable:

and the name of his wife Abigail; which signifies "my father's joy", he delighting in her for her wit and beauty, as follows:

and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance; she was not only of a good understanding in things natural, civil, and domestic, but in things spiritual, as her speech to David shows, and which, with her external form, completed her character, and greatly recommended her; which is the character Aelianus ^u gives of Aspasia, wise and fair:

but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; morose and ill natured in the temper and disposition of his mind, and wicked in his conversation, and fraudulent and oppressive in his dealings with men:

and he was of the house of Caleb; or he was a Calebite ^w, a descendant of that great and good man Caleb the son of Jephunneh; which was an aggravation of his wickedness, that he should be the degenerate plant of such a noble vine: some interpret it, he was as his heart, as his heart was bad, so was he; some men, their outside is better than their inside; but this man was no hypocrite, he was as bad outwardly as he was inwardly: the word "Caleb" sometimes signifies a dog; hence the Septuagint version renders it, a doggish man, a cynic; and to the same purpose are the Syriac and Arabic versions; and so some Jewish writers interpret it; but the Targum, Jarchi, and Kimchi, supply it as we do, that he was of the house or family of Caleb, and so of the tribe of Judah, as David was.

Gill: 1Sa 25:4

And David heard in the wilderness,.... In the wilderness of Paran, where he was, and a wilderness it was to him, being in want of food, as the following relation shows:

that Nabal did shear his sheep; when there was generally good living, and so a proper person, and a proper time, for David to apply for the relief of his wants.

Gill: 1Sa 25:5

And David sent out ten young men,.... Such persons, and such a number of them, he sent to show honour and reverence to Nabal:

and David said, unto the young men, get ye up to Carmel; which lay higher than the wilderness, in which he was:

and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name; ask him of his peace and welfare, as the Targum; wish all health and happiness in my name, present my service and best respects to him.

Gill: 1Sa 25:6

And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity,.... That lives, while others, as David and his men, might be rather said to starve than live; they lived in great meanness, but he in great abundance, and therefore in a capacity to give to others, and particularly to relieve them: or the sense is, they should say to him, "thus" shall it be, or may it be "for life": for the time of life, for the year to come; at this time next year, at next sheep shearing, mayest thou be in as great prosperity then as now, and even all the days of thy life:

peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast; that is, all prosperity to thy person in soul and body, to thy family, wife, children and servants, and let the same attend thy estate, cattle, farms, fields, vineyards, and all that belong to thee; and wish for a blessing on him, and his, and all that were his, or he had; a more extensive one could not well be made.

Gill: 1Sa 25:7

And now I have heard that thou hast shearers,.... Men employed in shearing his sheep, which was a time of feasting and gladness, and therefore David sent his young men to him at this time with his compliments upon it; and in order to obtain what he intended by this message to him, he observes the favours he and his men had done to his servants, and the advantages which they had received from them:

now thy shepherds which were with us; feeding their sheep near the wilderness of Paran, which was not far from Carmel and Maon:

we hurt them not; by taking any of their sheep and lambs from them, or by abusing, beating them, or giving them ill language; or "did not put them to shame" ^x, by denying them anything they asked of them, which was in their power to grant, nor mocked and scoffed at them, and jeered them on account of their occupation:

neither was there ought missing unto them; they did not steal a sheep or lamb from them, as was common for soldiers to do; nor did they suffer any of the Arabs, that dwelt in the wilderness of Paran, to rob them, who lived upon plunder, or any of the wild beasts to hurt them, as much as in them lay; so careful were they of them, and were a wall unto them by night and day, as Nabal's servants owned, 1Sa 25:16; and this was the case:

all the while they were in Carmel; or in the fields, 1Sa 25:15; which were joining to the wilderness of Paran.

Gill: 1Sa 25:8

Ask thy young men, and they will show thee,.... The shepherds before mentioned, who kept their flocks hard by them:

wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes; the ten young men David sent to Nabal:

for we are come in a good day; a day in which Nabal made a feast for his shearers, as was usual then, and still is, see 2Sa 13:23; and at such times as persons are generally cheerful and merry, so free and liberal, and as there were plenty of provisions, not only enough for the guests and shearers, but to spare, and there was no need for an increase of expense, it might upon the whole be concluded it was a proper time for David to apply for accommodations for himself and his men:

give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants,

and to thy son David; he did not request anything extraordinary of him, or to put him to any expense, but what was at hand, and he could spare, he prayed him to deliver to the young men he sent, for their use, and the use of other his servants, and particularly David, who styled himself his son, being of the same tribe with Nabal, and Nabal his senior.

Gill: 1Sa 25:9

And when David's young men came,.... To Carmel:

they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David; they delivered their message punctually and exactly, in the very words, or however according to the purport of them, in David's name, as he enjoined them:

and ceased: from speaking, waiting for Nabal's answer; or "they rested" ^y, from the fatigues of their journey; which they did not until they had delivered their message to Nabal, and then they took the liberty to sit down and rest themselves; but the former sense seems best, and is preferred by Maimonides ^z.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 1Sa 25:1

¹ tc The LXX reads “Maon” here instead of “Paran,” perhaps because the following account of Nabal is said to be in Maon (v. 2). This reading is followed by a number of English versions (e.g., NAB, NIV, NCV, NLT). The MT, however, reads “Paran,” a location which would parallel this portion of David’s life with that of the nation Israel which also spent time in Paran (Num 10:12). Also, the desert of Paran was on the southern border of Judah’s territory and would be the most isolated location for hiding from Saul.

NET Notes: 1Sa 25:2

¹ tn Heb “great.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 25:3

¹ sn The name נָבָל (Nabal) means “foolish” or “senseless” in Hebrew, and as an adjective the word is used especially of persons who have no perception of ethical or religious claims. It is an apt name for this character, who certainly typifies such behavior.

² tn Heb “good of insight”; KJV “of good understanding”; NAB, NIV, TEV “intelligent”; NRSV “clever.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 25:5

¹ tn Heb “David”; for stylistic reasons the pronoun has been used in the translation.

² tn Or “young men.”

³ tn Heb “and David said to the young men.”

⁴ tn Heb “and inquire concerning him in my name in regard to peace.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 25:6

¹ tc The text is difficult here. The MT and most of the early versions support the reading לֶחָי (lekhai, “to life,” or “to the one who lives”). Some of the older English versions (KJV, ASV; cf. NKJV) took the expression to mean “to him who lives (in prosperity),” but this translation requires reading a good deal into the words. While the expression could have the sense of “Long life to you!” (cf. NIV, NJPS) or perhaps “Good luck to you!” this seems somewhat redundant in light of the salutation that follows in the context. The Latin Vulgate has fratribus meis (“to my brothers”), which suggests that Jerome understood the Hebrew word to have an alef that is absent in the MT (i.e., לֶאֱחָי, le’ekhay). Jerome’s plural, however, remains a problem, since in the context David is addressing a single individual, namely Nabal, and not a group. However, it is likely that the Vulgate witnesses to a consonantal Hebrew text that is to be preferred here, especially if the word were to be revocalized as a singular rather than a plural. While it is impossible to be certain about this reading, the present translation essentially follows the Vulgate in reading “my brother” (so also NJB; cf. NAB, RSV, NRSV).

NET Notes: 1Sa 25:8

¹ tc The translation follows many medieval Hebrew mss in reading בָּאנוּ (ba’nu, “we have come”) rather than the MT’s בָּנוּ (banu, “we have built”).

² tn This refers to the ten servants sent by David.

³ tn Heb “whatever your hand will find.”

Geneva Bible: 1Sa 25:1

And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his ^{( a )} house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

^{( a )} That is, among his own kindred.

Geneva Bible: 1Sa 25:2

And [there was] a man in ^{( b )} Maon, whose possessions [were] in Carmel; and the man [was] very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

^{( b )} Maon and Carmel were cities in the tribe of Judah. Carmel the mountain was in Galilee.

Geneva Bible: 1Sa 25:6

And thus shall ye say ^{( c )} to him that liveth [in prosperity], Peace [be] both to thee, and peace [be] to thine house, and peace [be] unto all that thou hast.

^{( c )} Or, for salvation.

Geneva Bible: 1Sa 25:8

Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever ^{( d )} cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.

^{( d )} Whatever you have ready for us.

Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: 1Sa 25:1-44

1 Samuel dies.

2 David in Paran sends to Nabal.

10 Provoked by Nabal's churlishness, he minds to destroy him.

14 Abigail understanding thereof,

18 takes a present;

23 and by her wisdom,

32 pacifies David.

36 Nabal hearing thereof, dies.

39 David takes Abigail and Ahinoam to be his wives.

44 Michal is given to Phalti.

MHCC: 1Sa 25:1

All Israel lamented Samuel, and they had reason. He prayed daily for them. Those have hard hearts, who can bury faithful ministers without grief; who do not feel their loss of those who have prayed for them, and taught them the way of the Lord.

MHCC: 1Sa 25:2-11

We should not have heard of Nabal, if nothing had passed between him and David. Observe his name, Nabal, " A fool;" so it signifies. Riches make men look great in the eye of the world; but to one that takes right views, Nabal looked very mean. He had no honour or honesty; he was churlish, cross, and ill-humoured; evil in his doings, hard and oppressive; a man that cared not what fraud and violence he used in getting and saving. What little reason have we to value the wealth of this world, when so great a churl as Nabal abounds, and so good a man as David suffers want!, David pleaded the kindness Nabal's shepherds had received. Considering that David's men were in distress and debt, and discontented, and the scarcity of provisions, it was by good management that they were kept from plundering. Nabal went into a passion, as covetous men are apt to do, when asked for any thing, thinking thus to cover one sin with another; and, by abusing the poor, to excuse themselves from relieving them. But God will not thus be mocked. Let this help us to bear reproaches and misrepresentations with patience and cheerfulness, and make us easy under them; it has often been the lot of the excellent ones of the earth. Nabal insists much on the property he had in the provisions of his table. May he not do what he will with his own? We mistake, if we think we are absolute lords of what we have, and may do what we please with it. No; we are but stewards, and must use it as we are directed, remembering it is not our own, but His who intrusted us with it.

Matthew Henry: 1Sa 25:1

We have here a short account of Samuel's death and burial. 1. Though he was a great man, and one that was admirably well qualified for public service, yet he spent the latter end of his days in retirement and obscurity, not because he was superannuated (for he knew how to preside in a college of the prophets, 1Sa 19:20), but because Israel had rejected him, for which God thus justly chastised them, and because his desire was to be quiet and to enjoy himself and his God in the exercises of devotion now in his advanced years, and in this desire God graciously indulged him. Let old people be willing to rest themselves, though it look like burying themselves alive. 2. Though he was a firm friend to David, for which Saul hated him, as also for dealing plainly with him, yet he died in peace even in the worst of the days of the tyranny of Saul, who, he sometimes feared, would kill him, 1Sa 16:2. Though Saul loved him not, yet he feared him, as Herod did John, and feared the people, for all knew him to be a prophet. Thus is Saul restrained from hurting him. 3. All Israel lamented him; and they had reason, for they had all a loss in him. His personal merits commanded this honour to be done him at his death. His former services to the public, when he judged Israel, made this respect to his name and memory a just debt; it would have been very ungrateful to have withheld it. The sons of the prophets had lost the founder and president of their college, and whatever weakened them was a public loss. But that was not all: Samuel was a constant intercessor for Israel, prayed daily for them, Joh 12:23. If he go, they part with the best friend they have. The loss is the more grievous at this juncture when Saul has grown so outrageous and David is driven from his country; never more need of Samuel than now, yet now he is removed. We will hope that the Israelites lamented Samuel's death the more bitterly because they remembered against themselves their own sin and folly in rejecting him and desiring a king. Note, (1.) Those have hard hearts who can bury their faithful ministers with dry eyes, who are not sensible of the loss of those who have prayed for them and taught them the way of the Lord. (2.) When God's providence removes our relations and friends from us we ought to be humbled for our misconduct towards them while they were with us. 4. They buried him, not in the school of the prophets at Naioth, but in his own house (or perhaps in the garden pertaining to it) at Ramah, where he was born. 5. David, thereupon, went down to the wilderness of Paran, retiring perhaps to mourn the more solemnly for the death of Samuel. Or, rather, because now that he had lost so good a friend, who was (and he hoped would be) a great support to him, he apprehended his danger to be greater than ever, and therefore withdrew to a wilderness, out of the limits of the land of Israel; and now it was that he dwelt in the tents of Kedar, Psa 120:5. In some parts of this wilderness of Paran Israel wandered when they came out of Egypt. The place would bring to mind God's care concerning them, and David might improve that for his own encouragement, now in his wilderness-state.

Matthew Henry: 1Sa 25:2-11

Here begins the story of Nabal.

I. A short account of him, who and what he was (1Sa 25:2, 1Sa 25:3), a man wee should never have heard of if there had not happened some communication between him and David. Observe, 1. His name: Nabal - a fool; so it signifies. It was a wonder that his parents would give him that name and an ill omen of what proved to be this character. Yet indeed we all of us deserve to be so called when we come into the world, for man is born like the wild ass's colt and foolishness is bound up in our hearts. 2. His family: He was of the house of Caleb, but was indeed of another spirit. He inherited Caleb's estate; for Maon and Carmel lay near Hebron, which was given to Caleb (Jos 15:54, Jos 15:55; Jos 14:14), but he was far from inheriting his virtues. He was a disgrace to his family, and then it was no honour to him. Degeneranti genus opprobrium - A Good extraction is a reproach to him who degenerates from it. The Septuagint, and some other ancient versions, read it appellatively, not, He was a Calebite, but He was a dogged man, of a currish disposition, surly and snappish, and always snarling. He was anthrōpos kunikos - a man that was a cynic. 3. His wealth: He was very great, that is, very rich (for riches make men look great in the eye of the world), otherwise, to one that takes his measures aright, he really looked very mean. Riches are common blessings, which God often gives to Nabals, to whom he gives neither wisdom nor grace. 4. His wife - Abigail, a woman of great understanding. Her name signifies, the joy of her father; yet he could not promise himself much joy of her when he married her to such a husband, enquiring more after his wealth than after his wisdom. Many a child is thrown away upon a great heap of the dirt of worldly wealth, married to that, and to nothing else that is desirable. Wisdom is good with an inheritance, but an inheritance is good for little without wisdom. Many an Abigail is tied to a Nabal; and if it be so, be her understanding, like Abigail's, ever so great, it will be little enough for her exercises. 5. His character. He had no sense either of honour or honesty; not of honour, for he was churlish, cross, and ill-humoured; not of honesty, for he was evil in his doings, hard and oppressive, and a man that cared not what fraud and violence he used in getting and saving, so he could but get and save. This is the character given of Nabal by him who knows what every man is.

II. David's humble request to him, that he would send him some victuals for himself and his men.

1. David, it seems, was in such distress that he would be glad to be beholden to him, and did in effect come a begging to his door. What little reason have we to value the wealth of this world when so great a churl as Nabal abounds and so great a saint as David suffers want! Once before we had David begging his bread, but then it was of Ahimelech the high priest, to whom one would not grudge to stoop. But to send a begging to Napal was what such a spirit as David had could not admit without some reluctancy; yet, if Providence bring him to these straits, he will not say that to beg he is ashamed. Yet see Psa 37:25.

2. He chose a good time to send to Nabal, when he had many hands employed about him in shearing his sheep, for whom he was to make a plentiful entertainment, so that good cheer was stirring. Had he sent at another time, Nabal would have pretended he had nothing to spare, but now he could not have that excuse. It was usual to make feasts at their sheep-shearings, as appears by Absalom's feast on that occasion (2Sa 13:24), for wool was one of the staple commodities of Canaan.

3. David ordered his men to deliver their message to him with a great deal of courtesy and respect: " Go to Nabal, and greet him in my name. Tell him I sent you to present my service to him, and to enquire how he does and his family,"1Sa 25:5. He puts words in their mouths (1Sa 25:6): Thus shall you say to him that liveth; our translators add, in prosperity, as if those live indeed that live as Nabal did, with abundance of the wealth of this world about them; whereas, in truth, those that live in pleasure are dead while they live, 1Ti 5:6. This was, methinks too high a compliment to pass upon Nabal, to call him the man that liveth. David knew better things, that in God's favour is life, not in the world's smiles; and by the rough answer he was well enough served, for this too smooth address to such a muck-worm. Yet his good wishes were very commendable. " Peace be to thee, all good both to soul and body. Peace be to thy house and to all that thou hast. "Tell him I am a hearty well-wisher to his health and prosperity. He bids them call him his son David (1Sa 25:8), intimating that, for his age and estate, David honoured him as a father, and therefore hoped to receive some fatherly kindness from him.

4. He pleaded the kindness which Nabal's shepherds had received from David and his men; and one good turn requires another. He appeals to Nabal's own servants, and shows that when David's soldiers were quartered among Nabal's shepherds, (1.) They did not hurt them themselves, did them no injury, gave them no disturbance, were not a terror to them, nor took any of the lambs out of the flock. Yet, considering the character of David's men, men in distress, and debt, and discontented, and the scarcity of provisions in his camp, it was not without a great deal of care and good management that they were kept from plundering. (2.) They protected them from being hurt by others. David himself does but intimate this, for he would not boast of his good offices: Neither was there aught missing to them, 1Sa 25:7. But Nabal's servants, to whom he appealed, went further (1Sa 25:16): They were a wall unto us, both by night and day. David's soldiers were a guard to Nabal's shepherds when the bands of the Philistines robbed the threshing-floors (1Sa 23:1) and would have robbed the sheep-folds. From those plunderers Nabal's flocks were protected by David's care, and therefore he says, Let us find favour in thy eyes. Those that have shown kindness may justly expect to receive kindness.

5. He was very modest in his request. Though David was anointed king, he insisted not upon royal dainties, but, "Give whatsoever comes to thy hand, and we will be thankful for it."Beggars must not be choosers. Those that deserved to have been served first will now be glad of what is left. They plead, We come in a good day, a festival, when not only the provision is more plentiful, but the heart and hand are usually more open and free than at other times, when much may be spared and yet not be missed. David demands not what he wanted as a debt, either by way of tribute as he was a king, or by way of contribution as he was a general, but asks it as a boon to a friend, that was his humble servant. David's servants delivered their message faithfully and very handsomely, not doubting but to go back well laden with provisions.

III. Nabal's churlish answer to this modest petition, 1Sa 25:10, 1Sa 25:11. One could not have imagined it possible that any man should be so very rude and ill-conditioned as Nabal was. David called himself his son, and asked bread and a fish, but, instead thereof, Nabal gave him a stone and a scorpion; not only denied him, but abused him. If he had not thought fit to send him any supplies for fear of Ahimelech's fate, who paid dearly for his kindness to David; yet he might have given a civil answer, and made the denial as modest as the request was. But, instead of that, he falls into a passion, as covetous men are apt to do when they are asked for any thing, thinking thus to cover one sin with another, and by abusing the poor to excuse themselves from relieving them. But God will not thus be mocked. 1. He speaks scornfully of David as an insignificant man, not worth taking notice of. The Philistines could say of him, This is David the king of the land, that slew his ten thousands (1Sa 21:11), yet Nabal his near neighbour, and one of the same tribe, affects not to know him, or not to know him to be a man of any merit or distinction: Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? He could not be ignorant how much the country was obliged to David for his public services, but his narrow soul thinks not of paying any part of that debt, nor so much as of acknowledging it; he speaks of David as an inconsiderable man, obscure, and not to be regarded. Think it not strange if great men and great merits be thus disgraced. 2. He upbraids him with his present distress, and takes occasion from it to represent him as a bad man, that was fitter to be set in the stocks for a vagrant than to have any kindness shown him. How naturally does he speak the churlish clownish language of those that hate to give alms! There are many servants now-a-days (as if there had been none such in former days) that break every man from his master, suggesting that David was one of them himself ("He might have kept his place with his master Saul, and then he needed not have sent to me for provisions"), and also that he entertained and harboured those that were fugitives like himself. It would make one's blood rise to hear so great and good a man as David thus vilified and reproached by such a base churl as Nabal. But the vile person will speak villany, Isa 32:5-7. If men bring themselves into straits by their own folly, yet they are to be pitied and helped, and not trampled upon and starved. But David was reduced to this distress, not by any fault, no, nor any indiscretion, of his own, but purely by the good services he had done to his country and the honours which his God had put upon him; and yet he was represented as a fugitive and runagate. Let this help us to bear such reproaches and misrepresentations of us with patience and cheerfulness, and make us easy under them, that it has often been the lot of the excellent ones of the earth. Some of the best men that ever the world was blest with were counted as the off-scouring of all things, 1Co 4:13. 3. He insists much upon the property he had in the provisions of his table, and will by no means admit any body to share in them. "It is my bread and my flesh, yes, and my water too (though usus communis aquarum - water is every one's property ), and it is prepared for my shearers,"priding himself in it that it was all his own; and who denied it? Who offered to dispute his title? But this, he thinks, will justify him in keeping it all to himself, and giving David none; for may he not do what he will with his own? Whereas we mistake if we think we are absolute lords of what we have and may do what we please with it. No, we are but stewards, and must use it as we are directed, remembering it is not our own, but his that entrusted us with it. Riches are ta allotria (Luk 16:12); they are another's, and we ought not to talk too much of their being our own.

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Sa 25:1

The death of Samuel is inserted here, because it occurred at that time. Thefact that all Israel assembled together to his burial, and lamented him, i.e.,mourned for him, was a sign that his labours as a prophet were recognisedby the whole nation as a blessing for Israel. Since the days of Moses andJoshua, no man had arisen to whom the covenant nation owed so much asto Samuel, who has been justly called the reformer and restorer of thetheocracy. They buried him "in his house at Ramah." The expression "hishouse"does not mean his burial-place or family tomb, nor his native place,but the house in which he lived, with the court belonging to it, whereSamuel was placed in a tomb erected especially for him. After the death ofSamuel, David went down into the desert of Paran , i.e., into the northernportion of the desert of Arabia, which stretches up to the mountains ofJudah (see at Num 10:12); most likely for no other reason than because hecould no longer find sufficient means of subsistence for himself and his sixhundred men in the desert of Judah.

Keil-Delitzsch: 1Sa 25:2-44

The following history of Nabal's folly, and of the wise and generousbehaviour of his pious and intelligent wife Abigail towards David, showshow Jehovah watched over His servant David, and not only preserved himfrom an act of passionate excitement, which might have endangered hiscalling to be king of Israel, but turned the trouble into which he had beenbrought into a source of prosperity and salvation.

1Sa 25:2-3

At Maon , i.e., Main or the mountains of Judah (see at Jos 15:55), there lived a rich man ( גּדול , great through property andriches), who had his establishment at Carmel . מעשׂה , work,occupation, then establishment, possessions (vid., Exo 23:15). Carmel isnot the promontory of that name (Thenius), but the present Kurmul onthe mountains of Judah, scarcely half an hour's journey to the north-westof Maon (see at Jos 15:55). This man possessed three thousand sheepand a thousand goats, and was at the sheep-shearing at Carmel. His namewas Nabal (i.e., fool): this was hardly his proper name, but was a surnameby which he was popularly designated on account of his folly. His wife Abigail was "of good understanding," i.e., intelligent, "and of beautifulfigure;" but the husband was "harsh and evil in his doings." He sprangfrom the family of Caleb . This is the rendering adopted by the Chaldee andVulgate, according to the Keri כּלבּי . The Chethibh is to be read כּלבּו , "according to his heart;"though the lxx ( ἄνθρωπος κυνικός )and Josephus, as well as the Arabic and Syriac, derive it from כּלב ,and understand it as referring to the dog-like, or shameless, character of theman.

1Sa 25:4-8

When David heard in the desert (cf. 1Sa 25:1) that Nabal wasshearing his sheep, which was generally accompanied with a festal meal(see at Gen 38:12), he sent ten young men up to Carmel to him, and badethem wish him peace and prosperity in his name, and having reminded himof the friendly services rendered to his shepherds, solicit a present forhimself and his people. לשׁלום לו שׁאל ,ask him after his welfare, i.e., greet him in a friendly manner (cf. Exo 18:7). The word לחי is obscure, and was interpreted by the earlytranslators merely according to uncertain conjectures. The simplestexplanation is apparently in vitam , long life , understood as a wish in thesense of "good fortune to you"(Luther, Maurer, etc.); although the word חי in the singular can only be shown to have the meaning life inconnection with the formula used in oaths, נפשׁך חי ,etc. But even if חי must be taken as an adjective, it is impossible toexplain לחי in any other way than as an elliptical exclamationmeaning "good fortune to the living man."For the idea that the word is tobe connected with אמרתּם , "say to the living man,"i.e., to theman if still alive, is overthrown by the fact that David had no doubt thatNabal was still living. The words which follow are also to be understoodas a wish, " May thou and thy house, and all that is thine, be well! "Afterthis salutation they were to proceed with the object of their visit: " Andnow I have heard that thou hast sheep-shearers . Now thy shepherds havebeen with us; we have done them no harm ( הכלים , as in Jdg 18:7 : on the form, see Ges. §53, 3, Anm. 6), and nothing was missed bythem so long as they were in Carmel ."When living in the desert, David'smen had associated with the shepherds of Nabal, rendered them variousservices, and protected them and their flocks against the southerninhabitants of the desert (the Bedouin Arabs); in return for which theymay have given them food and information. Thus David proved himself a protector of his people even in hisbanishment. וימצאוּ , " so may the young men (those sent byDavid) find favour in thine eyes! for we have come to a good (i.e., afestive) day. Give, I pray, what thy hand findeth (i.e., as much as thoucanst) to thy servant, and to thy son David ."With the expression " thyson "David claims Nabal's fatherly goodwill. So far as the fact itself isconcerned, "on such a festive occasion near a town or village even in ourown time, an Arab sheikh of the neighbouring desert would hardly fail toput in a word either in person or by message; and his message both in formand substance would be only the transcript of that of David"( Robinson , Palestine , p. 201).

1Sa 25:9

David's messengers delivered their message to Nabal, ויּנוּחוּ , "and sat down," sc., awaiting the fulfilment oftheir request. The rendering given by the Chaldee ( פּסקוּ , cessaverunt loqui ) and the Vulgate ( siluerunt ) is less suitable, and cannot bephilologically sustained. The Septuagint, on the other hand, has καὶ ἀνεπήδησε , "and he (Nabal) sprang up,"as if the translators had read ויּקם (vid., lxx at 1Sa 20:34). This rendering, accordingto which the word belongs to the following clause, gives a veryappropriate sense, if only, supposing that ויּקם really didstand in the text, the origin and general adoption of ויּנוּחוּ could in any way be explained.

1Sa 25:10

Nabal refused the petitioners in the most churlish manner: " Whois David? who the son of Jesse? "i.e., what have I to do with David?"There by many servants now-a-days who tear away every one from hismaster." Thus, in order to justify his own covetousness, he set downDavid as a vagrant who had run away from his master.

1Sa 25:11

" And I should take my bread and my water (i.e., my food anddrink), and my cattle, ... and give them to men whom I do not know whencethey are? " ולקחתּי is a perfect with vav consec ., and thewhole sentence is to be taken as a question.

1Sa 25:12-13

The messengers returned to David with this answer. Thechurlish reply could not fail to excite his anger. He therefore commandedhis people to gird on the sword, and started with 400 men to takevengeance upon Nabal, whilst 200 remained behind with the things.

1 Samuel 25: 14-31

However intelligible David's wrath may appear in thesituation in which he was placed, it was not right before God, but a suddenburst of sinful passion, which was unseemly in a servant of God. Bycarrying out his intention, he would have sinned against the Lord andagainst His people. But the Lord preserved him from this sin by the factthat, just at the right time, Abigail, the intelligent and pious wife of Nabal,heard of the affair, and was able to appease the wrath of David by herimmediate and kindly interposition.

1Sa 25:14-16

Abigail heard from one of (Nabal's) servants what had takenplace ( בּרך , to wish any one prosperity and health, i.e., tosalute, as in 1Sa 13:10; and יעט , from עיט , to speakwrathfully: on the form, see at 1Sa 15:19 and 1Sa 14:32), and also what hadbeen praiseworthy in the behaviour of David's men towards Nabal'sshepherds; how they had not only done them no injury, had not robbedthem of anything, but had defended them all the while. " They were a wall (i.e., a firm protection) round us by night and by day, as long as we werewith them feeding the sheep ,"i.e., a wall of defence against attacks fromthe Bedouins living in the desert.

1Sa 25:17

"And now," continued the servant, " know and see what thoudoest; for evil is determined (cf. 1Sa 20:9) against our master and all hishouse: and he (Nabal) is a wicked man, that one cannot address him ."

1Sa 25:18-19

Then Abigail took as quickly as possible a bountiful presentof provisions, - two hundred loaves, two bottles of wine, five prepared (i.e.,slaughtered) sheep ( עשׁוּות , a rare form for עשׂוּית : see Ewald , §189, a .), five seahs (an ephah and two-thirds) of roasted grains ( Kali : see 1Sa 17:17), a hundred צמּקים (dried grapes, i.e.,raisin-cakes: Ital. simmuki ), and two hundred fig-cakes (consisting ofpressed figs joined together), - and sent these gifts laden upon asses onbefore her to meet David whilst she herself followed behind to appease hisanger by coming to meet him in a friendly manner, but without saying aword to her husband about what she intended to do.

1Sa 25:20

When she came down riding upon the ass by a hidden part of themountain, David and his men came to meet her, so that she lighted uponthem. ההר סתר , a hidden part of the mountain, wasprobably a hollow between two peaks of a mountain. This would explainthe use of the word ירד , to come down, with reference both toAbigail, who approached on the one side, and David, who came on theother.

1Sa 25:21-22

1Sa 25:21 and 1Sa 25:22 contain a circumstantial clause introducedparenthetically to explain what follows: but David had said, Only fordeception (i.e., for no other purpose than to be deceived in myexpectation) have I defended all that belongs to this man (Nabal) in thedesert, so that nothing of his was missed, and (for) he hath repaid me evilfor good. God do so to the enemies of David, if I leave , etc.; i.e., "as trulyas God will punish the enemies of David, so certainly will I not leave tillthe morning light, of all that belongeth to him, one that pisseth against thewall."This oath, in which the punishment of God is not called down uponthe swearer himself (God do so to me ), as it generally is, but upon theenemies of David, is analogous to that in 1Sa 3:17, where punishment isthreatened upon the person addressed, who is there made to swear; exceptthat here, as the oath could not be uttered in the ears of the personaddressed, upon whom it was to fall, the enemies generally are mentionedinstead of "to thee." There is no doubt, therefore, as to the correctness ofthe text. The substance of this imprecation may be explained from the fact thatDavid is so full of the consciousness of fighting and suffering for the causeof the kingdom of God, that he discerns in the insult heaped upon him byNabal an act of hostility to the Lord and the cause of His kingdom. Thephrase בּקיר משׁתּין , mingens in parietem , is only metwith in passages which speak of the destruction of a family or householdto the very last man (viz., besides this passage, 1Ki 14:10; 1Ki 16:11;1Ki 21:21; 2Ki 9:8), and neither refers primarily to dogs, as EphraemSyrus, Juda ben Karish, and others maintain; nor to the lowest class ofmen, as Winer, Maurer, and others imagine; nor to little boys, as L. deDieu, Gesenius , etc., suppose; but, as we may see from the explanatoryclause appended to 1Ki 14:10; 1Ki 21:21; 2Ki 9:8, to every male( quemcumque masculi generis hominem: vid., Bochart, Hieroz . i. pp. 776ff., and Rödiger on Ges. Thes . pp. 1397-8).

1Sa 25:23-24

1Sa 25:23 is connected with 1Sa 25:20. When Abigail saw David, shedescended hastily from the ass, fell upon her face before him, bowed to theground, and fell at his feet, saying, "Upon me, me, my lord, be the guilt;allow thy handmaid to reveal the thing to thee." She takes the guilt uponherself, because she hopes that David will not avenge it upon her.

1Sa 25:25-26

She prayed that David would take no notice of Nabal, for hewas what his name declared - a fool, and folly in him ; but she (Abigail) hadnot seen the messengers of David. "The prudent woman uses a goodargument; for a wise man should pardon a fool"(Seb. Schmidt). She thenendeavours to bring David to a friendly state of mind by three arguments,introduced with ועתּה (1Sa 25:26, 1Sa 25:27), before asking for forgiveness(1Sa 25:28). She first of all pointed to the leadings of God, by which David hadbeen kept from committing murder through her coming to meet him.

(Note: "She founds her argument upon their meeting, which was somarvellously seasonable, that it might be easily and truly gatheredfrom this fact that it had taken place through the providence of God; i.e., Andnow, because I meet thee so seasonably, do thou piously acknowledgewith me the providence of God, which has so arranged all this, thatinnocent blood might not by change be shed by thee."- Seb. Schmidt .)

"As truly as Jehovah liveth, and by the life of thy soul! yea, the Lord hathkept thee, that thou camest not into blood-guiltiness, and thy hand helpedthee "(i.e., and with thy hand thou didst procure thyself help). אשׁר , introducing her words, as in 1Sa 15:20, lit . "as truly as thoulivest, (so true is it) that,"etc. In the second place, she points to the factthat God is the avenger of the wicked, by expressing the wish that all theenemies of David may become fools like Nabal; in connection with whichit must be observed, in order to understand her words fully, that, accordingto the Old Testament representation, folly is a correlate of ungodliness,which inevitably brings down punishment.

(Note: Seb. Schmidt has justly observed, that "she reminds David ofthe promise of God. Not that she prophesies, but that she hasgathered it from the general promises of the word of God. Thepromise referred to is, that whoever does good to his enemies, andtakes no vengeance upon them, God himself will avenge him upon hisenemies; according to the saying, Vengeance is mine, I will repay . And this is what Abigail says: And now thine enemies shall be asNabal.")

The predicate to the sentence " and they that seek evil to my lord "must besupplied from the preceding words, viz., "may they become just suchfools."

1Sa 25:27

It is only in the third line that she finally mentions the present,but in such a manner that she does not offer it directly to David, butdescribes it as a gift for the men in his train. " And now this blessing ( בּרכה here and 1Sa 30:26, as in Gen 33:11 : cf. ἡ εὐλογία , 2Co 9:5-6), which thine handmaid hath brought, let it begiven to the young men in my lord's train "( lit . "at the feet of:"cf. Exo 11:8;Jdg 4:10, etc.).

1Sa 25:28

The shrewd and pious woman supports her prayer forforgiveness of the wrong, which she takes upon herself, by promises ofthe rich blessing with which the Lord would recompense David. Shethereby gives such clear and distinct expression to her firm belief in thedivine election of David as king of Israel, that her words almost amount toprophecy: " For Jehovah will make my lord a lasting house (cf. 1Sa 2:35;and for the fact itself, 2Sa 7:8., where the Lord confirms this piouswish by His own promises to David himself); for my lord fighteth thewars of Jehovah (vid., 1Sa 18:17), and evil is not discovered in thee thywhole life long ." רעה , evil, i.e., misfortune, mischief; for thethought that he might also be preserved from wrong-doing is not expressedtill 1Sa 25:31. "All thy days," lit ." from thy days,"i.e., from the beginning ofthy life.

1Sa 25:29

"And should any one rise up to pursue thee, ... the soul of mylord will be bound up in the bundle of the living with the Lord thy God." The metaphor is taken from the custom of binding up valuable things in abundle, to prevent their being injured. The words do not refer primarily toeternal life with God in heaven, but only to the safe preservation of therighteous on this earth in the grace and fellowship of the Lord. Butwhoever is so hidden in the gracious fellowship of the Lord in this life,that no enemy can harm him or injure his life, the Lord will not allow toperish, even though temporal death should come, but will then receive himinto eternal life. "But the soul of thine enemies, He will hurl away in thecup of the sling.""The cup (caph: cf. Gen 32:26) of the sling"was thecavity in which the stone was placed for the purpose of hurling.

1Sa 25:30-31

Abigail concluded her intercession with the assurance that theforgiveness of Nabal's act would be no occasion of anguish of heart toDavid when he should have become prince over Israel, on account of hishaving shed innocent blood and helped himself, and also with the hopethat he would remember her. From the words, "When Jehovah shall do tomy lord according to all the good that He hath spoken concerning him, andshall make thee prince over Israel," it appears to follow that Abigail hadreceived certain information of the anointing of David, and his designationto be the future king, probably through Samuel, or one of the pupils of theprophets. There is nothing to preclude this assumption, even if it cannotbe historically sustained. Abigail manifests such an advance and maturityin the life of faith, as could only have been derived from intercourse withprophets. It is expressly stated with regard to Elijah and Elisha, that atcertain times the pious assembled together around the prophets. Whatprevents us from assuming the same with regard to Samuel? The absenceof any distinct testimony to that effect is amply compensated for by thebrief, and for the most part casual, notices that are given of the influencewhich Samuel exerted upon all Israel.

1Sa 25:31

1Sa 25:31 introduces the apodosis to 1Sa 25:30 : " So will this (i.e., theforgiveness of Nabal's folly, for which she had prayed in 1Sa 25:28) not be astumbling-block ( pukah : anything in the road which causes a person tostagger) and anguish of heart (i.e., conscientious scruple) to thee, andshedding innocent blood, and that my lord helps himself . וגו ולשׁפּך is perfectly parallel to וגו לפוּקה , and cannot be taken assubordinate, as it is in the Vulgate, etc., in the sense of "that thou hast notshed blood innocently,"etc. In this rendering not only is the vav cop . overlooked, but "not"is arbitrarily interpolated, to obtain a suitable sense,which the Vulgate rendering, quod effuderis sanguinem innoxiam , does notgive. והיטיב is to be taken conditionally: "and if Jehovah shalldeal well with my lord, then," etc.

1Sa 25:32-34

These words could not fail to appease David's wrath. In hisreply he praised the Lord for having sent Abigail to meet him (1Sa 25:32), andthen congratulated Abigail upon her understanding and her actions, thatshe had kept him from bloodshed (1Sa 25:33); otherwise he would certainlyhave carried out the revenge which he had resolved to take upon Nabal (1Sa 25:34). ואוּלם is strongly adversative: nevertheless . מהרע , inf. constr. Hiph . of רעע . כּי , ὅτι ,introduces the substance of the affirmation, and is repeated before theoath: אם כּי ... לוּלי כּי , (that) if thou hadstnot , etc., (that) truly there would not have been left (cf. 2Sa 2:27). Thevery unusual form תּבאתי , an imperfect with the termination of theperfect, might indeed possibly be a copyist's error for תּבאי (Olsh. Gr . pp. 452, 525), but in all probability it is only an intensifiedform of the second pers. fem. imperf., like תּבואתה (Deu 33:16; cf. Ewald , §191, c .).

1Sa 25:35

David then received the gifts brought for him, and bade Abigailreturn to her house, with the assurance that he had granted her request forpardon. פּנים נשׂא , as in Gen 19:21, etc.

1Sa 25:36

When Abigail returned home, she found her husband at a greatfeast, like a king's feast, very merry ( עליו , "therewith,"refersto משׁתּה : cf. Pro 23:30), and drunken above measure , so thatshe told him nothing of what had occurred until the break of day.

1Sa 25:37

Then, "when the wine had gone from Nabal," i.e., when he hadbecome sober, she related the matter to him; whereat he was so terrified,that he was smitten with a stroke. This is the meaning of the words, "hisheart died within him, and it became as stone." The cause of it was not hisanger at the loss he had sustained, or merely his alarm at the danger towhich he had been exposed, and which he did not believe to be over yet,but also his vexation that his wife should have made him humble himself insuch a manner; for he is described as a hard, i.e., an unbending, self-willedman.

1Sa 25:38

About ten days later the Lord smote him so that he died , i.e., theLord put an end to his life by a second stroke.

1Sa 25:39-44

When David heard of Nabal's death, he praised Jehovah thatHe had avenged his shame upon Nabal, and held him back from self-revenge. וגו רב עשׁר , " who hath pleaded the cause ofmy reproach (the disgrace inflicted upon me) against Nabal ."" AgainstNabal "does not belong to "my reproach," but to "pleaded the cause." Theconstruction of ריב with מן is a pregnant one, to fight (anddeliver) out of the power of a person (vid., Psa 43:1); whereas here thefundamental idea is that of taking vengeance upon a person.

1Sa 25:40-41

He then sent messengers to Abigail, and conveyed to her hiswish to marry her, to which she consented without hesitation. With deepreverence she said to the messengers (1Sa 25:41), " Behold, thy handmaid asservant (i.e., is ready to become thy servant) to wash the feet of theservants of my lord ;"i.e., in the obsequious style of the East, "I am readyto perform the humblest possible services for thee."

1Sa 25:42

She then rose up hastily, and went after the messengers to Davidwith five damsels in her train, and became his wife.

1Sa 25:43

The historian appends a few notices here concerning David'swives: "And David had taken Ahinoam from Jezreel; thus they also bothbecame his wives." The expression " also "points to David's marriage withMichal, the daughter of Saul (1Sa 18:28). Jezreel is not the city of thatname in the tribe of Issachar (Jos 19:18), but the one in the mountains ofJudah (Jos 15:56).

1Sa 25:44

But Saul had taken his daughter Michal away from David, andgiven her to Palti of Gallim. Palti is called Paltiel in 2Sa 3:15. Accordingto Isa 10:30, Gallim was a place between Gibeah of Saul and Jerusalem. Valentiner supposes it to be the hill to the south of Tuleil el Phul (Gibeahof Saul) called Khirbet el Jisr . After the death of Saul, however, Davidpersuaded Ishbosheth to give him Michal back again (see 2Sa 3:14.).

Constable: 1Sa 16:1--31:13

IV. SAUL AND DAVID 1 Sam. 16--31

The basic theme in Samuel, that blessing, and in particular fertility of all kinds, follows from faithful commitment to God's revealed will, continues in this section. However another major motif now becomes more prominent. We might call it the theme of the Lord's anointed.

"The theological thread running through Samuel and Kings is God's choice of a leader to represent Him as He implements His covenants with Israel."¹⁶⁸

Saul had been God's anointed vice-regent, but with Saul's rejection David began to move into that position. These chapters record the gradual transition and slow transformation of the nation as the Israelites and others increasingly realized that David was now God's anointed. Saul remained the Lord's anointed as long as he lived. Part of the reason David succeeded was he recognized this and related to Saul accordingly. However, David too was God's anointed though God was still preparing him to take leadership and mount the throne. While the hero of this last half of 1 Samuel is David, Saul is also prominent. Saul declined as the old anointed as David arose as the new anointed.

"There will be many twists in the story of David's progress towards the throne, and not a few crisis-points, yet all is told in the knowledge that God can put his men where he wants them to be, whether the route is direct, or ever so circuitous."¹⁶⁹

Chronology of David's Life170
Event	Date	Age	Reference
Birth	1041	0	2 Sam. 5:4-5
Anointing by Samuel	1029	12	1 Sam. 16:1-13
Defeat of Goliath	1024	17	1 Sam. 17
Exile from Saul	1020-1011	21-30	1 Sam. 21-31
Anointing as King over Judah	1011	30	2 Sam. 2:1-4
Anointing as King over all Israel	1004	37	2 Sam. 5:1-3
Philistines Wars	1004	37	2 Sam. 5:17-25
Conquest of Jerusalem	1004	37	2 Sam. 5:6-10
Mephibosheth's Move to Jerusalem	996	45	2 Sam. 9:1-13
The Three Year Famine	996-993	45-48	2 Sam. 21:1-14
The Ammonite Wars	993-990	48-51	2 Sam. 10-12
Adultery and Murder	992	49	2 Sam. 11
Birth of Solomon	991	50	2 Sam. 12:24-25
Rape of Tamar	987	54	2 Sam. 13:1-22
Death of Amnon	985	56	2 Sam. 13:23-36
Exile of Absalom	985-982	56-59	2 Sam. 13:37-39
Absalom's Return to Jerusalem	982-980	59-61	2 Sam. 14:21-24
Construction of Palace	980-978	61-63	1 Chron. 15:1
Construction of Tabernacle	977	64	1 Chron. 15:1
Move of Ark to Jerusalem	977	64	2 Sam. 6:12-19
Absalom's Rebellion and David's Exile	976	65	2 Sam. 15-18
Rebellion of Sheba	976	65	2 Sam. 20:1-22
The Census	975	66	2 Sam. 24:1-17
Purchase of Temple Site	973	68	2 Sam. 24:18-25
The Davidic Covenant	973	68	2 Sam. 7
Co-regency with Solomon	973-971	68-70	1 Chron. 23:1
Rebellion of Adonijah	972	69	1 Kings 1:5-37
Coronation of Solomon	971	70	1 Chron. 29:22-23
Death	971	70	1 Kings 2:10-11

Constable: 1Sa 21:1--30:31

C. David in Exile chs. 21-30

In chapters 21-30 we see David's forces growing stronger and stronger while Saul's forces get weaker and weaker. This is a further demonstration of the fertility theme. However these chapters also develop the motif of the proper response to Yahweh's anointed.

Interesting, too, are the parallels between David's experiences as the Lord's anointed and Jesus Christ's as the Lord's anointed. Rejection preceded acceptance, and suffering preceded reigning in both cases. God blessed both of these servants personally, and they became a blessing to others because of their commitment to Yahweh and His Law.

"The true servant of God must willingly suffer affliction with the full assurance that God is performing His purposes. Positions of prominence and prestige are not to be sought and worked for. Rather, the leader who desires Christ's blessing must wait patiently on Him for advancement and promotion to opportunities of greater service."²²⁶

Several of the Psalms have their backgrounds in these chapters (Ps. 18; 34; 52; 54; 56; 57; 63; 124; 138; 142; and possibly others).

Constable: 1Sa 23:1--26:25

3. David's goodness to two fools ch. 24-26

". . . chapters 24-26 form a discrete literary unit within 1 Samuel. Chapters 24 and 26 are virtually mirror images of each other, beginning with Saul's receiving a report about David's latest hiding place (24:1; 26:1), focusing on David's refusal to lift a hand against Saul, the Lord's anointed' (24:6, 10; 26:11), and concluding with the words of a remorseful Saul and his returning home from his pursuit of David (24:17-22; 26:21, 25). The two chapters form a frame around the central chapter 25, where the churlish Nabal functions as an alter ego of the rejected Saul. In addition, divine protection that keeps David from shedding innocent blood runs as a unifying thread through all three chapters."²³⁷

Saul, who had disregarded God's Law, became a deadly threat to David (23:19-28). However, David, who regarded God's Law, became a source of life to Saul (23:29-24:22) and to others in Israel (ch. 25).

In the previous section, Saul sought the opportunity to take David's life. In this one (23:29-24:22), given the opportunity to take Saul's life, David spared him.

Constable: 1Sa 25:1-44

David's sparing of Nabal's life ch. 25

"Chapter 25 is the central panel in the triptych that comprises chapters 24-26. As such it not only anchors the literary unit but also facilitates the fact that chapters 24 and 26 mirror each other."²⁴⁴

This central chapter also has a chiastic structure that focuses attention on Abigail's effective appeal to David.

"A. Samuel dies (v. 1a).

B. David the fugitive is in the vicinity of the wealthy Nabal and his beautiful wife Abigail (vv. 1b-3).

C. Hearing of Nabal's situation and later rebuffed by him, David prepares to avenge the insult (vv. 4-13).

D. Abigail prepares food to take to David (vv. 14-19).

E. David meets Abigail (vv. 20-35).

D'. Abigail returns home to find Nabal gorging himself on food (vv. 36-38).

C'. Hearing of Nabal's death, David praises the Lord for having upheld his cause against Nabal (v. 39a).

B'. David the fugitive has taken the beautiful Abigail as his second wife (vv. 39b-43).

A'. Saul treats David as though he were dead (v. 44)."²⁴⁵

Constable: 1Sa 25:1

The death of Samuel 25:1

Samuel's years of being a blessing to all Israel ended at this time. David took his place as God's major channel of blessing to the nation. It is appropriate that the notice of Samuel's death occurs here since Saul had just admitted publicly that David would be Israel's next king (24:20). Samuel's ministry of providing a transition to the monarchy had therefore ended. People all over Israel mourned Samuel's death. Samuel was the last of the judges. David would probably have continued Samuel's ministry and become Israel's first king without the hiatus of Saul's tragic reign if Israel had not insisted on having a king prematurely.

"Since the days of Moses and Joshua, no man had arisen to whom the covenant nation owed so much as to Samuel, who has been justly called the reformer and restorer of the theocracy."²⁴⁶

This chapter opens with one disappointment for David, the death of his mentor, and it closes with another, the departure of his mate (v. 44). This suggests that the events of chapter 25 took place when David was at a low point in his life emotionally. This may account for the fact that David did not conduct himself completely honorably at this time. He is not the hero of this chapter. Abigail is. God used a woman to avert a tragedy in Israel's history (cf. Judg. 4; 2 Sam. 14:2-20; 20:16-22).

The wilderness of Paran to which David fled next lay just southeast of Maon (v. 2).

Constable: 1Sa 25:2-8

David's request of Nabal 25:2-8

Both Maon and Carmel (meaning "Garden Spot") stood about 14 miles west of Engedi and about 7 miles south-southeast of Hebron. The reference to Nabal's 3,000 sheep may be an allusion to Saul's 3,000 soldiers (24:2). As the story unfolds, we will discover many similarities between Nabal and Saul, and the writer may have dropped this and other clues to help the reader compare the two men. He used a literary device called narrative analogy in which ironic parallelisms abound.²⁴⁷

"Nabal" must have been a nickname since it means "fool" in Hebrew. Nabal was a descendant of Caleb who had received Hebron and its environs as his inheritance from Joshua (Josh. 15:13). Nabal was unlike his ancestor in many ways. He was foolish, but Caleb was wise. Nabal did not take God into account, but Caleb counted on God's promises. Nabal opposed God's purposes and died prematurely, but Caleb cooperated with God and lived long.

The Old Testament prophets regarded those who are ungodly, namely, those who do not take God into account, as fools (Ps. 14:1; Prov. 18:2, 7; Isa. 32:6). God promised to punish the ungodly (Deut. 28). Therefore He will punish fools (vv. 25-26).

The contrast between Nabal and Abigail could not be stronger. He was foolish; she was wise. He was evil; she was good. He was repulsive; she was attractive. He was arrogant; she was humble. He was ungodly; she was godly. He was antagonistic; she was peacemaking. They were one of the mismatched odd couples of the books of Samuel along with Hannah and Elkanah, and David and Michal. The rabbis considered Abigail one of seven women in the Old Testament whom the Holy Spirit had graced unusually.²⁴⁸

"The story of the stupid sheepherder with a beautiful and intelligent wife is one of the most delightful in Samuel. Its purpose is to lay one more brick in the edifice of David's legitimacy, however, and not to entertain."²⁴⁹

David's armed followers had been patrolling the wilderness of Paran in Judah where Nabal's shepherds had been tending his flocks. They had made that area safe from raiding Amalekites, Philistines, and occasional wild animals that might have harassed Nabal's shepherds. It was only common courtesy that wealthy Nabal would have expressed his appreciation to David by providing some food for David's men. Sheep-shearing was a happy time for shepherds and usually involved feasting (cf. 2 Sam. 13:23-24).²⁵⁰ We can see in these verses that David, as one committed to the Mosaic Law and as the Lord's anointed, was a blessing and an indirect source of fertility to his companions.

By referring to himself as Nabal's "son" (v. 8) David was placing himself in a subordinate position to Nabal. David had earlier called Saul his "father" (cf. 24:11, 16). This is another clue that suggests that the writer wanted us to view Nabal as Saul's alter ego. One writer suggested that David's request for food and his reference to himself as Nabal's "son" implied more.

"This would seem to be an instance of negotiation with an invitation to Nabal to enter into a regulated covenant with David."²⁵¹

Constable: 1Sa 25:9-13

Nabal's foolish response to David 25:9-13

Nabal was a political loyalist who regarded David simply as a rebel. Perhaps he felt that David was running a protection racket to finance his outlaw way of life. More probably, I think, miserly Nabal simply did not want to part with anything that he had (cf. Luke 7:44-47). He failed to admit that David had been a blessing to him. He also refused to acknowledge David as the Lord's anointed. Ironically Nabal's servants were about to abandon him, the very thing he falsely accused David of doing to Saul (v. 10; cf. 22:7-8).²⁵²

David overreacted to Nabal's insulting rebuff (v. 13). He prepared to attack and kill every male in Nabal's household that very night (vv. 22, 34)

Guzik: 1Sa 25:1-44

1 Samuel 25 - David, Nabal, and Abigail

A. David's anger at Nabal.

1. (1) Samuel, the great prophet and judge over Israel, dies.

Then Samuel died; and the Israelites gathered together and lamented for him, and buried him at his home in Ramah. And David arose and went down to the Wilderness of Paran.

a. Then Samuel died: This great man, who was dedicated unto the LORD and served Him from his youngest days, now dies. As godly as he was, it did not save him from an earthly death, because he was till a descendant of Adam. But God's work in Israel did not end when Samuel died; His work never is dependent on only one man.

i. If it is written then Samuel died, it is also written and David arose. God's work may begin with a man, but it never ends with one man. God continues and sustains His work as He pleases.

b. The Israelites gathered together and lamented for him: As well they should have! Samuel seemed to be unappreciated by Israel during his life (1 Samuel 8:1-7), but at least he was honored in his death.

c. Samuel's heritage lived on in a remarkable way. 1 Chronicles 9:22 suggests that Samuel laid the foundation for the organization of the Levites for the service of the sanctuary which was completed by David and Solomon. 1 Chronicles 26:27-28 says that Samuel began to collect the treasures for the building of the temple in Solomon's day. 2 Chronicles 35:18 says that Samuel remembered the Passover, and kept Israel in remembrance of God's great deliverance. Psalm 99:6 and Jeremiah 15:1 commemorate Samuel as a man of great intercession. Hebrews 11:33 puts Samuel in God's "Hall of Faith."

d. This is the last we see of Samuel in the book of 1 Samuel - except for a very interesting incident in 1 Samuel 28!

2. (2-3) A man named Nabal, his wife and his character.

Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel, and the man was very rich. He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. The name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. And she was a woman of good understanding and beautiful appearance; but the man was harsh and evil in his doings. And he was of the house of Caleb.

a. And the man was very rich: The first thing we learn about this man is where he lived (Maon, with his business in Carmel), and that he was a very rich man (three thousand sheep and a thousand goats).

i. There are four kinds of riches. There are riches in what you have, there are riches in what you do, there are riches in what you know, and there are riches in what you are - riches of character. Nabal was a very rich man, but only rich in what he had. He had the lowest kind of riches.

ii. This should remind us of what Jesus said: material riches are a definite obstacle to the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:23-26). It is not impossible for a rich man to be godly, but being rich makes walking with God harder. If he is to be a godly man, one of the key things there must be in the heart of a rich man is generosity. We should look for this in the character of Nabal!

b. And he was shearing his sheep in Carmel: This was the "harvest time" for a sheep rancher. Because it was like "harvest time," by ancient traditions, sheep shearing time was a time of lavish hospitality towards others.

i. "Sheep-shearing was traditionally celebrated by feasting, with enough and to spare." (Baldwin <Baldwin.htm>)

c. The name of the man was Nabal: This is another indication of his character, because the name Nabal means fool. In the ancient culture of Israel, names were often connected with a person's character; we don't know if Nabal was given this name or he earned it, but we will certainly see that he matches his own name.

i. We read that Nabal was harsh and evil in his doings (which needs no explanation, only appreciation, understanding that the Bible is never given to overstatement in such matters). The fact that he was of the house of Caleb may also be told as a bad description of Nabal, because Caleb means dog, and to be of the house of a dog was no compliment.

ii. "As the word caleb signifies a dog, the Septuagint have understood it as implying a man of a canine disposition, and translate it thus . . . he was a doggish man. It us understood in the same way by the Syriac and Arabic." (Clarke <Clarke.htm>)

d. Abigail . . . a woman of good understanding and beautiful appearance: Nabal's wife was both beautiful and wise, in contrast to Nabal himself. The Bible gives Abigail great praise when it says she was of beautiful appearance, because the only other women who have this Hebrew phrase applied to them are Rachel (Genesis 29:7) and Esther (Esther 2:7).

i. How did a woman like this ever get matched up with a man like Nabal? We can understand it in that day of arranged marriages. Clarke says that she was "married to the boor mentioned above, probably because he was rich. Many women have been thus sacrificed." Trapp also says, "But what meant her father to match her to such an ill-conditioned churl? It is likely he married her to the wealth, not to the man. Many a child is cast away upon riches."

ii. But there are many Abigails today, who are in that place not because the marriage was arranged, but because they chose it. "It is remarkable how many Abigails get married to Nabals. God-fearing women, tender and gentle in the sensibilities, high-minded and noble in their ideals, become tied in an indissoluble union with men for whom they can have no true affinity, even if they have not an unconquerable repugnance." (Meyer <Meyer.htm>)

iii. "A woman may still find herself in Abigail's pitiful plight. To such a one there is but one advice - you must stay where you are. The dissimilarity in taste and temperament does not constitute a sufficient reason for leaving your husband to drift. You must believe that God has permitted you to enter on this awful heritage, partly because this fiery ordeal was required by your character, and partly that you might act as a counteractive influence. You must stay as you are. It may be that some day your opportunity will come, as it came to Abigail. In the meantime do not allow your purer nature to be bespotted or besmeared. You can always keep the soul clean and pure." (Meyer)

iv. "May I say to you lovingly, but firmly, if such a circumstance has befallen you, that is no reason for you to invoke the law of the country to get out of the entanglement. Perhaps God knew that you needed the fiery trial to humble you and make you a testimony to your partner. The Bible says you must stay as you are. Maybe there will come to you one day, as there came to Abigail, a new opportunity; but until then, it is for you to prove the grace and power of the Lord in your heart to strengthen you and keep you pure." (Redpath <Redpath.htm>)

3. (4-9) David asks for compensation for his valuable service to Nabal.

When David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep, David sent ten young men; and David said to the young men, "Go up to Carmel, go to Nabal, and greet him in my name. And thus you shall say to him who lives in prosperity: 'Peace be to you, peace to your house, and peace to all that you have! Now I have heard that you have shearers. Your shepherds were with us, and we did not hurt them, nor was there anything missing from them all the while they were in Carmel. Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we come on a feast day. Please give whatever comes to your hand to your servants and to your son David.'" So when David's young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all these words in the name of David, and waited.

a. David made a request of Nabal: Please give whatever comes to your hand to your servants and your son David. David makes this request because he had performed a valuable service for Nabal, serving as protection for his flocks in a time when Philistine raids were common. To our modern ears, it might sound like David was running some kind of "protection racket," but that wasn't the case at all. He performed a worthy, valuable service for Nabal, and expects to be compensated.

i. In fact, David "bent over backwards" to do all this right, and make the request right. A close look shows just how right David did in all this.

b. David did right in this, because he waited until he heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep. David protected Nabal's shepherds and flocks for a long time, but did not expect to be compensated until Nabal himself made his money at the "harvest" of sheep shearing.

c. David did right in this, because he was very polite to Nabal. He did this through messengers (David sent ten young men) so Nabal would not be intimidated. He sent the messengers with a greeting full of warmth and kindness (Peace be to you), so that Nabal would not give out of fear or intimidation.

d. David did right in this, because he carefully and patiently gave Nabal an "itemized receipt" for services rendered (Your shepherds were with us . . . nor was there anything missing . . . ask your young men, and they will tell you).

e. David did right in this, because he politely reminded Nabal of the traditions of generosity surrounding harvest and sheep shearing time (For we come on a feast day).

f. David did right in this, because he did not demand any specific payment from Nabal, or set a price - he simply left it up to Nabal's generosity (Please give whatever comes to your hand). Then, David's messengers simply waited for the reply.

4. (10-12) Nabal's reply to David's request.

Then Nabal answered David's servants, and said, "Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants nowadays who break away each one from his master. Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men when I do not know where they are from?" So David's young men turned on their heels and went back; and they came and told him all these words.

a. Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse? It can't be that Nabal did not know who David was, because David was famous all throughout Israel (1 Samuel 18:5-7). Nabal says this as a direct insult to David - knowing who he is, but refusing to recognize him. In our modern way of speaking, Nabal would say, "Who does he think he is?"

b. There are many servants nowadays who break away each one from his master: Nabal deepens his insult of David, saying that David is simply a rebellious servant. This was completely false, because David had continually (though not perfectly) conducted himself wisely when attacked by Saul.

c. Shall I then take my bread . . . my water . . . my meat . . . my shearers, and give it: Nabal shows what an ungenerous man he is. He looks at everything as his, instead of the LORD's. True, Biblical generosity doesn't think, "This is mine and I will share it with you." It thinks, "All that I have belongs to the LORD, and so you can have some of it also."

5. (13) David reacts to Nabal's insulting response.

Then David said to his men, "Every man gird on his sword." So every man girded on his sword, and David also girded on his sword. And about four hundred men went with David, and two hundred stayed with the supplies.

a. Then David said to his men, "Every man gird on his sword." David receives Nabal's response exactly the way Nabal intended it to be received: with great insult. But Nabal is not dealing with a weak, no-account man; he is dealing with a great soldier and warrior. In our modern way of speaking, David would have said to his men, "Lock and load!" In a western movie, he would have said, "Mount up, boys!" David was ready to fight.

i. We don't wonder why David was ready to fight, because Nabal had provoked him so greatly. But this is not a high moment for David. He isn't responding the way the LORD would have him respond to an insult, or even to an attack.

ii. When we are insulted, the LORD would have us bear it with love and kindness, returning their evil with good. This is high ground to walk on, but it is commanded by Jesus: You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. (Matthew 5:38-39)

iii. As well, we see that David doesn't show Nabal the same kindness and longsuffering that he showed to Saul. In just the previous chapter, we saw how David spared Saul's life, when Saul not only insulted David but actually attacked him and tried to kill him. David was able to be kind and longsuffering to Saul, but it seems to have been harder for him to do it towards someone he perceived as his equal, or lower than himself. Often, this is true measure of our character - not how we treat our superiors, but how we treat our equals or those "beneath" us in some way or another.

b. About four hundred men went with David: David is not coming to Nabal just to make a statement, but to wipe him out. That is why he arms himself and his men, and why he leaves some men behind to watch the stuff and serve as reinforcements.

i. Most of us would have responded to Nabal just as David did. Our sympathies might be with David, but our hearts and our obedience must be with Jesus Christ.

B. Abigail intercedes between David and Nabal.

1. (14-17) Abigail hears of how Nabal responded to David.

Now one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, "Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master; and he reviled them. But the men were very good to us, and we were not hurt, nor did we miss anything as long as we accompanied them, when we were in the fields. They were a wall to us both by night and day, all the time we were with them keeping the sheep. Now therefore, know and consider what you will do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his household. For he is such a scoundrel that one cannot speak to him."

a. He reviled them: One of the servants who witnessed Nabal's respons to David's men tells Nabal's wife Abigail that Nabal reviled David's men, and by extension, David. To revile means "to treat with contemptuous language," and Nabal laid it on David's men and David.

b. The men were very good to us: Nabal's servants tell Abigail of the valuable service David's men performed for them. This lets Abigail know that David and his men deserved compensation.

c. Know and consider what you will do, for harm is determined: Nabal's servants could read the handwriting on the wall. They knew that David would not take such an insult - theft, actually - lying down. For their own sake, and for the sake of the household, they ask Abigail to do something (consider what you will do).

d. Why didn't they say this to Nabal? Because they knew he is such a scoundrel that one cannot speak to him. The book of Proverbs had not been written yet, but they still knew the truth of Proverbs 17:12: Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, rather than a fool in his folly. Therefore, they made this life-or-death appeal to Abigail.

2. (18-20) Abigail prepares a present for David and his men.

Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five sheep already dressed, five seahs of roasted grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and loaded them on donkeys. And she said to her servants, "Go on before me; see, I am coming after you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal. So it was, as she rode on the donkey, that she went down under cover of the hill; and there were David and his men, coming down toward her, and she met them.

a. Abigail made haste: Since she was a woman of good understanding (1 Samuel 25:3), she knew that time was of the essence, and something had to be done quickly.

b. Two hundred loaves of bread . . . two skins of wine . . . five sheep already dressed . . . one hundred clusters of raisins: David simply, politely, asked Nabal for fair payment for services rendered, and Nabal refused. Now, Abigail is doing what Nabal should have done, but didn't do.

c. The fact that Abigail was able to gather so much food so quickly shows how wealthy Nabal was. If this much food was on hand, it makes Nabal's ungenerous reply to David all the worse.

3. (21-22) David vows to massacre Nabal and his entire household.

Now David had said, "Surely in vain I have protected all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belongs to him. And he has repaid me evil for good. May God do so, and more also, to the enemies of David, if I leave one male of all who belong to him by morning light."

a. Surely in vain I have protected all that this fellow has: David's sense of hurt was justified. He had been wronged by Nabal, and Nabal was entirely in the wrong and David was entirely in the right. The feelings may have been justified, but what will David do with those feelings?

b. And he has repaid me evil for good: David is accurate, but not right in his heart. He has the facts straight, but not his heart.

c. If I leave one male of all who belong to him by morning light: This makes David's intention clear - he plans to massacre Nabal and all the males of his household. This was the expected reaction (Nabal's own servants expected it according to 1 Samuel 25:17). But God was calling David to go further than what the world might expect.

i. David had so wonderfully resisted the temptation to take vengeance against Saul in 1 Samuel 24; but here, it seems that he will fail when a similar temptation comes again. This reminds us of our constant need to be on guard.

ii. "Does it not show beyond all possible doubt that I cannot stand against the enemy of my soul unless the Lord upholds me moment by moment? This story tells me that however long I may have been on the Christian path, however often I may have overcome one temptation or another, however many times I have defeated sin in one area, it can strike in another and crush me in a moment." (Redpath <Redpath.htm>)

4. (23-31) Abigail's appeal to David.

Now when Abigail saw David, she hastened to dismount from the donkey, fell on her face before David, and bowed down to the ground. So she fell at his feet and said: "On me, my lord, on me let this iniquity be! And please let your maidservant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your maidservant. Please, let not my lord regard this scoundrel Nabal. For as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I, your maidservant, did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent. Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, since the LORD has held you back from coming to bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now then, let your enemies and those who seek harm for my lord be as Nabal. And now this present which your maidservant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord. Please forgive the trespass of your maidservant. For the LORD will certainly make for my lord an enduring house, because my lord fights the battles of the LORD, and evil is not found in you throughout your days. Yet a man has risen to pursue you and seek your life, but the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with the LORD your God; and the lives of your enemies He shall sling out, as from the pocket of a sling. And it shall come to pass, when the LORD has done for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you ruler over Israel, that this will be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. But when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, then remember your maidservant."

a. When Abigail saw David: Because of the hilly terrain (she went down under cover of the hill, 1 Samuel 25:20), Abigail could remain hidden from David right up until they met face to face. It also seems that Abigail saw David first, and when David first saw her, she was humbled before him, at the head of a great train of gifts and provisions.

i. David and his men were charging forth to kill a man who had terribly insulted and stolen from David. David had just swore an oath: May God do so, and more also, to the enemies of David, if I leave one male of all who belong to him by morning light (1 Samuel 25:22). But now, in his angry, agitated state, something unexpected makes David and his whole company come to an immediate stop: a great procession of gifts, and at the head of that procession, beautiful woman bowing down before David. This had to make a startling impression on the angry, agitated David.

ii. It would be "astonishing to find the lady of the land prostrated on her face in obeisance to David." (Baldwin <Baldwin.htm>)

iii. David also had focused his wrath against every male of Nabal's household, but here is a woman of Nabal's household. Because of David's anger and agitation, what Abigail did here probably could not have been done by any man in Nabal's household (except for Nabal himself), no matter how humble and wise that man was.

b. She hastened to dismount from the donkey, fell on her face before David, and bowed down to the ground: Abigail will make an appeal to David, and she makes her appeal in utmost humility. She doesn't come do David as a superior (as the beautiful, rich, and privileged often do) or even as an equal; she comes to David as his humble servant.

c. In this appeal, Abigail did many things very right:

i. When she first heard of the crisis, she immediately went into action (Then Abigail made haste, 1 Samuel 25:18). She knew this was an urgent situation, so she acted with urgency.

ii. Abigail immediately, and with her first words to David, takes the blame on herself (On me, my lord, on me let this iniquity be!). Abigail didn't do this because she really believed she was guilty. She put herself in the place of punishment because she knew that David would punish her differently than her husband Nabal.

iii. Abigail asks for permission to speak, instead of taking command of the conversation (Please let your maidservant speak in your ears).

iv. Abigail smoothly suggests the positive outcome to David in her appeal (since the LORD has held you back from coming to bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hand). She states it in a way that almost guides David towards her suggested outcome.

v. Abigail brought David a present (now this present), but was wise enough to say that it was for the young men who follow David, not for David himself. To say that it was for David himself would suggest that David was in this just for the compensation or the money, and that David's insulted dignity could be bought off with money.

vi. Abigail plainly, straightforwardly, asked for forgiveness (Please forgive the trespass of your maidservant).

vii. Despite David's present anger and agitation - which is clearly sin - Abigail speaks of David's character in high terms, regarding his present unmentioned state as an aberration (my lord fights the battles of the LORD, and evil is not found in you throughout your days).

viii. Abigail reminded David of the LORD's promise for his life (the LORD will certainly make for my lord an enduring house). She guides David to look beyond the immediate aggravating circumstances to the bigger promise of God. Since Abigail knows that God has promised David would one day be king, this must have been known throughout Israel.

ix. Abigail asks David not to do something he will later regret, when God's promise is ultimately fulfilled (that this will be no grief to you . . . that you have shed blood without cause). This is perhaps the single best thing that Abigail said; she wisely asked David to consider the outcome of his present course, and how it would be a bad outcome. She asks him to let the LORD settle the matter, instead of taking vengeance into his own hands.

d. Abigail also did some things wrong in her appeal to David:

i. She did all this - which was no small thing, either in the doing or the meaning of it - without her husbands counsel or approval (But she did not tell her husband Nabal, 1 Samuel 25:19).

ii. She openly, and severely, criticizes her husband to David (this scoundrel Nabal . . . Nabal is his name, and folly is with him). No wife should speak this way of her husband, and no husband should speak this way of his wife.

iii. Even as she confesses her sin to David (on me let this iniquity be!), she also excuses and justifies herself, letting David know that she really doesn't think she has sinned at all (I, your maidservant, did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent).

iv. She almost suggests to David that he kill the guilty Nabal (let your enemies and those who seek harm for my lord be as Nabal), but he spare the rest of the household because they are innocent (shed blood without cause).

v. She makes herself available for David's future consideration, perhaps in an inappropriate way (When the LORD has dealt well with my lord, then remember your maidservant).

vi. Abigail was not outstandingly submissive or respectful to her husband Nabal. Though there is no explanation in the Bible, perhaps it was justified because this was a legitimate life-or-death situation. If Abigail didn't do what she did, then Nabal and scores of innocent men would die. But the point of the passage is how submissive and respectful Abigail is towards David, not Nabal.

vii. "It may be thought a great crime, that she traduceth her husband in this manner; but this may be said for her, that she told them nothing but what they all knew concerning him, and that she only seemed to take away that which he never had, indeed, to wit, his good name, that she preserve that which he had, and which was more dear and important to him, even his life and soul." (Poole <biblio.htm>)

e. The life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with the LORD your God; and the lives of your enemies He shall sling out, as from the pocket of a sling: This perhaps is the strongest point of Abigail's appeal, and she uses a wonderful turn of speech. She says, "David, you are like a bundle that the LORD holds closely and securely to Himself. Your enemies are like rocks that the LORD will sling away." This invites David to act like a man who is close to the LORD!

i. David was taking his 400 men to do what God could do as easily as throwing a stone out of sling. This had to remind David of a time when he really did trust God for the victory - when he cast a stone out of a sling and killed Goliath. Through her wise words, Abigail refocused David's attention from Nabal back unto the LORD.

ii. "In effect she said, 'David, your soul is wrapped up in a bundle of life in the Lord your God, and the strength of that bundle lies in the identity of God with all that goes on inside it. He is there with you! Therefore, the life of a man after God's own heart is safe in God's keeping, and what can the churlishness of Nabal do against you? Why should you stoop to his level?'" (Redpath <Redpath.htm>)

f. Abigail's appeal to David was so glorious, because it lifted him up instead of beating him down. David was clearly in the wrong, and Abigail wanted to guide him into the right. But she didn't do it by being negative, by emphasizing to David how wrong and angry and stupid he was acting - though he was in fact acting that way! Instead, Abigail emphasized David's glorious calling and destiny, and the general integrity of his life, and simply asked him to consider if what his present course of action was consistent with that destiny and integrity.

g. Look how positive Abigail is in her appeal: the LORD will certainly make for my lord an enduring house . . . my lord fights the battles of the LORD . . . evil is not found in you throughout your days . . . the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with the LORD God . . . when the LORD has done . . . all the good that He has spoken concerning you . . . has appointed you ruler over Israel. She is lifting David up, not beating him down with criticism and accusation.

h. Look how submissive Abigail is in her appeal: fell on her face before David . . . bowed down to the ground . . . she fell at his feet . . . Please forgive the trespass of your maidservant . . . then remember your maidservant. In her appeal, Abigail calls David lord (not as God, but as a term of high respect and submission) 13 times. She calls herself David's maidservant five times. She doesn't come to David as a superior or even as an equal, but appealing to him as someone who has rightful authority over her.

i. Abigail is a marvelous model of "sweetly speaking submission." Many Christian wives have the idea of "silent submission." They say, "I know my husband is wrong, but I won't tell him. Submission means I should shut up." That is wrong, and they should look to Abigail as an example. Other Christian wives have the idea of "sharply speaking submission." They say, "I know my husband is wrong, and God has appointed me to tell him. And boy, will I!" That is wrong, and they should look to Abigail as an example. Abigail gives the right example - submission that speaks, but speaks sweetly instead of sharply.

j. Husbands have a huge responsibility in all this. First, they are responsible to encourage their wives to speak, instead of reinforcing the idea of "silent submission." Next, they are to carefully and prayerfully receive what their wives say. Finally, they need to understand that even if the advice isn't given as wonderfully as Abigail's was towards David, the basic message may still be from the LORD, even if the delivery was fouled up.

k. Abigail's submission to Nabal was not outstanding. But her submission to David was. And David's submission to the LORD was equally outstanding; by giving up the fight, he had to trust God to take care of Nabal. And God certainly did!

5. (32-35) David thanks God for Abigail's appeal, and receives her advice.

Then David said to Abigail: "Blessed is the LORD God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! And blessed is your advice and blessed are you, because you have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand. For indeed, as the LORD God of Israel lives, who has kept me back from hurting you, unless you had hastened and come to meet me, surely by morning light no males would have been left to Nabal!" So David received from her hand what she had brought him, and said to her, "Go up in peace to your house. See, I have heeded your voice and respected your person."

a. Blessed be the LORD God of Israel: David was on a sinful course, and Abigail, through her bold, quick, and wise appeal, stopped him from sin. He knew that God spoke to him through Abigail's appeal (who sent you this day).

b. David's anger was justified, and his were rights were violated. But David responded wrongly, because vengeance and retribution belong only to God. Here, David is taught that this principle didn't only apply between him and Saul, but between him and everyone.

i. David is being taught a good lesson - our hurt feelings never justify disobedience. When others sin against us, we may feel justified in sinning against them, but we are never justified by our hurt feelings.

ii. "So little is there lost by making God our umpire." (Trapp <Trapp.htm>)

c. You have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand: David can also thank God, because Abigail successfully reminded him of his destiny: to reign over Israel in righteousness and integrity. If David had slaughtered Nabal and his household, it would forever be a black mark against David among Israelites. They would forever wonder if they could really trust him. And it might have sealed his doom before Saul, because for the first time, David would have given Saul a legitimate reason to hunt him down as a criminal.

i. "It was a major lesson in David's training for kingship, and one that he was going to need to keep before him at future crises. The implication is that violence breeds violence, whereas restraint makes way for a peaceful solution. This he knows with his head, but he may fail to remember it when his blood is roused." (Baldwin)

ii. "Hereby it plainly appears that oaths whereby men bind themselves to any sin are null and void; and as it was a sin to make them, so it is adding sin to sin to perform them." (Poole <biblio.htm>)

d. Blessed is your advice, and blessed are you: David was man enough and wise enough, to take counsel from a woman. He knew that the issue wasn't Abigail's gender, but that God was using her at that time and place. David does well both to receive her advice, and to praise her for her boldness in bringing it.

e. So David received from her hand: It is important to remember that Abigail did not come to David empty-handed. One reason her appeal was effective was because she paid David what was owed to him. When David received it from Abigail, he acknowledged that Nabal had paid the bill and there was nothing outstanding.

f. David knew the blessing here of being kept from sin. It surely is a blessed to be forgiven our sins; but it is an even greater blessing to be kept from sin.

i. We would need to seek forgiveness of our sins less often if we would seek the LORD more diligently to be kept from sin to begin with. "There is no way of keeping out the fire of sin except by having the fire of grace blazing within the spirit. We must fight fire with fire." (Spurgeon <Spurgeon.htm>)

ii. What things might God use to keep us from sin? 1. The work of God in our hearts. 2. Early education as children. 3. Positive friendships and associations. 4. The laws of the land. 5. A low station in life. 6. Physical infirmities. 7. Amazing works from God's hand. 8. A word to our conscience from a messenger of God.

C. Nabal dies and David marries Abigail.

1. (36-38) God strikes Nabal dead.

Now Abigail went to Nabal, and there he was, holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk; therefore she told him nothing, little or much, until morning light. So it was, in the morning, when the wine had gone from Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became like a stone. Then it came about, after about ten days, that the LORD struck Nabal, and he died.

a. There he was, holding a feast in his house: Nabal lives up to his name; he is a fool. His life is in imminent danger - his wife knows it, all his servants know it, but he doesn't know it. He eats and gets drunk as if all is fine, and he hasn't a care in the world.

i. In this regard, Nabal is a picture of the sinner who goes on rejecting God, without regard to God's coming judgment. Just as certain as it was that David would have killed Nabal, so it is certain that God will judge the sinner who continues to reject Him.

b. Like the feast of a king: All Nabal had to do was invite David to this tremendous feast, and Nabal's life would have been spared. Nabal's own greed and foolishness was his undoing.

c. His wife had told him these things: "Wonderful, saith one, was the force of this woman's speech, that as it before allayed David's rage, so now it pierceth Nabal to the heart. This power was not in her human eloquence, but proceeded from the Spirit of God." (Trapp <Trapp.htm>)

d. His heart died within him, and he became like stone . . . the LORD struck Nabal, and he died: Abigail's wise action saved Nabal from David, and saved David from himself. But it could not save Nabal from God's judgment. Nabal was never out of God's reach, and when it was the right time, God took care of him.

i. In 1 Samuel 25:33, David was grateful that Abigail's appeal had kept him from avenging myself with my own hand. This proves that David did not need to avenge himself with his own hand; God was more than able to do it.

ii. Jesus may have had Nabal in mind when He taught the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:15-21). That parable describes a man who dies with everything - and nothing.

iii. "All which time he lay like a block in his bed, without repentance or confidence in God; but condemned of his own conscience, he went to his place without noise. Let this be a warning to drunkards." (Trapp <Trapp.htm>)

2. (39-44) David marries Abigail.

So when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, "Blessed be the LORD, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept His servant from evil! For the LORD has returned the wickedness of Nabal on his own head." And David sent and proposed to Abigail, to take her as his wife. When the servants of David had come to Abigail at Carmel, they spoke to her saying, "David sent us to you, to ask you to become his wife." Then she arose, bowed her face to the earth, and said, "Here is your maidservant, a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord." So Abigail rose in haste and rode on a donkey, attended by five of her maidens; and she followed the messengers of David, and became his wife. David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel, and so both of them were his wives. But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was from Gallim.

a. For the LORD has returned the wickedness of Nabal on his own head: David knew exactly what the death of Nabal meant. It was God's judgment against Nabal, which the LORD showed when David decided to let the LORD avenge him instead of avenging himself.

b. David sent and proposed to Abigail: In 1 Samuel 25:31, Abigail asked David, then remember your maidservant. Here, David certainly remembers her, and takes her as his wife.

i. Was this inappropriate? Wasn't David already married to Saul's daughter Michal? (1 Samuel 18:27) The writer of 1 Samuel explains that at this time, David was not married to Michal, because Saul had taken her away and given her to another man to spite David (David will get Michal back in 2 Samuel 3:13-16). So, Abigail is not really David's second wife; she is his "second first wife."

ii. "By his marriage with Abigail, it is probable he became possessed of all Nabal's property in Carmel and Maon." (Clarke <Clarke.htm>)

c. David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel, and so both of them were his wives: Though Abigail was David's "second marriage," with Ahinoam, David takes his second wife, and will add many more wives.

i. Was this inappropriate? It wasn't directly sin, because God hadn't commanded against it. But it did go against God's ideal, God's plan for marriage, for oneness in a marriage relationship. David was a man of great passions, and as a part of that he had many wives. But because David never really followed God's plan and purpose for marriage, his family life was never blessed and peaceful. Family trouble would bring David some of the greatest trials of his life.

ii. "Since Ahinoam is always mentioned before Abigail (1 Sa. 27:3; 30:5) and bore David's first son (2 Sa. 3:2), it is likely that David had married her already." (Baldwin <Baldwin.htm>)

d. Here is your maidservant, a servant, to wash the feet of the servants of my lord: Abigail did not allow her success with David, or the death of Nabal, to make her arrogant or bossy. She greets the servants of David with the greatest humility.

© 2001 David Guzik - No distribution beyond personal use without permission

Introduction / Outline

JFB: 1 Samuel (Book Introduction)

THE FIRST AND SECOND BOOKS OF SAMUEL. The two were, by the ancient Jews, conjoined so as to make one book, and in that form could be called the Book of Samuel with more propriety than now, the second being wholly occupied with the relation of transactions that did not take place till after the death of that eminent judge. Accordingly, in the Septuagint and the Vulgate, it is called the First and Second Books of Kings. The early portion of the First Book, down to the end of the twenty-fourth chapter, was probably written by Samuel; while the rest of it and the whole of the Second, are commonly ascribed to Nathan and Gad, founding the opinion on 1Ch 29:29. Commentators, however, are divided about this, some supposing that the statements in 1Sa 2:26; 1Sa 3:1, indicate the hand of the judge himself, or a contemporary; while some think, from 1Sa 6:18; 1Sa 12:5; 1Sa 27:6, that its composition must be referred to a later age. It is probable, however, that these supposed marks of an after-period were interpolations of Ezra. This uncertainty, however, as to the authorship does not affect the inspired authority of the book, which is indisputable, being quoted in the New Testament (1Sa 13:14 in Act 13:22, and 2Sa 7:14 in Heb 1:5), as well as in many of the Psalms.

JFB: 1 Samuel (Outline)

• OF ELKANAH AND HIS TWO WIVES. (1Sa 1:1-8)
• HANNAH'S PRAYER. (1Sa 1:9-18)
• SAMUEL BORN. (1Sa 1:20)
• HANNAH'S SONG IN THANKFULNESS TO GOD. (1Sa 2:1-11)
• THE SIN OF ELI'S SONS. (1Sa 2:12-17)
• SAMUEL'S MINISTRY. (1Sa 2:18-26)
• A PROPHECY AGAINST ELI'S HOUSE. (1Sa 2:27-35)
• THE LORD APPEARS TO SAMUEL IN A VISION. (1Sa 3:1-10)
• ISRAEL OVERCOME BY THE PHILISTINES. (1Sa 4:1-11)
• ELI HEARING THE TIDINGS. (1Sa 4:12-22)
• THE PHILISTINES BRING THE ARK INTO THE HOUSE OF DAGON. (1Sa 5:1-2)
• DAGON FALLS DOWN. (1Sa 5:3-5)
• THE PHILISTINES ARE SMITTEN WITH EMERODS. (1Sa 5:6-12)
• THE PHILISTINES COUNSEL HOW TO SEND BACK THE ARK. (1Sa 6:1-9)
• THE ARK AT KIRJATH-JEARIM. (1Sa 7:1-2)
• THE ISRAELITES, THROUGH SAMUEL'S INFLUENCE, SOLEMNLY REPENT AT MIZPEH. (1Sa 7:3-6)
• WHILE SAMUEL PRAYS, THE PHILISTINES ARE DISCOMFITED. (1Sa 7:7-14)
• OCCASIONED BY THE ILL-GOVERNMENT OF SAMUEL'S SONS, THE ISRAELITES ASK A KING. (1Sa. 8:1-18)
• SAUL, DESPAIRING TO FIND HIS FATHER'S ASSES, COMES TO SAMUEL. (1Sa 9:1-14)
• GOD REVEALS TO SAMUEL SAUL'S COMING, AND HIS APPOINTMENT TO THE KINGDOM. (1Sa 9:15-27)
• SAMUEL ANOINTS SAUL, AND CONFIRMS HIM BY THE PREDICTION OF THREE SIGNS. (1Sa. 10:1-27)
• NAHASH OFFERS THEM OF JABESH-GILEAD A REPROACHFUL CONDITION. (1Sa 11:1-4)
• THEY SEND TO SAUL, AND ARE DELIVERED. (1Sa 11:5-11)
• SAUL CONFIRMED KING. (1Sa 11:12-15)
• SAMUEL TESTIFIES HIS INTEGRITY. (1Sa 12:1-5)
• HE TERRIFIES THEM WITH THUNDER IN HARVEST-TIME. (1Sa 12:17-25)
• SAUL'S SELECTED BAND. (1Sa 13:1-2)
• HE CALLS THE HEBREWS TO GILGAL AGAINST THE PHILISTINES. (1Sa 13:3-4)
• THE PHILISTINES' GREAT HOST. (1Sa 13:5)
• THE ISRAELITES' DISTRESS. (1Sa 13:6-8)
• SAUL, WEARY OF WAITING FOR SAMUEL, SACRIFICES. (1Sa 13:9-16)
• JONATHAN MIRACULOUSLY SMITES THE PHILISTINES' GARRISON. (1Sa 14:1-14)
• SAUL SENT TO DESTROY AMALEK. (1Sa 15:1-6)
• HE SPARES AGAG AND THE BEST OF THE SPOIL. (1Sa 15:7-9)
• GOD REJECTS HIS FOR DISOBEDIENCE. (1Sa 15:10-11)
• SAMUEL SENT BY GOD TO BETHLEHEM. (1Sa 16:1-10)
• HE ANOINTS DAVID. (1Sa 16:11-14)
• THE ISRAELITES AND PHILISTINES BEING READY TO BATTLE. (1Sa 17:1-3)
• GOLIATH CHALLENGES A COMBAT. (1Sa 17:4-11)
• DAVID ACCEPTS THE CHALLENGE, AND SLAYS HIM. (1Sa. 17:12-58)
• JONATHAN LOVES DAVID. (1Sa 18:1-4)
• SAUL ENVIES HIS PRAISE. (1Sa 18:5-9)
• SEEKS TO KILL HIM. (1Sa 18:10-12)
• FEARS HIM FOR HIS GOOD SUCCESS. (1Sa 18:13-16)
• HE OFFERS HIM HIS DAUGHTER FOR A SNARE. (1Sa 18:17-21)
• JONATHAN DISCLOSES HIS FATHER'S PURPOSE TO KILL DAVID. (1Sa 19:1-7)
• SAUL'S MALICIOUS RAGE BREAKS OUT AGAINST DAVID. (1Sa 19:8-17)
• DAVID FLEES TO SAMUEL. (1Sa 19:18-23)
• SAUL PROPHESIES. (1Sa 19:24)
• DAVID CONSULTS WITH JONATHAN FOR HIS SAFETY. (1Sa 20:1-10)
• THEIR COVENANT RENEWED BY OATH. (1Sa 20:11-23)
• SAUL, MISSING DAVID, SEEKS TO KILL JONAHAN. (1Sa. 20:24-40)
• JONATHAN AND DAVID LOVINGLY PART. (1Sa 20:41-42)
• DAVID, AT NOB, OBTAINS OF AHIMELECH HALLOWED BREAD. (1Sa 21:1-7)
• HE TAKES GOLIATH'S SWORD. (1Sa 21:9)
• AT GATH HE FEIGNS HIMSELF MAD. (1Sa 21:10-15)
• DAVID'S KINDRED AND OTHERS RESORT TO HIM AT ADULLAM. (1Sa 22:1-8)
• DOEG ACCUSES AHIMELECH. (1Sa 22:9-16)
• SAUL COMMANDS TO KILL THE PRIESTS. (1Sa 22:17-19)
• ABIATHAR ESCAPES AND FLEES AFTER DAVID. (1Sa 22:20-23)
• DAVID RESCUES KEILAH. (1Sa 23:1-6)
• SAUL'S COMING, AND TREACHERY OF THE KEILITES. (1Sa 23:7-13)
• DAVID ESCAPES TO ZIPH. (1Sa 23:14-18)
• SAUL PURSUES HIM. (1Sa 23:19-29)
• DAVID IN A CAVE AT ENGEDI CUTS OFF SAUL'S SKIRT, BUT SPARES HIS LIFE. (1Sa 24:1-7)
• HE URGES THEREBY HIS INNOCENCY. (1Sa 24:8-15)
• SAMUEL DIES. (1Sa 25:1-9)
• THE CHURLISH ANSWER PROVOKES HIM. (1Sa 25:10-13)
• ABIGAIL PACIFIES HIM. (1Sa. 25:14-35)
• NABAL'S DEATH. (1Sa 25:36-44)
• SAUL COMES TO THE HILL OF HACHILAH AGAINST DAVID. (1Sa 26:1-4)
• DAVID STAYS ABISHAI FROM KILLING SAUL, BUT TAKES HIS SPEAR AND CRUSE. (1Sa. 26:5-25)
• SAUL HEARING THAT DAVID WAS FLED TO GATH, SEEKS NO MORE FOR HIM. (1Sa 27:1-4)
• DAVID BEGS ZIKLAG OF ACHISH. (1Sa 27:5-12)
• ACHISH'S CONFIDENCE IN DAVID. (1Sa 28:1-6)
• SAUL SEEKS A WITCH, WHO, BEING ENCOURAGED BY HIM, RAISES UP SAMUEL. (1Sa. 28:7-25)
• DAVID MARCHING WITH THE PHILISTINES TO FIGHT WITH ISRAEL. (1Sa 29:1-5)
• THE AMALEKITES SPOIL ZIKLAG. (1Sa 30:1-5)
• BUT DAVID, ENCOURAGED BY GOD, PURSUES THEM. (1Sa 30:6-15)
• AND RECOVERS HIS TWO WIVES AND ALL THE SPOIL. (1Sa. 30:16-31)
• SAUL HAVING LOST HIS ARMY AT GILBOA, AND HIS SONS BEING SLAIN, HE AND HIS ARMOR-BEARER KILL THEMSELVES. (1Sa 31:1-7)
• THE PHILISTINES TRIUMPH OVER THEIR DEAD BODIES. (1Sa 31:8-10)
• THE MEN OF JABESH-GILEAD RECOVER THE BODIES AND BURY THEM AT JABESH. (1Sa 31:11-13)

TSK: 1 Samuel (Book Introduction)

The First Book of SAMUEL, otherwise called " The First Book of the KINGS."

TSK: 1 Samuel 25 (Chapter Introduction)

Overview

1Sa 25:1, Samuel dies; 1Sa 25:2, David in Paran sends to Nabal; 1Sa 25:10, Provoked by Nabal’s churlishness, he minds to destroy him; 1Sa 25:14, Abigail understanding thereof, 1Sa 25:18, takes a present; 1Sa 25:23, and by her wisdom, 1Sa 25:32, pacifies David; 1Sa 25:36, Nabal hearing thereof, dies; 1Sa 25:39, David takes Abigail and Ahinoam to be his wives; 1Sa 25:44, Michal is given to Phalti.

Poole: 1 Samuel (Book Introduction)

FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL OTHERWISE CALLED

THE FIRST BOOK OF THE KINGS.

THE ARGUMENT.

IT is not certainly known who was the penman of this Book, or whether it was written by one or more hands; nor is it or any great importance; for since there are sufficient evidences that God was the chief author of it, it matters not who was the instrument. As when it appears that such a thing was really an act of parliament, or of the council-table, it is not considerable who was the clerk or which was the pen that wrote it. And this is the less material in such historical hooks, wherein there is but little which concerns the foundation of faith and good life, and therefore it was not necessary to name the writer of them. It may abundantly suffice that there were in these times divers prophets and holy men of God; as Samuel, and Nathan, and Gad, and David himself, who might each of them write some part of this and the following book. But if any man will out of perverseness doubt or deny that these wrote it, yet this I suppose no discreet and impartial man will deny, that it is wholly incredible that such books should be written in their times, and recommended to the church as a part of the Holy Scriptures, and so received by the succeeding generation, without their approbation, who had so great a power and authority in the church and commonwealth of Israel.

Poole: 1 Samuel 25 (Chapter Introduction)

SAMUEL CHAPTER 25

Samuel dieth: David goeth to the wilderness of Paran, 1Sa 25:1 . Nabal’ s riches, 1Sa 25:2 . His and his wife Abigail’ s nature and condition, 1Sa 25:3 . David requesteth of Nabal some relief for his camp: he entreateth David’ s messengers scornfully. David is provoked, and mindeth to destroy him, 1Sa 25:4-13 . Abigail understands it, 1Sa 25:14-17 ; taketh a present, 1Sa 25:18-22 ; and by her wisdom, 1Sa 25:23-31 , pacifieth David, 1Sa 25:32-35 . Nabal hearing of this, dieth, 1Sa 25:36-38 . David taketh Abigail and Ahinoam to be his wives, 1Sa 25:39-43 ; Saul having given Michal to Phalti, 1Sa 25:44 .

Buried him in his house, according to the manner of those times. See Gen 23:9 50:5 Mat 27:60 . The wilderness of Paran, in the southern borders of the land of Judah, that so when occasion served, he might retire out of Saul’ s dominions.

MHCC: 1 Samuel (Book Introduction)

In this book we have an account of Eli, and the wickedness of his sons; also of Samuel, his character and actions. Then of the advancement of Saul to be the king of Israel, and his ill behaviour, until his death made way for David's succession to the throne, who was an eminent type of Christ. David's patience, modesty, constancy, persecution by open enemies and feigned friends, are a pattern and example to the church, and to every member of it. Many things in this book encourage the faith, hope, and patience of the suffering believer. It contains also many useful cautions and awful warnings.

MHCC: 1 Samuel 25 (Chapter Introduction)

(1Sa 25:1) Death of Samuel.

(1Sa 25:2-11) David's request; Nabal's churlish refusal.

(1Sa 25:12-17) David's intention to destroy Nabal.

(1Sa 25:18-31) Abigail takes a present to David.

(1Sa 25:32-39) He is pacified, Nabal dies.

(1Sa 25:39-44) David takes Abigail to wife.

Matthew Henry: 1 Samuel (Book Introduction)

An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The First Book of Samuel

This book, and that which follows it, bear the name of Samuel in the title, not because he was the penman of them (except of so much of them as fell within his own time, to the twenty-fifth chapter of the first book, in which we have an account of his death), but because the first book begins with a large account of him, his birth and childhood, his life and government; and the rest of these two volumes that are denominated from him contains the history of the reigns of Saul and David, who were both anointed by him. And, because the history of these two kings takes up the greatest part of these books, the Vulgar latin calls them the First and Second Books of the Kings, and the two that follow the Third and Fourth, which the titles in our English Bibles take notice of with an alias: otherwise called the First Book of the Kings, etc. The Septuagint calls them the first and second Book of the Kingdoms. It is needless to contend about it, but there is no occasion to vary from the Hebrew verity. These two books contain the history of the last two of the judges, Eli and Samuel, who were not, as the rest, men of war, but priests (and so much of them is an appendix to the book of Judges), and of the first two of the kings, Saul and David, and so much of them is an entrance upon the history of the kings. They contain a considerable part of the sacred history, are sometimes referred to in the New Testament, and often in the titles of David's Psalms, which, if placed in their order, would fall in these books. It is uncertain who was the penman of them; it is probable that Samuel wrote the history of his own time, and that, after him, some of the prophets that were with David (Nathan as likely as any) continued it. This first book gives us a full account of Eli's fall and Samuel's rise and good government, ch. 1-8. Of Samuel's resignation of the government and Saul's advancement and mal-administration, ch. 9-15. The choice of David, his struggles with Saul, Saul's ruin at last, and the opening of the way for David to the throne, ch. 16-31. And these things are written for our learning.

Matthew Henry: 1 Samuel 25 (Chapter Introduction)

We have here some intermission of David's troubles by Saul. Providence favoured him with a breathing time, and yet this chapter gives us instances of the troubles of David. If one vexation seems to be over, we must not be secure; a storm may arise from some other point, as here to David. I. Tidings of the death of Samuel could not but trouble him (1Sa 25:1). But, II. The abuse he received from Nabal is more largely recorded in this chapter. 1. The character of Nabal (1Sa 25:2, 1Sa 25:3). 2. The humble request sent to him (1Sa 25:4-9). 3. His churlish answer (1Sa 25:10-12). 4. David's angry resentment of it (1Sa 25:13, 1Sa 25:21, 1Sa 25:22). 5. Abigail's prudent care to prevent the mischief it was likely to bring upon her family (1Sa 25:14-20). 6. Her address to David to pacify him (1Sa 25:23-31). 7. David's favourable reception of her (1Sa 25:32-35). 8. The death of Nabal (1Sa 25:36-38). 9. Abigail's marriage to David (1Sa 25:39-44).

Constable: 1 Samuel (Book Introduction)

Introduction

Title

First and Second Samuel were originally one book called the Book of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible. The Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament (made ca. 250 B.C.) was the first to divide it into two books. The Septuagint translators titled these books 1 and 2 Kingdoms. That division has persisted ever since and has even been incorporated into subsequent editions of the Hebrew Bible (since A.D. 1517). The title "Samuel" was given by Jerome in his Latin translation, the Vulgate (ca. A.D. 400).

The Jews gave the name "Samuel" to it because Samuel is the first major character in the book. Samuel anointed both Saul and David, so in this respect he was superior to them both.

Date and Writer

Statements in the Book of Samuel imply that someone who had witnessed at least some of the events recorded wrote it. However the original writer must have written most of it after Samuel's death (i.e., -1 Sam. 25-2 Sam. 24) and some of it even after the division of the kingdom following Solomon's death (e.g., 1 Sam. 27:6). These features have made it difficult to date the book.

"Our guess is that the author was a high state official in frequent attendance at the court, enjoying the full confidence of David and his household, who served David throughout his reign in Jerusalem and also Solomon during the early years of his reign, and whose duties may have been connected with literary work."¹

Most conservative scholars prefer the view that Samuel may have written or been responsible for noting the record of earlier events in the book (chs. 1-24). Then some unidentifiable writer put it in its final form later, perhaps soon after Solomon's death.

Rationalistic critics of the book tend to believe it was the result of much more piecing together, and some of them date its final form as late as 500 B.C.²

Scope

The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.³ David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11; 5:5). This means he came to power in 1011 B.C. Saul also reigned for 40 years (Acts 13:21) so he became king in 1051 B.C. We can estimate the date of Samuel's birth fairly certainly on the basis of chronological references in the text to have been about 1121 B.C.⁴ Thus the Book of Samuel covers about 1121-971 B.C., or about 150 years of history.

We should note that the first part of 1 Samuel overlaps historically with the end of the judges period that we find in the Book of Judges. Apparently Samson was born just a few years before Samuel. Samson's 20-year judgeship evidently began shortly before the battle of Aphek (1104 B.C.) at which time Eli died (1 Sam. 4:18). It ended not many years before the battle of Mizpah (1084 B.C.) when the Philistine domination of Israel ceased temporarily (1 Sam. 7:13). Samuel's ministry therefore probably ran concurrent with that of Samson until Samson died. Saul began to reign about 35 years after Samson died (i.e., 1051 B.C.). Samuel evidently lived about 30 years after that.⁵

Old Testament History
Events	Biblical References
Creation to Israel's move to Egypt	Genesis 1-50
The Exodus	Exodus 1-18
Israel at Mt. Sinai	Exodus 19--Numbers 10
The Wilderness Wanderings	Numbers 11-21
Israel on the Plains of Moab	Numbers 22--Joshua 2
The Conquest and Division of Canaan	Joshua 3-24
The Amphictyony	-Judges 1-1 Samuel 7
The Reign of Saul	1 Samuel 8-31; 1 Chronicles 10
The Reign of David	2 Samuel 1-24; 1 Chronicles 11-29
The Reign of Solomon	1 Kings 1-11; 2 Chronicles 1-9
The Divided Monarchy	-1 Kings 12-2 Kings 17; 2 Chronicles 10-31
The Surviving Kingdom of Judah	2 Kings 18-25; 2 Chronicles 32-36
The Return under Zerubbabel	Ezra 1-6
The Return under Ezra	Ezra 7-10
The Return under Nehemiah	Nehemiah 1-13

Message⁶

First and 2 Samuel are really one story. The translators divided them into two books for convenience, not because of subject matter.

First Samuel records Israel's transition from amphictyony to monarchy.

The key passage that explains this transition is 8:4-7. Two statements from this passage are especially significant.

The human desire that produced the transition expressed itself in verse 5: "Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations." God had brought Israel into existence as a nation to be unlike all the nations (Exod. 19:5-6). The essence of its uniqueness was Yahweh's rule over it as King. God wanted Israel to be a demonstration for all the world to see how glorious it can be to live under the authority of God.

The real meaning of the people's request comes out in verse 7: ". . . they have rejected me from being king over them." During the period of the judges, religious apostasy spread and characterized Israel. The people refused to obey their King. It is this attitude that finds expression in verse 5. The people wanted to substitute the false for the true. This is the essence of sin, and it results in idolatry. Every idol is a witness to man's need of God. When people reject the true God they must put something in His place to meet that need. Human beings must have a god.

Israel turned from God as her King in 1 Samuel. She desired a king like the other nations. This book shows the immediate effects of that desire.

One of the great revelations of 1 Samuel is how from the human viewpoint God adapts to continue His reign.

This statement appears to contradict 8:7, but it does not. The people rejected Yahweh, but they did not dethrone Him. The first act is possible, the second is not. This is a major lesson of 1 Samuel. The great revelation of this book is not primarily its three central figures: Samuel, Saul, and David. It is Yahweh reigning by adapting to human situations and moving surely and steadily toward the fulfillment of His purposes. In spite of disobedience or obedience, failure or success, rebellious or loyal people, the reign of God moves on. We see this great lesson in the history of 1 Samuel's three central figures: Samuel, Saul, and David.

The writer introduced Samuel's story with his mother Hannah's experience with God. Hannah was a great woman of faith who lived in the judges period. Her faith became God's foothold for advance. Her song reveals a profound appreciation for Yahweh as the God who reigns over all (2:6-8, 10). The similarities between this prayer and Mary's Magnificat in Luke 1 are interesting and noteworthy.

Samuel was a prophet. In one sense he was the first of the prophets (Acts 3:24). Of course, Moses was a prophet and so was Abraham, but Samuel was the first of the order of prophets who mediated between God and the Israelites during the monarchy. The kings of Israel and Judah were never mediators between God and the people in the sense of speaking for God to the people. When the Israelites rejected Yahweh as their king, He withdrew from close communion and intimate fellowship with them. He never recognized their kings as standing between Himself and them to mediate His Word to the people. He chose their kings for them. He allowed their desire for a human king to work itself out in ultimate disaster through the centuries that followed. Yet He never spoke to the people through the king. He always spoke to them through the prophets. Samuel was the first of these. David, of course, was a king and a prophet. The role of the kings was to govern the people. The role of the prophets was to reveal God's will to them.

With Samuel the office of prophet in Israel emerges as that of Yahweh's authoritative representative to His people. Samuel became the king-maker finding and anointing both Saul and David. >From now on when God had a message for the people it normally did not come directly to the king but to the king and the people through the prophet. The prophet's office was always superior to that of Israel's kings. (You have the privilege of speaking for God to your generation. You have a high calling similar to that of Israel's prophets.) When Israel rejected Yahweh as her king, God chose Samuel, the child of a woman's simple faith, trained him in the tabernacle, and called him when he was only a boy. Then He gave him a message to deliver and sent him to anoint Saul as the king after the people's own heart, and David as the king after God's own heart. The prophets became God's mediators, His messengers, and the interpreters of His law. Thus Yahweh reigned though He adapted His methods of ruling by raising up the prophets. He called Samuel as the first of these mediators. During the monarchy God provided guidance through two offices rather than through one as He had done previously. The kings provided political leadership, and the prophets gave the people spiritual leadership. God had previously provided both types of leadership through single individuals namely Moses, Joshua, and the judges.

Saul's story is one of the most tragic in Scripture. It is unusually fascinating and has tremendous power in its appeal to our lives. When God placed Saul on Israel's throne He answered the prayer of His rebellious people in 8:5. God "gave them their request, but sent a wasting disease among them" (Ps. 106:15; NASB).

Saul was a revelation to the Israelites of what the possession of "a king like the nations" really meant. He had unusual physical strength, but he was fitful and he failed the people. He had mental acumen, but he was moody and eventually turned into a madman. He was sluggish and dull spiritually lacking in spiritual insight and power, and eventually he abandoned Yahweh for a witch.

His reign was also a disaster. At the beginning of his reign, Israel was virtually without a leader. At its end it was under the control of an enemy neighbor. Saul was never able to expand the borders of Israel because he never was strong enough to dominate his enemy neighbors. David on the other hand did both of these things. At the end of Saul's reign, Israel had almost destroyed itself through its wars with the Philistines.

David's story is one of the most glorious in Scripture. After Saul, God gave His people another king, but this time he was a man after God's own heart.

God prepared David for the throne by putting him through training as a shepherd in the fields, a courtier in the palace, and an "outlaw" in exile. (By "outlaw" I do not mean David was lawless but that he lived outside Saul's control.) His shepherd training prepared him to care for and protect the Israelites under his charge. His courtier experience prepared him to deal with high governmental leaders. His "outlaw" years perfected the disciplines that enabled him to become a strong ruler. These disciplines included relying on God in every situation, practicing self-restraint, and leading his people.

In all David's training God was reigning, moving forward to the fulfillment of His plans and purposes. God had previously done this by making the child of faith, Samuel, His prophet. He had also done this by making outwardly promising Saul a revelation to the nation of her sins in turning away from God.

The second great revelation of this book is that people cooperate with God by either being loyal or by being disloyal to Him.

In Samuel's case he had opportunity to glorify God because of his parentage, his call by God, and his appointment as God's prophet. He responded obediently, with loyalty to God. Consequently God's messages got delivered, and God's work moved ahead. Samuel was an instrument of blessing.

In Saul's case he had opportunity to glorify God too. His opportunity came in his call by God, his anointing by Samuel, his friendship with Samuel, his popularity with the people, and his personal abilities. He responded disobediently, with disloyalty to God as seen in his vacillating and self-will. Consequently he failed as a king, and he died under the judgment of God. His life was a failure.

In David's case his opportunities were his call, his anointing, his waiting, and his suffering. He responded obediently, with loyalty to God. Consequently he became God's instrument of progress and blessing. He was a success.

Each man had his opportunity, made his response, and experienced the consequences of his response. Two obeyed, one disobeyed. All cooperated with God in fulfilling His ultimate purposes either to his own blessing or to his own blasting.

As a result of these two major revelations I would summarize the message of 1 Samuel as follows. God will accomplish His purposes regardless of man's personal response to Him. However man's response to God's revealed will determines a person's own success or failure in life.

First Samuel teaches us the methods of the sovereign God. All territory is within God's jurisdiction, every person is under His control, and all events are in His hands. All of God's plans and purposes are moving toward accomplishment. He makes use of all antagonistic facts and forces as well as all positive facts and forces. He also makes use of all the agents He has chosen to use regardless of their responses. Paul's comments in 2 Tim. 2:20-21 are very much to the point here.

First Samuel also teaches us that God's ultimate victory is independent of the attitudes and actions of individuals and groups of people (e.g., Israel) toward Him. Nevertheless the ultimate destiny of individuals and groups of people depends on their attitudes and actions toward Him.

Samuel was obedient, was God's instrument, and experienced deliverance. Saul was disobedient, was God's instrument, and experienced destruction. David was obedient, was God's instrument, and experienced deliverance. My attitudes and actions do not determine God's ultimate victory, but they do determine my ultimate destiny. Everything depends on my choices and me regarding my earthly destiny. Nothing depends on me regarding God's ultimate victory. God uses all people, loyal and rebellious, to produce His ultimate purposes. However we determine the outcome of our lives by our attitudes and responses to Him. We see these principles working themselves out around us all the time. Dr. Walvoord is an example of a Samuel or a David in our day. The DTS graduates in prison are examples of the Sauls of our day.

Constable: 1 Samuel (Outline)

Outline

I. Eli and Samuel chs. 1-3

A. The change from barrenness to fertility 1:1-2:10

1. Hannah's condition 1:1-8

2. Hannah's vow 1:9-18

3. Hannah's obedience 1:19-28

4. Hannah's song 2:1-10

B. The contrast between Samuel and Eli's sons 2:11-36

1. Eli's sons' wickedness 2:11-17

2. Hannah's godly influence on Samuel and its effect 2:18-21

3. Eli's lack of influence on his sons and its effect 2:22-26

4. The oracle against Eli's house 2:27-36

C. God's first revelation to Samuel ch. 3

1. Samuel's call 3:1-18

2. Samuel's ministry 3:19-4:1a

II. The history of the ark of the covenant 4:1b-7:1

A. The capture of the ark 4:1b-22

1. The battle of Aphek 4:1b-11

2. The response of Eli 4:12-18

3. The response of Phinehas' wife 4:19-22

B. Pagan fertility foiled by God ch. 5

C. The ark returned to Israel by God 6:1-7:1

1. The plan to terminate God's judgment 6:1-9

2. The return of the ark to Bethshemesh 6:10-18

3. The removal of the ark to Kiriath-jearim 6:19-7:1

III. Samuel and Saul 7:2-15:35

A. Samuel's ministry as Israel's judge 7:2-17

1. Samuel's spiritual leadership 7:2-4

2. National repentance and deliverance 7:5-14

3. Samuel's regular ministry 7:15-17

B. Kingship given to Saul chs. 8-12

1. The demand for a king ch. 8

2. The anointing of Saul 9:1-10:16

3. The choice of Saul by lot 10:17-27

4. Saul's effective leadership in battle 11:1-11

5. The confirmation of Saul as king 11:12-12:25

C. Kingship removed from Saul chs. 13-15

1. Saul's disobedience at Gilgal 13:1-15

2. Saul's struggle against the Philistines 13:16-14:23

3. Saul's cursing of Jonathan 14:24-46

4. Saul's limited effectiveness in battle 14:47-52

5. Yahweh's final rejection of Saul ch. 15

IV. Saul and David 1 Sam. 16-31

A. David's rise as the new anointed 16:1-18:5

1. God's selection of David for kingship ch. 16

2. The reason for God's selection of David ch. 17

3. The results of God's selection of David ch. 18:1-19:17

B. David driven out by Saul 19:18-20:42

1. God's deliverance in Ramah 19:18-24

2. Jonathan's advocacy for David ch. 20

C. David in exile chs. 21-31

1. David's initial movements chs. 21-22

2. Saul's pursuit of David ch. 23

3. David's goodness to two fools ch. 24-26

4. The end of Saul's reign 27-31

(Continued in notes on 2 Samuel)

Constable: 1 Samuel

1 Samuel

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_____. "Is it peace?'--Covenant and diplomacy." Vetus Testamentum 32:3 (1982):311-26.

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_____. A Survey of Israel's History. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1970.

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_____. The Book of Joshua. New International Commentary on the Old Testament series. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1981.

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Copyright 2003 by Thomas L. Constable

Haydock: 1 Samuel (Book Introduction)

THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL;

otherwise called,

THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS.

INTRODUCTION.

This and the following Book are called by the Hebrews, the Books of Samuel, because they contain the history of Samuel, and of the two kings, Saul and David, whom he anointed. They are more commonly named by the Fathers, the First and Second Book of Kings. As to the writer of them, it is the common opinion that Samuel composed the first book, as far as the twenty-fifth chapter; and that the prophets Nathan and Gad finished the first and wrote the second book. See 1 Paralipomenon, alias 1 Chronicles, xxix. 19. (Challoner) --- The authors of the Third and Fourth Books of Kings were also prophets, but we know not exactly their names. These works have nevertheless been always esteemed authentic (Haydock) and canonical. (Worthington) --- Ven. Bede takes occasion to observe, from the Books of Kings (or as the Septuagint read, "of kingdoms;" Haydock) being placed after that of Judges, that the everlasting kingdom of Christ will succeed the general judgment. The translation of the priesthood and of the regal dignity, recorded in these books, denote also that Christ would united both in his own person; as the two wives of Eleana intimated, that both Jews and Gentiles would acknowledge the same Lord. (St. Jerome; St. Augustine; &c.) --- The transactions of Heli, Samuel and Saul, and the persecutions which David sustained from the latter, form the subject of the first book, (Haydock) during the space of 100 years. All the four books carry down the sacred history near 600 years, from the year of the world 2849 till the transmigration of Juda, in the year 3420. (Calmet) (Usher)

Gill: 1 Samuel (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO 1 SAMUEL

This book, in the Hebrew copies, is commonly called Samuel, or the Book of Samuel; in the Syriac version, the Book of Samuel the Prophet; and in the Arabic version, the Book of Samuel the Prophet, which is the First Book of the Kings; and the Septuagint version, the Book of the Kingdom: it has the name of Samuel, because it contains an history of his life and times; and the Jews say ^a it was written by him; and as it may well enough be thought to be, to the end of the twenty fourth chapter; and the rest might be written by Nathan and Gad, as may he gathered from 1Ch 29:29 as also the following book that bears his name; and both may be called the Books of Kings, because they give an account of the rise of the kings in Israel, and of the two first of them; though some think they were written by Jeremiah, as Abarbinel; and others ascribe them to Ezra: however, there is no doubt to be made of it that this book was written by divine inspiration, when we consider the series of its history, its connection and harmony with other parts of Scripture; the several things borrowed from it, or alluded to in the book of Psalms, particularly what is observed in Psa 113:7, seems to be taken out of 1Sa 2:8, and the sanction which the Lord gives to it, by referring to a fact in it, whereby he stopped the mouths of the Scribes and Pharisees cavilling at his disciples, Mat 12:3, compared with 1Sa 21:3, yea, even, as Huetius ^b observes, some Heathen writers have by their testimonies confirmed some passages in these books, which they seem to have been acquainted with, as Nicolaus of Damascus ^c, and Eupolemus ^d; it contains an history of the government of Eli, and of the birth of Samuel, and his education under him; of the succession of Samuel in it, and the resignation of it to Saul, when he was chosen king; of his administration of his office, and of things done in the time of it, both before and after his rejection, and of the persecution of David by Saul, and is concluded with his death.

Gill: 1 Samuel 25 (Chapter Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 25

This chapter gives an account of the death of Samuel, and of the ill treatment David met with from Nabal; it begins with the death of Samuel, which was greatly lamented in Israel, 1Sa 25:1; it draws the character of Nabal, and his wife, 1Sa 25:2; records a message of David to him, by his young men, desiring he would send him some of his provisions made for his sheep shearers, 1Sa 25:4; and Nabal's ill-natured answer to him reported by the young men, which provoked David to arm against him, 1Sa 25:10; and this being told Abigail, the wife of Nabal, and a good character given of David and his men, and of the advantage Nabal's shepherds had received from them, and the danger his family was in through his ingratitude, 1Sa 25:14; she prepared a present to pacify David, went with it herself, and addressed him in a very handsome, affectionate, and prudent manner, 1Sa 25:18; and met with a kind reception, 1Sa 25:32; and the chapter is closed with an account of the death of Nabal, and of the marriage of Abigail to David, 1Sa 25:32.