SCRIPTURE” 1 SAMUEL 25
DAVID, NAVAL AND ABIGAIL (vs. 1-44)
When Samuel died, all Israel assembled and mourned for him. He was buried at his home in Ramah. While David was in the Desert of Maon, there was a wealthy man name Nabal whose wife was Abigail. Nabal was a Calebite who was proud and mean while his wife was intelligent and beautiful. During the time David was in Carmel, he and his men never mistreated Nabal’s shepherds. They also watched over his property so that none of his sheep were missing.
One day, David sent some messengers to Naval asking something to give his men. But Naval replied rudely and refused to give. When David’s men reported to him the insulting word that Nabal had said, David was furious. He assembled 400 men with him to fight Nabal while leaving 200 behind. Then one of the servants to Naval told Abigail everything. Upon hearing, Abigail lost no time. With telling her husband, she took 200 loaves of bread, 2 skins of wine, 5 dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs and loaded them on donkeys. Then Abigail went with her servants to meet David. When she saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground. She apologized for what Nabal had said and presented her gifts to him. David was touched and thankful for keeping him from bloodshed. He accepted her gifts and Abigail went home.
When Abigail reached home, Nabal was holding a banquet at home. So Abigail did not tell him anything until the following morning. About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal and he died. When David knew Nabal had died, he sent word to Abigail asking her to become his wife. She accepted and became his wife. David has another wife called Ahinoam of Jezreel. But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife to Paltiel, son of Laish who was from Gallim.
THOUGHTS:
THERE ARE 3 WAYS TO TREAT PEOPLE:
- Return evil for good – the name of “Nabal” means “fool”. David and his men watched over his property but he refused to share his food to them. We should know how to repay people who have done good to us.
- Return evil for evil – Out of anger, David wanted to get revenge by going after Nabal. Do not take vengeance into our own hands. God said: “Vengeance is mine”. So, leave it to the Lord.
- Overcome evil with good – Abigail prevented David from becoming a murderer and at the same time save her own family. She averted the tragic consequences by sending foods to David. Later, she was blessed by God and became the wife of David. If you do good to people who have offended, mistreated or insulted you, God will bless you.