1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ

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94 Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 Samuel 2007 Editiondescendants of the ruler whom he replaced. This prevented them from rising up andreestablishing the dead king's dynasty. David had already promised Jonathan that hewould not kill his descendants (20:14-17), and he now made the same promise to Saul (v.22). To cut off someone's name meant to obliterate the memory of him. David evenagreed to spare Saul's reputation in Israel (cf. 2 Sam. 2:17-27).Saul's remorse was evidently genuine, but David had learned that it would probably beonly temporary. Consequently when Saul departed and returned to Gibeah, David againsought protection in "the stronghold," probably one of the refuges near Engedi (perhapsMasada? v. 22; cf. 23:29).This chapter helps us deal with the common temptation to get even by showing usDavid's example of trusting God and not retaliating. It also deals with how we shouldview securing what God has promised us. David let God determine how and when hewould become king. He refused the temptation to take matters into his own hands andthereby determine his destiny. We see David growing in this chapter. He began bythreatening the king, but then he backed off and declined to kill Saul. Finally hedetermined even to trust God to control Saul's descendants, as well as Saul himself, andto preserve Saul's memory in Israel. God rewarded David for his trust and obedience bygiving him a peaceful conscience immediately and safety when his own son, Absalom,rose up against him.David's sparing of Nabal's life ch. 25"Chapter 25 is the central panel in the triptych that comprises chapters24—26. As such it not only anchors the literary unit but also facilitates thefact that chapters 24 and 26 mirror each other." 268This central chapter also has a chiastic structure. It focuses attention on Abigail'seffective appeal to David."A. Samuel dies (v. 1a).B. David the fugitive is in the vicinity of the wealthy Nabaland his beautiful wife Abigail (vv. 1b-3).C. Hearing of Nabal's situation and later rebuffed byhim, 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 gorginghimself on food (vv. 36-38).C'. Hearing of Nabal's death, David praises the Lord forhaving upheld his cause against Nabal (v. 39a).B'. David the fugitive has taken the beautiful Abigail as hissecond wife (vv. 39b-43).A'. Saul treats David as though he were dead (v. 44)." 269268 Youngblood, p. 752.269 John Stek, The Former Prophets: A Syllabus, p. 65A. Quoted by Youngblood, p. 752.
2007 Edition Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 Samuel 95The death of Samuel 25:1Samuel's years of being a blessing to all Israel ended at this time. David took his place asGod's major channel of blessing to the nation. It is appropriate that the notice of Samuel'sdeath occurs here since Saul had just admitted publicly that David would be Israel's nextking (24:20). Samuel's ministry of providing a transition to the monarchy had thereforeended. 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 kingwithout the hiatus of Saul's tragic reign if Israel had not insisted on having a kingprematurely."Since the days of Moses and Joshua, no man had arisen to whom thecovenant nation owed so much as to Samuel, who has been justly calledthe reformer and restorer of the theocracy." 270This chapter opens with one disappointment for David, the death of his mentor, and itcloses with another, the departure of his mate (v. 44). This suggests that the events ofchapter 25 took place when David was at a low point in his life emotionally. This mayaccount 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 inIsrael's history, again (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).David's request of Nabal 25:2-8Both Maon and Carmel (meaning "Garden Spot") stood about 14 miles west of Engediand about 7 miles south-southeast of Hebron. The reference to Nabal's 3,000 sheep maybe an allusion to Saul's 3,000 soldiers (24:2). As the story unfolds, we will discover manysimilarities between Nabal and Saul, and the writer may have dropped this and otherclues to help the reader compare the two men. He used a literary device called narrativeanalogy in which ironic parallelisms abound. 271"Nabal" must have been a nickname since it means "fool" in Hebrew. Nabal was adescendant of Caleb who had received Hebron and its environs as his inheritance fromJoshua (Josh. 15:13). Nabal was unlike his ancestor in many ways. He was foolish, butCaleb was wise. Nabal did not take God into account, but Caleb counted on God'spromises. Nabal opposed God's purposes and died prematurely, but Caleb cooperatedwith God and lived long.The Old Testament prophets regarded those who are ungodly, namely, those who do nottake God into account, as fools (Ps. 14:1; Prov. 18:2, 7; Isa. 32:6). God promised topunish the ungodly (Deut. 28). Therefore He will punish fools (vv. 25-26).270 Keil and Delitzsch, p. 238.271 Robert P. Gordon, "David's Rise and Saul's Demise: Narrative Analogy in 1 Samuel 24—26," TyndaleBulletin 31 (1980):42-43.
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1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ

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