1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ

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98 Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 Samuel 2007 EditionAbigail proceeded to help David view his situation from God's perspective. She referredto the Lord as the One who, in response to her words, was restraining him from sheddinginnocent blood (v. 26). She was anticipating David's proper response to her appeal. Shefurther wished that all who opposed David, as Nabal had done, would be ineffective. Shepresented her gift of food and asked for David's forgiveness, again as the substitute forher husband (v. 28; cf. v. 24). She believed that Yahweh would give David an enduringdynasty because he fought the Lord's battles (v. 28), not just Saul's battles, and becauseDavid would do the Lord's will. In this she again anticipated David's proper response toher request. She believed God would preserve David alive, a blessing promised in theMosaic Law for those who obeyed God.Shepherds carried two bundles, one in which they carried food for themselves and theother in which they placed stones to hurl at the enemies of their sheep. 280 This figurativedescription of David as kept by God rather than thrown out by Him would have appealedto David as a shepherd. Abigail also believed that David would reign as king one day,which she had learned that God had revealed (v. 30). 281 She anticipated that day andviewed David as having a good conscience then for not taking vengeance against Nabal,since vengeance belongs to God. Often the early sins of leaders come back to haunt themwhen they finally attain office."He [David] was about to attack fellow Judeans and wipe out a wholefamily. This act would surely have brought reprobation on David andwould have undone all his carefully crafted relationships with his fellowIsraelites." 282Abigail concluded with a request that David would remember her when he attained histhrone (v. 31; cf. Gen. 40:14). In all that she said, Abigail revealed a godly perspectivethat was totally absent in her husband (cf. Elkanah). 283Abigail was careful "neither to exculpate Nabal nor to appear disloyal tohim. . . . In short, she must win David without betraying Nabal. Abigaildevises the perfect solution to the dilemma: she intercedes on behalf ofNabal (v. 24), although conceding that he has no case and no hope ofsurvival (vv. 25-26). In other words, while overtly defending him, shecovertly dissociates herself from him." 284David's response to Abigail's appeal 25:32-35David heard the Lord's voice behind Abigail's words. Consequently he blessed the Lord,her discernment, and her. God had used David's conscience to keep him from killing Saul280 G. M. Mackie, Bible Manners and Customs, p. 33.281 Samuel had recognized David as the future king (16:12), then Jonathan did (20:15), then Saul did(24:20), and now Abigail did.282 Heater, "Young David . . .," p. 56.283 There are many similarities between Abigail's appeal to David here and the appeal of the wise woman ofTekoa in 2 Sam. 14:1-20. Cf. D. M. Gunn, "Traditional composition in the 'Succession Narrative,'" VetusTestamentum 26:2 (1976):221-22.284 Levenson, p. 230.
2007 Edition Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 Samuel 99(24:5), and now He had used Abigail's appeal to keep him from killing Nabal. WiseDavid, who listened to the words of a strange woman, contrasts with foolish Nabal, whowould not listen to the words of his wise wife or his fearful servants. Thus godly Abigail,another wise person, became a blessing to David. Earlier he, a godly person, had been ablessing to her and her household. She kept him from sinning (v. 33). In return he blessedher further by sparing the males of Nabal's household (v. 35).Nabal's response to the news of Abigail's appeal 25:36-38When she returned home, Abigail discovered that her foolish husband was drunk fromcelebrating. He was totally oblivious to his mortal danger. He was feasting rather thanfasting. He was behaving like a king, the ultimate authority, rather than as a servant of thenext king (cf. v. 24). Here is another allusion to the similarity between Nabal and Saulwho both viewed themselves proudly as kings. Pride was the root of Nabal's folly as wellas Saul's folly, and it preceded destruction in both of their cases.Abigail wisely waited until morning before telling her husband what a close brush he hadhad with death. By then the wine had gone out of him. The writer made a clever play onwords here. The Hebrew word for wineskin in nebel. It is as though he was suggestingthat Nabal was a nebel. When the wine had gone out of him, he was nothing. The writermay even have been suggesting that all there was to Nabal was his bladder, his personalwineskin. 285Nabal's heart died within him when he finally realized what a fool he had been. TheHebrews used the heart metaphorically to describe the seat of courage. No courageremained in him. Nabal further appears to have gone catatonic; when he realized whathad happened, the shock immobilized him. Ten days later he died. The writer gave Godthe credit for terminating his life prematurely. Sometimes people who fail to respond tothe will of God die prematurely (cf. ch. 31; 1 Cor. 11:30; 1 John 5:16).God struck Nabal dead for his pride and opposition to the Lord's anointed. God would dothe same to Saul for the same reasons. Nabal's death undoubtedly encouraged David tobelieve that God would take vengeance on Saul. David's experiences with Nabal were amicrocosm of all that he had been enduring for so long with Saul, another fool. Sauladmitted he was a fool in 26:21.David's marriage to Abigail 25:39-43David thanked God for vindicating him and for preventing him from doing evil. Abigailhad been the instrument that God had used to do this (v. 39). It was proper for David togive thanks since he had left Nabal in the Lord's hands and had not sought revenge.It is easy to see why David found Abigail so attractive. Not only was she intelligent (cf. 2Chron. 30:22; Ps. 111:10; Prov. 13:15) and beautiful (v. 3; cf. Gen. 29:17; Esth. 2:7), but285 David had earlier vowed, literally, that he would not leave anyone who urinated against the wall (i.e.,any male) in Nabal's household alive (v. 22). The writer pictured Nabal in the most uncomplimentaryterms.
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1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ

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