Bible Commentaries
1 Samuel 25

Verses 1-44

1 Samuel 25:1-44 The Story of Nabal and Abigail 1 Samuel 25:1-44 we have the story of Nabal and his wife Abigail. David and his men were living in exile from King Saul and were protecting the possessions of this rich man in Carmel. When David sent some of his men to Nabal with a request for assistance, they were treated harshly and turned away. In his wrath, David went to slay this man, but his wife Abigail interceded in behalf of her husband and turned away David’s wrath. God then judged Nabal and he died. David then came and took Abigail as his wife.

Robb Thompson makes an interesting observation about this story in a message on relationship. He was mentioning the important of addressing an individual in a positive manner which brings out the best in a person. He then used the illustration of Nabal and Abigail. When Nabal replied to David with threats it brought out the warrior in him, but his wife Abigail addressed David as king and brought out the response of a king in his behaviour. Thus, we see the same individual responding differently to these two individuals depending upon how he was initially addressed. [33]

[33] Robb Thompson, Winning in Life, on Trinity Broadcasting Network (Santa Ana, California), television program.

1 Samuel 25:2 And there was a man in 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.

1 Samuel 25:2 Comments - In comparison to the wealth of the man of Maon, Job has seven thousand (7,000) sheep, three thousand (3,000) camels, five hundred (500) oxen, and five hundred (500) donkeys (Job 1:3).

Job 1:3, “His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.”

1 Samuel 25:3 Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.

1 Samuel 25:3 Comments - The Scriptures tell us not to be over evil, as it will shorten our lives (Ecclesiastes 7:17). This is exactly what happened to Nabal.

Ecclesiastes 7:17, “Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?”

1 Samuel 25:13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.

1 Samuel 25:13 Comments - David left two hundred men with his stuff on a number of occasions (1 Samuel 30:10). This seemed to be enough me to protect their possessions from marauding bands of raiders.

1 Samuel 30:10, “But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind , which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor.”

1 Samuel 25:21 Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good.

1 Samuel 25:21 Comments - The book of Proverbs gives us a divine principle of rewarding evil for good (Proverbs 17:13).

Proverbs 17:13, “Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.”

1 Samuel 25:28 I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days.

1 Samuel 25:28 Comments - Abigail is an example of a true intercessor in this passage of Scripture.