1 Samuel 25:1-8
1 Then Samuel died; and all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him at his house in Ramah. And David set out and went down to the wilderness of Paran.
2 Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel; and the man was very rich, and he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And it came about while he was shearing his sheep in Carmel
3 (now the man’s name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. And the woman was intelligent and beautiful in appearance, but the man was harsh and evil in his dealings, and he was a Calebite),
4 that David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.
5 So David sent ten young men; and David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel and visit Nabal, and greet him in my name;
6 and this is what you shall say: ‘Have a long life, peace to you, and peace to your house, and peace to all that you have!
7 Now then, I have heard that you have shearers. Now, your shepherds have been with us; we have not harmed them, nor has anything of theirs gone missing all the days they were in Carmel.
8 Ask your young men and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we have come on a festive day. Please give whatever you find at hand to your servants and to your son David.’ ”
Nabal and Abigail
Samuel’s death
Samuel has died. His death brought deep sorrow to the Israelites. With Samuel’s death, the history of Israel transitioned from the time of the judges to the monarchy. David also mourned the death of Samuel. Samuel had been a spiritual support for David, but from this point on, David could no longer look forward to Samuel’s prayers and advice. The responsibility of providing for his 600 men daily in the wilderness weighed heavily on David’s shoulders. It was at such time that David heard about a man named Nabal.
Nabal
(1) Nabal means “fool.” This is not his actual name but a nickname given to him later. (2) Nabal owned a house in Maon and had a business in Carmel, a few miles to the north. This Carmel is in Judah, different from the Carmel in Galilee. (3) Nabal was very wealthy, owning 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats. It was customary at that time to measure a person’s wealth by the number of their livestock. (4) He had a wife named Abigail, who was intelligent and beautiful. However, Nabal himself was harsh and evil in his dealings. He was a Calebite, meaning he came from a noble lineage. However, his personal character was not. Nabal was celebrating the sheep shearing festival in Carmel. (1) The time of celebration was also a period when the wealthy were expected to give alms to the poor. This is why David sent messengers to Nabal. (2) David expected a donation based on the fact that he had been protecting Nabal’s livestock. (3) Sending ten young men was a sign of respect towards Nabal, but it also indicated the expectation of a substantial donation. Those who are blessed, whether materially or spiritually, have a duty to help and bless the poor. This is a principle of the kingdom of God. Especially if someone who has benefited from your help is in trouble, it is only right to assist them. Let us pray that we too be freed from a greedy heart like Nabal’s.
Today's prayer
Almighty God, You have filled me with good things. Please help me to have a compassionate heart for those who are in distress. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.