The primary evidence for David’s career is constituted by several chapters in the books 1 and 2 Samuel in the Hebrew Bible…, Bible, the sacred scriptures of Judaism and Christianity. 25:22), and He did so because of Nabal own sin, not because of Abigail, for she acted in a godly manner and submitter herself to the Lord. Privacy Policy Omissions? Unlike Nabal, Abigail proved willing to listen. (Read 1 Samuel 25:24-31.) If not, parental consent was still of great importance. Abigail and David meet under unusual circumstances—she must save David from taking revenge on her worthless husband, Nabal! Neither man had Jehovah’s view. 1 Samuel 25:40-41 “And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife. Similarly, if a husband is abusing children, a wife is within her rights to protect the innocent. (b) What was wrong with the way Nabal responded to David’s message? His heart died and he became a stone. “Gird on every one his sword!” he commanded. *. 25:36. The root meaning of the name Nabal is wilt,[18] and came to mean failure, and so gained the figurative meaning of being shamelessly improprietous;[19] in the Nabal narrative, he is described as living up to his name,[20] in addition to being surly and mean. there are many servants these days that break away every man from his master; shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men of whom I know not whence they are? Verse By Verse Ministry International. 25:20, 23) Then she poured out her heart at length, making a powerful plea for mercy in behalf of her husband and her household. Imitate Their Faith, Audio download options Contemporary English Version But when he sobered up the next morning, Abigail told him everything that had happened. (1 Cor. This Carmel was a town at the edge of the southern wilderness. 23 Besides the release from a bad marriage, Abigail had another blessing in store. Who was Abigail in the Bible? Although Abraham’s request was sinful, Sarah put her hope and faith in the Lord and submitted to her husband anyway. Sheep and shepherds faced plenty of dangers. The man he had insulted was none other than David. So one day David sent ten messengers to Nabal to ask for help. It would have been easy for them to help themselves to a sheep now and then, but they did nothing of the kind. ABIGAIL saw the panic in the young man’s eyes. (b) What will we learn about this remarkable woman? She also fulfilled her cultural role of providing hospitality to David and his men. 24 This was no fairy-tale ending; Abigail’s life with David would not always be easy. As for bringing the matter to Nabal, the young servant said of him: “He is too much of a good-for-nothing fellow to speak to him.” * (1 Sam. For one, Nabal is a rather bizarre character. 16 Does this mean that Abigail was rebelling against her husband’s rightful headship? In his enfeebled state, feverish and excited still with the strong drink, terror and horror seized him, and the "stroke" followed. After 930 bce and the establishment of two independent…. For whatever reason, she was married to Nabal, and she was determined to make the best of a difficult situation. Christian Standard Bible In the morning when Nabal sobered up, his wife told him about these events. David was already married to Ahinoam, and though God permitted polygamy, it surely presented special challenges to … 24 This was no fairy-tale ending; Abigail’s life with David would not always be easy. David was already married to Ahinoam, and though God permitted polygamy, it surely presented special challenges to … David's third wife was named Abigail. Did Abigail’s parents favor this marriage, even arrange it, because they were impressed with Nabal’s wealth and prominence? Commentators suggest such might be the case because Nabal was very rich (1 Samuel 25:2). Abigail faced what challenges in her new life, but how did her husband and her God view her? David's request is couched in language that refers to David's men as Nabal's servants, and to David himself as Nabal's "son. 5, 6. The story appears to commend Abigail for her behavior, but I'm concerned she failed to submit to her husband's authority. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Is the literacy rate in Afghanistan very high? No; keep in mind that Nabal had acted wickedly against an anointed servant of Jehovah, an action that could well result in death for many innocent members of Nabal’s household. "[7], Upon hearing of Nabal's reply, David and four hundred of his men arm themselves with swords. He even referred to himself as “your son David,” perhaps a respectful acknowledgment of Nabal’s greater age. As believers, both husbands and wives are called to submit to the Lord in all things. Furthermore, she acted without directly violating any of her husband's commands. 1:20) How, though, could Abigail save her household? ^ par. What can we learn from Abigail’s difficult marital situation? However, there are also several differences: such as the victory and provisions being obtained by a heroic victory by David rather than Abigail's peaceful actions; the 200 that stayed behind doing so due to exhaustion rather than to protect the baggage; the main secondary character being the former slave of the enemy, rather than the wife of the enemy (Nabal); David's forces rejoining their wives rather than being joined by damsels; and the Amalekites rather than Nabal being the enemy. 25:17) Tragically, Nabal’s view of his own importance rendered him unwilling to listen. We read: “Later Abigail came in to Nabal.” Yes, she returned to her husband as determined as ever to carry out her role as his wife to the best of her ability. He accepted what Abigail had brought and said: “Blessed be Jehovah the God of Israel, who has sent you this day to meet me! ^ par. [27][28] There are some similarities between the narratives: the fact that Ziklag and Maon are located in the region south of Hebron;[29] David leading an army in revenge (for the Amalekite's destruction of Ziklag and capture of its population), with 400 of the army going ahead and 200 staying behind;[29] David gaining Abigail as a wife (though in the Ziklag narrative he re-gains her), as well as several provisions; and there being a jovial feast in the enemy camp (i.e. His very name means “Senseless,” or “Stupid.” Did his parents give him such a name at birth, or was it an epithet that stuck to him later? He would be sober enough to understand her, yet possibly more dangerous in his temper as well. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. In those days, it was Jehovah’s purpose for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to dwell in that land. 13 When the emissaries reported back to David, he became furious. Would you like to read this article in %%? (b) How did Abigail show courage and discretion in choosing the time to talk to Nabal? How do you see that story? Please take it, and forgive us for what happened.’ ... PART 8 What the Bible Foretells Comes True Show more. Nabal got drunk that night, and Abigail still did not mention her activities to him. “Abigail lost no time…” (1 … So as we observe Abigail’s actions in 1 Samuel 25, we see that her motivation was to show respect and submission to her husband while also fulfilling the role God created for her as her husband’s “helper," which God assigned to woman in Genesis 2. 25:39-42. In the end, we know the Lord takes her husband's life, but Abigail did not cause Nabal’s death. certainly will commission you as leader over Israel.” Further, she urged David not to take any action that might bring bloodguilt upon him or that might later become “a cause for staggering”​—evidently referring to a troubled conscience. Grave danger loomed. The story of Abigail in the Bible is an interesting one for many reasons. 11, 12. . 7 Wise parents carefully teach their children a wholesome view of marriage. (a) What do you find admirable about Abigail’s willingness to return to her husband? [21] Rather than the name of his wife was Abigail (שׁם אִשׁתּוֹ אבגיִל) the account in the Books of Samuel may have originally read the name of the chief of Abihail (שׁם שר אביהיִל), and told of a clan named Abihail, which left a political alliance with the Rechabites (represented by Nabal/Nadab) to join the Kingdom of Judah (represented by David's band of men).[21]. and who is the son of Jesse? Our latest podcast episode features popular TED speaker Mara Mintzer. And David was not yet king; there would be obstacles and hardships to surmount before he served Jehovah in that way. In the end, she also honored and submitted to Israel's anointed king, thus saving David from the sin of avenging himself through murdering Nabal’s household (1 Sam. who hath wounds without cause? . “He screamed rebukes at them” is how the young man mentioned at the outset described the scene to Abigail.