B. Decline of Saul and rise of David (5 years) ~ cont.
3. David's mercy to Saul and his rise in popularity ~ cont.
c. David with Nabal and Abigail - 1 Samuel 25:2-38
d. David and his wives
(1) Marries Abigail - 1 Samuel 25:39-42
(2) Status of other wives - 1 Samuel 25:43-45
e. Betrayed again by Ziphites, spares Saul again - 1 Samuel 26:1-25
d. David and his wives
(1) Marries Abigail - 1 Samuel 25:39-42
(2) Status of other wives - 1 Samuel 25:43-45
e. Betrayed again by Ziphites, spares Saul again - 1 Samuel 26:1-25
{pages 472-476}
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)
Abigail - H26 - From H1 and H1524; father (that is source) of joy; Abigail or Abigal, the name of two Israelitesses.
- H1 - A primitive word; father in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application.
- H1524 - From H1523; a revolution (of time, that is, an age); also joy.
- H1523 - A primitive root; properly to spin around (under the influence of any violent emotion), that is, usually rejoice, or (as cringing) fear.
good - H2896 - From H2895; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well).
- H2895 - A primitive root, to be (transitively do or make) good (or well) in the widest sense.
understanding - H7922 - From H7919; intelligence; by implication success.
- H7919 - A primitive root; to be (causeatively make or act) circumspect and hence intelligent.
beautiful - H3303 - From H3302; beautiful (literally of figuratively).
- H3302 - A primitive root; properly to be bright, that is, (by implication) beautiful.
countenance - H8389 - From H8388; outline, that is, figure or appearance.
- H8388 - A primitive root; to delineate; reflexively to extend. (Rimmon methoar by union with H7417.).
Nabal - H5037 - The same as H5036; dolt; Nabal, an Israelite.
- H5036 - From H5034; stupid; wicked (especially impious).
- H5034 - A primitive root; to wilt; generally to fall away, fail, faint; figuratively to be foolish or (morally) wicked; causatively to despise, disgrace.
churlish - H7186 - From H7185; severe (in various applications).
And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died. (1 Samuel 25:38)
- H7185 - A primitive root; properly to be dense, that is, tough or severe (in various applications).
evil - H7451 - From H7489; bad or (as noun) evil (naturally or morally). This includes the second (feminine) form; as adjective or noun.
- H7489 - A primitive root; properly to spoil (literally by breaking to pieces); figuratively to make (or be) good for nothing, that is, bad (physically, socially or morally). (associate selves and show self friendly are by mistake for H7462.).
Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him. (1 Samuel 25:17)
Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send. (1 Samuel 25:25)
Obviously not gossip? They can state a fact about someone, including his wife? To someone outside the family?
I backtracked to verse 3 and pulled Gill's commentary on that verse:
Now the name of the man was Nabal,.... Which signifies a "fool"; one would think his parents should not give him this name, though it is a name proper enough to men in common; and Kimchi thinks this was a nickname, which men gave him agreeably to his genius and conduct, and which is not improbable:
and the name of his wife Abigail; which signifies "my father's joy", he delighting in her for her wit and beauty, as follows:
and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance; she was not only of a good understanding in things natural, civil, and domestic, but in things spiritual, as her speech to David shows, and which, with her external form, completed her character, and greatly recommended her; which is the character Aelianus (u) gives of Aspasia, wise and fair:
but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; morose and ill natured in the temper and disposition of his mind, and wicked in his conversation, and fraudulent and oppressive in his dealings with men:
and he was of the house of Caleb; or he was a Calebite (w), a descendant of that great and good man Caleb the son of Jephunneh; which was an aggravation of his wickedness, that he should be the degenerate plant of such a noble vine: some interpret it, he was as his heart, as his heart was bad, so was he; some men, their outside is better than their inside; but this man was no hypocrite, he was as bad outwardly as he was inwardly: the word "Caleb" sometimes signifies a dog; hence the Septuagint version renders it, a doggish man, a cynic; and to the same purpose are the Syriac and Arabic versions; and so some Jewish writers interpret it; but the Targum, Jarchi, and Kimchi, supply it as we do, that he was of the house or family of Caleb, and so of the tribe of Judah, as David was.
Moving on to verse 17 - just the portion about Nabal being a son of Belial. Who is Belial?
Belial - H1100 - From H1097 and H3276; without profit, worthlessness; by extension destruction, wickedness (often in connection with H376, H802, H1121, etc.).
Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send. (1 Samuel 25:25)
Obviously not gossip? They can state a fact about someone, including his wife? To someone outside the family?
I backtracked to verse 3 and pulled Gill's commentary on that verse:
Now the name of the man was Nabal,.... Which signifies a "fool"; one would think his parents should not give him this name, though it is a name proper enough to men in common; and Kimchi thinks this was a nickname, which men gave him agreeably to his genius and conduct, and which is not improbable:
and the name of his wife Abigail; which signifies "my father's joy", he delighting in her for her wit and beauty, as follows:
and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance; she was not only of a good understanding in things natural, civil, and domestic, but in things spiritual, as her speech to David shows, and which, with her external form, completed her character, and greatly recommended her; which is the character Aelianus (u) gives of Aspasia, wise and fair:
but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; morose and ill natured in the temper and disposition of his mind, and wicked in his conversation, and fraudulent and oppressive in his dealings with men:
and he was of the house of Caleb; or he was a Calebite (w), a descendant of that great and good man Caleb the son of Jephunneh; which was an aggravation of his wickedness, that he should be the degenerate plant of such a noble vine: some interpret it, he was as his heart, as his heart was bad, so was he; some men, their outside is better than their inside; but this man was no hypocrite, he was as bad outwardly as he was inwardly: the word "Caleb" sometimes signifies a dog; hence the Septuagint version renders it, a doggish man, a cynic; and to the same purpose are the Syriac and Arabic versions; and so some Jewish writers interpret it; but the Targum, Jarchi, and Kimchi, supply it as we do, that he was of the house or family of Caleb, and so of the tribe of Judah, as David was.
Moving on to verse 17 - just the portion about Nabal being a son of Belial. Who is Belial?
Belial - H1100 - From H1097 and H3276; without profit, worthlessness; by extension destruction, wickedness (often in connection with H376, H802, H1121, etc.).
- H1097 - From H1086; properly failure, that is, nothing or destruction; usually (with preposition) without, not yet, because not, as long as, etc.
- H3276 - A primitive root; properly to ascend; figuratively to be valuable (objective useful, subjective benefited).
Gill on verse 17: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him; meaning Nabal, who was such a worthless, passionate, and ill natured man, such a lawless and imperious one, that he would not suffer a man to speak to him about anything; and it was to no purpose to attempt it, which was a reason this servant did not choose to speak to him about this affair, but to Abigail; and suggests, that it would signify nothing for her to speak to him about it, but it would be most advisable for her to consider with herself what was to be done immediately, without consulting him: the words may be rendered, "for he is a son of Belial that speaks unto him" (a); or when "he speaks unto him", or it is told him; meaning not the servant that reported to David what Nabal said; for Abarbinel observes there were ten of them, and therefore it could not be said of them, he is a son of Belial; but rather David himself, as he and Kimchi observe it may be interpreted of; that though he was so good and upright a man, yet when it should be told him how Nabal had treated him, he would be so provoked at it, that he would become and act like a son of Belial; storm and rage, and vow destruction to Nabal and his family, and come out with his whole army to destroy them; but the first sense is best.
I definitely think the verse is referring to Nabal, not David, though he did get het up and intended to do some serious damage.
I definitely think the verse is referring to Nabal, not David, though he did get het up and intended to do some serious damage.
Gill on verse 25: Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial,
even Nabal,.... He is a worthless man, it must be owned, a weak foolish man, rather to be despised than regarded by him; what either he says or does is unworthy of the notice of any, and much less of so great a person as David was:
for as his name is, so is he; his natural disposition, genius, and conduct, agree with his name; when anyone knows his name, he may judge what is to be expected from him:
Nabal is his name: which signifies a fool:
and folly, in Hebrew, "Nebalah":
is with him; attends all, his words and actions. This character of her husband, though no doubt a just one, yet it would not have been right in her to have given it, whose folly she should rather have concealed, but that it was his well known character; and she observes it not to reproach him with it, but to excuse his sin, his rudeness and ingratitude and preserve his life; and suggests that what he had done was not to be imputed to malice in his heart, but to his stupidity and folly, and so not to be regarded, and was not a peculiar single action of his, but what he was daily more or less guilty of; his folly was with him wherever he went and appeared in everything he said or did, and therefore to be overlooked and despised:
but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send: as she had taken the blame upon herself, now she answers for herself, and pleads ignorance of his messengers, and their message; she had not so much as seen them with her eyes, and much less heard their message when reported; had she, she would have taken care, she intimates, that it should have been attended to; having so much interest in her husband, that she could have prevailed on him to have used them with civility, and granted their request.
even Nabal,.... He is a worthless man, it must be owned, a weak foolish man, rather to be despised than regarded by him; what either he says or does is unworthy of the notice of any, and much less of so great a person as David was:
for as his name is, so is he; his natural disposition, genius, and conduct, agree with his name; when anyone knows his name, he may judge what is to be expected from him:
Nabal is his name: which signifies a fool:
and folly, in Hebrew, "Nebalah":
is with him; attends all, his words and actions. This character of her husband, though no doubt a just one, yet it would not have been right in her to have given it, whose folly she should rather have concealed, but that it was his well known character; and she observes it not to reproach him with it, but to excuse his sin, his rudeness and ingratitude and preserve his life; and suggests that what he had done was not to be imputed to malice in his heart, but to his stupidity and folly, and so not to be regarded, and was not a peculiar single action of his, but what he was daily more or less guilty of; his folly was with him wherever he went and appeared in everything he said or did, and therefore to be overlooked and despised:
but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send: as she had taken the blame upon herself, now she answers for herself, and pleads ignorance of his messengers, and their message; she had not so much as seen them with her eyes, and much less heard their message when reported; had she, she would have taken care, she intimates, that it should have been attended to; having so much interest in her husband, that she could have prevailed on him to have used them with civility, and granted their request.
I really like the position that Gill takes on Abigail and her jumping into the fray...while acknowledging her husband's character, she places herself in a position to make good the wrong. Awesome example of how to deflect from a possible collision course.
And what happened to Nabal?
And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died. (1 Samuel 25:38)
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
(Proverbs 31:10)
So what type of woman are you? Or what type of woman are you looking for as a wife?
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