I Samuel Chapter 25
Please read: I Samuel 25 –
The chapter begins with a short brief epitaph of the death of the godly leader Samuel. Samuel had been a man who purposed in his heart to serve the LORD God. The people had not always listened to Samuel, but he never let that stop him from doing what God called him to do. The Bible says that Israel grieved at his death. At least in his death he was honored by the people of Israel as he should have been.
The next leader of Israel is rising; however, we will find in this chapter that he is not without faults and still has much to learn. We will read that David wanted to seek revenge against a man named Nabal. David and his men had performed a service for this rich man which he didn’t ask for, but the polite and customary thing to do for this kindness would be to offer some sort of payment. David had protected this man’s flocks from the raids of the Philistines. They were not exactly acting as shepherds. Nabal had his own men watching the sheep in that role, but David’s men acted more like security guards for the flocks and the shepherds.
David’s men were probably in need of food and supplies. It seemed reasonable that this rich man would be able to help especially in light of the favor David had done for this man. He waited for the opportune time to present his request. He sent his messengers to Nabal at the time of a feast and at a time when there would be profits gained from the shearing of his sheep.
Let's Reflect
1. Nabal had a wife named Abigail. What do the first few verses tell us about Abigail and about Nabal?
2. When David’s messengers came to Nabal with his request, they described how they had protected his sheep. In what town did they say they had provided this protection for Nabal’s men and flocks?
3. According to verse 10 Nabal acted as if David was a nobody. However, we know that David was well known throughout Israel because of the many victories he had in battles fought against the Philistines. What also did Nabal say in this verse about David that tells us he knew exactly who he was?
4. When David’s men delivered the message back to him that Nabal had refused to offer payment for their contribution, what was his immediate reaction?
5. Abigail, Nabal’s wife, heard about her husband’s rude dismissal of David’s messengers. Abigail knew the right thing to do in this situation was to present David with some sort of payment and so she put together a lot of food to be delivered to David. She sent the food by way of servants, but what did she say she herself would do?
6. Abigail spoke to David directly calling him “lord” which seems to indicate she knew the importance David played in God’s plan. She also called him “lord” to offer her humility before him; despite the fact she was a rich woman. What did she say about David, that shows she knew he was to be the next king? See verse 30.
7. In verse 25 she tells David that Nabal (whose name means fool) acted as a fool. Her concern is for David and the action that he was planning to take. What was her main concern for David?
8. She pronounced a beautiful blessing on the life and leadership of David. What blessing did she speak over David? See verse 28.
9. Everything that Abigail said to David got through to him. To whom did David attribute gratefulness for keeping him from doing something he would later regret?
10. Abigail went back home to her husband intending to tell him everything, but she found her husband to be drunk and then he passed away. From what you read, what do you think was the cause of death?
11. David was told of Nabal’s death. He sent a messenger to Abigail to offer her marriage. What did she do?
12. We learn in the last verse that his first wife had been given to another man by her father the king. We also learn that David took another wife besides Abigail. What was her name?
