1 Samuel 25
Samuel who had been dedicated to God at a young age, led Israel as Judge and Prophet and made Saul king and anointed David to succeed Saul, dies in this chapter, Saul is madly chasing David who is wildly trying to steer clear.
The Bible says that All Israel mourned for Samuel and he was buried at his house in Ramah - The Bible is unclear whether Saul and David put aside their differences.
David then heads to the desert at Paran and runs into an misery-guts by the name of Nabal.
Nabal had a reputation of being brutish, surly and mean in his dealings, but his wife, Abigail, was stunningly beautiful, intelligent and quite probably charming, as we shall see she is really far too nice to be married to the likes of Nabal.
David sent some of his men to Nabal at sheep shearing time to ask for some food, they had actually been in the area keeping things away from the flocks and protecting Nabal's property and because of this felt they could ask for some generosity.
Nabal was of a different mind though and sent David's messengers away with a message that too many servants were leaving their masters these days, who are you, and where are you from, that I should take from my men to feed yours?
When David heard this he told his men to arm for combat and set off to teach Nabal some manners. About 400 men set out with swords and 200 stay behind to guard what supplies they do have.
Luckily some of the servants heard Nabal and went to the real boss of the establishment Abigail, telling her that David's men had been very good to them and they had been a defensive wall while they had been close to David and his camp.
Abigail acted with admirable wisdom and speed, she took 200 loaves of bread, 2 skins of wine, 5 dressed sheep (probably not fancy dress) a big sack of roasted grain and a hundred cakes of raisins and 200 cakes of figs
Abigail chose not to try carrying this lot on her own but put the food onto donkeys and set off to meet David and hopefully prevent a rather unpleasant massacre .
Abigail meets up with David and she tells David to ignore her husband as he is an idiot (apparently Nabal actually means "Fool")
David Thanked God that Abigail had met up with him and prevented him from bloodshed.
When Abigail went home, Nabal was drunk as a lord and in the middle of a party, so Abigail waits until he is sober (if not hung over!) before telling him what his foolishness had nearly cost him.
The Bible says that Nabal's heart failed him and he became like a stone - I wonder if this would be today characterised as a stroke or cardiac arrest? - anyway 10 days later, Nabal dies "Struck down by God"
David thanks God for vindicating him over Nabal, sends messengers to Abigail and she becomes his 3rd wife - David also married Ahinoam as well as Abigail, his other wife, Saul's Daughter Michal had been given a new husband from Saul's followers
This seems a rather odd break in the narrative - David and Saul have been chasing each other running around mountains and things - we really need chase music and suddenly David stops to get married - TWICE!! What is with this guy?
Samuel who had been dedicated to God at a young age, led Israel as Judge and Prophet and made Saul king and anointed David to succeed Saul, dies in this chapter, Saul is madly chasing David who is wildly trying to steer clear.
The Bible says that All Israel mourned for Samuel and he was buried at his house in Ramah - The Bible is unclear whether Saul and David put aside their differences.
David then heads to the desert at Paran and runs into an misery-guts by the name of Nabal.
Nabal had a reputation of being brutish, surly and mean in his dealings, but his wife, Abigail, was stunningly beautiful, intelligent and quite probably charming, as we shall see she is really far too nice to be married to the likes of Nabal.
David sent some of his men to Nabal at sheep shearing time to ask for some food, they had actually been in the area keeping things away from the flocks and protecting Nabal's property and because of this felt they could ask for some generosity.
Nabal was of a different mind though and sent David's messengers away with a message that too many servants were leaving their masters these days, who are you, and where are you from, that I should take from my men to feed yours?
When David heard this he told his men to arm for combat and set off to teach Nabal some manners. About 400 men set out with swords and 200 stay behind to guard what supplies they do have.
Luckily some of the servants heard Nabal and went to the real boss of the establishment Abigail, telling her that David's men had been very good to them and they had been a defensive wall while they had been close to David and his camp.
Abigail acted with admirable wisdom and speed, she took 200 loaves of bread, 2 skins of wine, 5 dressed sheep (probably not fancy dress) a big sack of roasted grain and a hundred cakes of raisins and 200 cakes of figs
Abigail chose not to try carrying this lot on her own but put the food onto donkeys and set off to meet David and hopefully prevent a rather unpleasant massacre .
Abigail meets up with David and she tells David to ignore her husband as he is an idiot (apparently Nabal actually means "Fool")
David Thanked God that Abigail had met up with him and prevented him from bloodshed.
When Abigail went home, Nabal was drunk as a lord and in the middle of a party, so Abigail waits until he is sober (if not hung over!) before telling him what his foolishness had nearly cost him.
The Bible says that Nabal's heart failed him and he became like a stone - I wonder if this would be today characterised as a stroke or cardiac arrest? - anyway 10 days later, Nabal dies "Struck down by God"
David thanks God for vindicating him over Nabal, sends messengers to Abigail and she becomes his 3rd wife - David also married Ahinoam as well as Abigail, his other wife, Saul's Daughter Michal had been given a new husband from Saul's followers
This seems a rather odd break in the narrative - David and Saul have been chasing each other running around mountains and things - we really need chase music and suddenly David stops to get married - TWICE!! What is with this guy?
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