1 Samuel 25:8

_AND THUS SHALL YE SAY TO HIM THAT LIVETH IN PROSPERITY, PEACE BE BOTH TO THEE, AND PEACE BE TO THINE HOUSE, AND PEACE BE UNTO ALL THAT THOU HAST._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

2-11 We should not have heard of Nabal, if nothing had passed between him and David. Observe his name, Nabal, "A fool;" so it signifies. Riches make men look great in the eye of the world; but to one that takes right views, Nabal looked very mean. He had no honour or honesty; he was churlish, cross, and ill-humoured; evil in his doings, hard and oppressive; a man that cared not what fraud and violence he used in getting and saving. What little reason have we to value the wealth of this world, when so great a churl as Nabal abounds, and so good a man as David suffers want!, David pleaded the kindness Nabal's shepherds had received. Considering that David's men were in distress and debt, and discontented, and the scarcity of provisions, it was by good management that they were kept from plundering. Nabal went into a passion, as covetous men are apt to do, when asked for any thing, thinkin...

Verse 1 Samuel 25:8. _WHATSOEVER COMETH TO THINE HAND_] As thou art making a great feast for thy servants, and I and my men, as having essentially served thee, would naturally come in for a share were we present; send a portion by my ten young men, for me and my men, that we also may rejoice with you. Certainly this was a very reasonable and a very modest request. This mode of address is not unfrequent among the Hindoos: "O father, fill the belly of thy son; he is in distress....

EXPOSITION DEATH OF SAMUEL (1 Samuel 25:1). 1 SAMUEL 25:1 AND SAMUEL DIED. According to Josephus, Samuel had for eighteen years been contemporaneous with Saul's kingdom. If this calculation, which probably rests upon some Jewish tradition, be at all correct, we must include the years of Samuel's judgeship in the sum total of Saul's reign (see on 1 Samuel 13:1), as evidently his fall was now fast approaching. Samuel's life marked the beginning of the second age of Israelite history (Acts 3:24). Moses had given the people their law, but

ASK THY YOUNG MEN, AND THEY WILL SHOW THEE,.... The shepherds before mentioned, who kept their flocks hard by them: WHEREFORE LET THE YOUNG MEN FIND FAVOUR IN THINE EYES; the ten young men David sent to Nabal: FOR WE ARE COME IN A GOOD DAY; a day in which Nabal made a feast for his shearers, as was usual then, and still is, see 2 Samuel 13:23; and at such times as persons are generally cheerful and merry, so free and liberal, and as there were plenty of provisions, not only enough for the guests and shearers, but to spare, and there was no need for an increase of expense, it might upon the whole be concluded it was a proper time for David to apply for accommodations for himself and his men: GIVE, I PRAY THEE, WHATSOEVER COMETH TO THINE HAND UNTO THY SERVANTS, AND TO THY SON DAVID; he did not request anything

CHAPTER 25 _ 1. The death of Samuel (1 Samuel 25:1)_ 2. Nabal and his refusal (1 Samuel 25:2) 3. Abigail's deed and her prayer (1 Samuel 25:14) 4. David's answer to Abigail (1 Samuel 25:32) 5. Nabal's death (1 Samuel 25:36) 6. Abigail becomes David's wife (1 Samuel 25:39) After the death of Samuel, briefly mentioned in the beginning of this chapter, David went still further south into the wil

1 SAMUEL 25:1 A. (TO RAMAH). DEATH AND BURIAL OF SAMUEL. (An editorial addition.) 1 SAMUEL 25:1. IN HIS HOUSE: in the grounds belonging to it. 1 SAMUEL 25:1 B - 1 SAMUEL 25:44. DAVID, NABAL AND ABIGAIL (J). From one of the oldest sources. The story is complete in itself, and has no obvious connexion with any of the other sections. 1 SAMUEL 25:1 B - 1 SAMUEL 25:13. David goes to the wilderness of Paran at the S. of the Araba

SERVANTS. Some codices, with one early printed edition, read "servant"....

Nabal's churlish behaviour to David 2. _a man in Maon_ Nabal's home was in the city of Maon, and his possessions (or, HIS BUSINESS) about a mile to the north at Carmel. These places are mentioned together in Joshua 15:55. See also note on ch. 1 Samuel 15:12. _very great_ i.e. very rich. The same epithet is applied to (2 Samuel 19:32)....

AND DAVID SENT OUT, &C.— In this message of David to Nabal, which is a fine picture of ancient and true politeness, there are three things well worth our notice. _First,_ the direction: _To him that liveth,_ 1 Samuel 25:6. (_in prosperity_ is not in the Hebrew); and _secondly,_ the salutation: _Peace be to thee, and peace to thine house,_ &c. In the Scripture, _living_ and _being happy,_ are synonimous: David's own benevolent spirit suggested to him, that, being happy ourselves, we should delight in making others share in our happiness. God does so; and the man after God's own heart does so too: at the same time David well knew that Nabal was obliged to assist him from God's own express command; Deuteronomy 15:7. In the next place, the great beauty and propri