_A.M. 2944. B.C. 1060._ Samuel's death, 1 Samuel 25:1. The character of Nabal, 1Sa 25:2, 1 Samuel 25:3. David's requests to him, 1 Samuel 25:4. His churlish answer, 1 Samuel 25:10. David's purpose to destroy him told to Abigail, 1 Samuel 25:13. She pacifies David, 1 Samuel 25:18. His answer, 1 Samu... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Samuel died_ According to the best chronologers, he governed Israel after the death of Eli sixteen years or upward, and lived about forty years after in the reign of Saul; _and all the Israelites lamented him_ It is no wonder that so wise and holy a man, so righteous a ruler, so just a judge, a... [ Continue Reading ]
_Whose possessions were in Carmel_ In some part of this wilderness Israel wandered, when they came out of Egypt. The place would bring to David's mind God's care over them, which he might now improve for his own encouragement.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The name of his wife was Abigail_ That is, _the joy of his father;_ yet he could not promise himself much joy of her, when he married her to such a husband; it seems, by inquiring (no unfrequent thing) more after his wealth than after his wisdom. _He was of the house of Caleb_ This is added to aggr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Nabal did shear his sheep_ Which times were celebrated with feasting. _That liveth in prosperity_ In the Hebrew it is, _To him that liveth_, but the word _life_ in Scripture often signifies _happiness_, as _death_ signifies _misery._ By speaking thus, David both congratulates Nabal's felicity, and... [ Continue Reading ]
_We hurt them not_, &c. This, considering the licentiousness of soldiers, and the necessities David and his men were exposed to, was no small favour, which Nabal was bound both in justice and gratitude, and prudence, to requite. _We come in a good day_ That is, in a day of feasting and rejoicing; wh... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who is David? There be many servants_, &c. He reproaches them all as a company of fugitives and vagabonds; and, in effect, taxes David with infidelity to his master Saul; a most rude and brutish answer to such a civil message and humble request.... [ Continue Reading ]
_But one of the young men told Abigail_, &c. One of those belonging to Nabal. Who can help admiring the wisdom and fidelity of this shepherd, who admonished his mistress of the danger her family was in; as he rationally concluded from the rude abuse that had been put upon David, whose merits he hone... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then Abigail took two hundred loaves_, &c. This shows he was a great man, who had plenty of provisions in his house. Abigail did this of her own accord, without her husband's leave, because it was a case of apparent necessity, for the preservation of herself and husband, and all the family, from im... [ Continue Reading ]
_Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath_ Though David justly thought he had no right to take any part of the flock of Nabal by way of plunder; yet, when he and his men had taken the trouble of defending them for some time from all damage, which, probably, they otherwise could not have... [ Continue Reading ]
_So and more also do God unto the enemies of David_ That is, unto David himself. But because it might seem ominous to curse himself, therefore, instead of David, he mentions David's enemies: see 1 Samuel 20:16. The meaning seems to be, that he wishes God might bless his enemies, and pour evil upon h... [ Continue Reading ]
_Upon me, my lord, let this iniquity be_, &c. Impute Nabal's sin to me; and, if thou pleasest, punish it in me, who here offer myself as a sacrifice to thy just indignation. This whole speech of Abigail shows great wisdom. By an absolute submitting to mercy, without any pretence of justification of... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let not my lord regard this man of Belial_, &c. She represents him as a man that offended out of folly, rather than malice; which might in some degree excuse his rudeness. _For as his name is, so is he_ Nabal in the Hebrew signifies a fool, though not one by nature, but rather through pride and ins... [ Continue Reading ]
_Seeing the Lord hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood_ Nothing could possibly be spoken to David with more effect, to turn away his wrath, than thus to insinuate such an opinion of his goodness and clemency, as already to conclude she had diverted him from his purpose; or, rather, that God... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now this blessing_ That is, this present or gift. The same phrase is used, 1 Samuel 30:26; 2 Kings 5:15. A present is termed a _blessing_, not only because the matter of it comes from God's blessing, but also because it is given with a blessing, or with a good will. _Let it be given unto the young... [ Continue Reading ]
_Forgive the trespass of thy handmaid_ That is, the trespass which I have taken upon myself, and which, if it be punished, the punishment will reach to me. _Sure house_ Will give the kingdom to thee, and to thy house for ever, as he hath promised thee. And therefore let God's kindness to thee make t... [ Continue Reading ]
_A man hath risen to pursue thee_ Saul, though no way injured. _To seek thy soul_ To take away thy life. _Bundle of life_ Or, _in the bundle:_ that is, in the society, or congregation _of the living;_ out of which men are taken, and cut off by death. The phrase is taken from the common usage of men,... [ Continue Reading ]
_This shall be no grief unto thee_ Thy mind and conscience will be free from all the torment which such an action would cause in thee. By which, she insinuates what a blemish this would be to his glory, what a disturbance to his peace, if he proceeded to execute his purpose; and withal implies, how... [ Continue Reading ]
_Blessed be the Lord_, &c. Who, by his gracious providence, so disposed matters that thou shouldst come to me. He rightly begins at the fountain of this deliverance; and then proceeds to the instruments. _Who hast kept me from coming_, &c. Which I had sworn to do. Hereby it plainly appears, that oat... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have accepted thy person_ That is, showed my acceptance of thy person by my grant of thy request. _Behold, he held a feast_ As the manner was upon those solemn occasions. Sordid covetousness and vain prodigality were met together in him. _Told nothing _ As he was then incapable of admonition, his... [ Continue Reading ]
_His heart died_ He fainted away through the fear and horror of so great a mischief, though it was past. As one, who, having in the night galloped over a narrow plank, laid upon a broken bridge over a deep river, when in the morning he came to review it, was struck dead with the horror of the danger... [ Continue Reading ]
_Blessed_, &c. This was another instance of human infirmity in David. _David sent_ But this doubtless was not done immediately after Nabal's death, but some time after it; though such circumstances be commonly omitted in the sacred history, which gives only the heads and most important passages of t... [ Continue Reading ]