Three key events in today’s reading, but Nabal and Abigail is definitiely my favorite.
Like you, I have lost track of how many times I have read this account. I could certainly tell the story from memory…and it’s a great story. It has good guys and bad guys, betrayal and deception, there is a love interest and a hint of sword play. I mean, come on.. This could be a film.
For me, this is the part of the Bible that isn’t hard to read. I love stories, and I find that I get more out of them when I do a little research as I read. For instance: The wilderness that David went to when he was hiding from Saul was the same wilderness that the Hebrews wandered in before they entered the promised land. The ground is horribly dry and there is no top soil there at all. It reminds me of the high desert in El Paso or Juarez Mexico. There are many mountains and ravines (not large mountains, but large enough to get lost in). Because the infrequent rain washes off the land immediately, it cuts wadi’s through the landscape. It is an unforgiving landscape, where someone untrained could easily perish. This land is well south of the rest of Israel, lying between Israel and Egypt.
Here’s a little tidbit I never grasped before. When the text says David went “down” to the wilderness, he was heading south. So it isn’t just a drop in elevation but in location. From his secure position in the desert he hears that Nabal is shearing sheep at Carmel. Now, Carmel is much further north, right along the Mediterranean Sea. In fact, Carmel overlooks the valley of Megiddo, and the small town built on a hill (har) at the southwestern edge of Megiddo (Har Megiddo) is likely the biblical Armageddon. Same place, but spelled differently. This area is the exact opposite of where David is camped. It has long flat and lush fields, deep green grass and small rolling hills. It is truly a beautiful spot on the earth. (It’s so tragic that it will be spoiled and desecrated by war). When David hears Nabal’s careless and ignorant response, he “goes up” meaning he heads back north. I had always envisioned David in the mountains, coming down to attack Nabal. That’s not what happened. David is going “up” north, and in order to do that he has to pass through the mountainous area between Israel’s territory and the Med. The flatlands are all owned by the Philistines, so David is traveling along the edge of them, in the mountains. As he begins his descent (probably near to Carmel…but we can’t be sure) he meets Abigail coming toward him.
This account tells us that David was a little impulsive, which made him a driving force in battle, but got him into trouble occasionally. (Bathsheeba). Thankfully, the serious minded, business savvy Abigail hears of the impending disaster, and saves the household. David is on his way to kill every male in Nabal’s house. I’ll bet that included some of Abigails sons. Her quick thinking saves many lives.
The Bible tells us in Proverbs 18:22 “he who finds a wife finds a good thing, and is receives a favor from the Lord”. That’s who Abigail was, a “favor from the Lord”. She was the type of woman spoken of in Proverbs 31. Nabal didn’t know what he had, but David was quick to recognize it. Abigail’s calm reasoning and gentle demeanor calmed David down…as a warrior, he was certainly in the mindset for battle, not trying to get in touch with any emotion but anger. Abigail’s “gentle anger turned away wrath”. She was wise, and probably helped David much in the future with wise insights.
There isn’t much to say about Nabal, except that God is able to give each person what they deserve. No need for David (or us) to try and take revenge. In fact, I wonder if this interaction with Abigail helped David restrain himself when he later finds Saul hunting him? I hadn’t thought of that before… I wonder if some of the words that David spoke to his brave comrade Abishai were words spoken to him by Abigail?
One other thing: God caused Saul and his men to fall into a deep sleep, but it wasn’t so David could sneak in and kill him, is was so David could show him mercy. It takes a close relationship with the Creator to know what you are supposed to do…I think sometimes we misinterpret and believe that God wants us to exact revenge when its actually the opposite he is looking for. If God opens a door for you, don’t try and drive a war wagon through it.
Lots more to talk about, but that’s enough for today. Oh, one more thing I want to mull over.
David goes to live with his new wife Abigail (way to go, David) in Ziklag, which is just outside the Gaza strip in Philistine country. That’s why Saul doesn’t look for him there. But every time David goes raiding he lies to the king of Gath. Does God condone this type of behavior? Was it okay to lie to others? In every raid, David kills everyone…he doesn’t leave anyone alive to tell on him. What? This is ruthless, mercenary behavior that doesn’t jive with what I know about God.
Unless.
What if the people that David is attacking and killing are the same people that God pronounced judgment on and asked Israel to purge from the land? You will remember that Joshua’s cohorts were unable to drive the people from the plains because they had iron chariots and horses. I wonder if God has David completing the same plan that He gave to Joshua, and to Moses?
Just thinking.
Faithfully,
PR