Read: 1 Samuel 25:1-13
Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse?” (v. 10)
On the very first page of Charles Dickens’s classic A Christmas Carol, Dickens describes Ebenezer Scrooge as “a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!” Dickens knew that if his story was going to engage his readers, they needed to know its main character. Scrooge was a nasty old miser who desperately needed redemption.
The writer of 1 Samuel does much the same as he introduces us to Nabal—a rich man who was “harsh and badly behaved” (v. 3). During this time, David and his followers were still running from King Saul and living in the wilderness. They had befriended Nabal’s herdsmen and had protected Nabal’s herds from thieves and predators. Now that the time of shearing and celebration had come, David sent men to humbly ask to be remembered for their service. But Nabal refused to do this and instead insulted David, saying he was a mere nobody who had broken away from his master (v. 10). This ungracious response angered David and incited him to take action against Nabal.
In contrast to her husband, Abigail is described as “discerning and beautiful” (v. 3). Being married to a man like Nabal could have made her angry and resentful—or bitter, like Michal. But we shall see from her actions that she was wise, gracious, and generous. What a contrast to her husband!
As you pray, ask God to help you to be more like Abigail, and not like Nabal.
About the Author
Laura N. Sweet is a wife, mother, grandmother, and former Christian schoolteacher from Midland, Michigan. She writes devotional material for both adults and children, and her work has appeared in more than a dozen publications.
