United Commentaries

1Sam.25.1-44

This episode about Nabal falls between two accounts in which Saul pursued David and David spared Saul’s life. Nabal was similar to Saul.

1Sam.25.1

Maon: This town in southern Judah (see study note on 23:24) was likely Nabal’s home. The wilderness of Paran, located in the northern half of the Sinai Peninsula, was too far south. The wilderness of Paran served as a place of refuge (Gen 21:21; 1 Kgs 11:18).

1Sam.25.2

Carmel was a village near Maon, not to be confused with the famous mountain from the Elijah narrative in 1 Kgs 18. It was in this village that Saul had erected his monument to celebrate victory over the Amalekites (1 Sam 15:12).

1Sam.25.3

Nabal: See 25:25 for insight into the irony of his name.

Unlike her husband, Abigail was a sensible and wise person, as the narrative shows.

1Sam.25.8

Sheep-shearing time for herdsmen was like harvest time for farmers, a time of celebration and thankfulness for blessings.

1Sam.25.10

son of Jesse: Like Saul (20:27, 31; 22:7), Nabal used this designation disrespectfully.

1Sam.25.21

he has repaid me evil for good: Cp. 24:17.

1Sam.25.26

Abigail began and ended (25:31) her plea by declaring that God had kept you from murdering and taking vengeance: David could have killed Nabal (and Saul), but he didn’t.

1Sam.25.28

a lasting dynasty: See 2 Sam 7.

fighting the Lord’s battles: David was known and loved for his victories over Israel’s enemies (1 Sam 18:7, 13, 16).

have not done wrong: This comment does not indicate that David was sinless, but rather that he was innocent in his quest for the throne (as 25:29-31 makes clear).

1Sam.25.29

The phrase like stones shot from a sling is a fitting metaphor for David, considering his defeat of Goliath with a sling (17:32-51).

1Sam.25.36

like a king: Nabal was like Saul (see study note on 25:1-44).

1Sam.25.37

Nabal was so stunned by the revelation that he had a stroke or a heart attack.

1Sam.25.39

Nabal’s death was God’s punishment for his sin. David could not be accused of vengeful murder.

David lost no time in asking Abigail to become his wife. She had already shown herself to be a woman of good sense, and she was also beautiful (25:3).

1Sam.25.43

Ahinoam was also the name of Saul’s wife (14:50). If she was the same woman, then David took Saul’s widow after his death (31:1-13), which would make another parallel between Nabal and Saul. However, see 27:3; 30:5.

This Jezreel was a village in the vicinity of Maon, Ziph, and Carmel in Judah (Josh 15:55-56) and not the better-known northern city of Jezreel.

1Sam.25.44

Saul’s motive for giving away Michal to another man was probably political, an attempt to remove any claim David might have on the throne by dissolving David’s marriage with a member of the royal family.