Abigail: Woman of Wisdom, Courage, & Action!

A difficult husband, a crisis with a young warrior, a warning from a distressed servant, and an opportunity for a beautiful woman to save her household is the.
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And later, when David became king, his action might erode the confidence and support of the people of Judah. Impressed by the words of this bold and yet humble woman, David blessed her for keeping him from acting hastily. Back to Church Sunday Discovering Truth When it Hurts.

Teach Your People to Get Connected. I Love My Church. Hear Jesus Whisper, "Follow Me". Men do dumb things from time to time. Nabal was drunk and refused to help David out. Abigail acted is a model that we all need to follow. This morning, we are going to begin a new series on women in the Bible. This is a series that I would like to preach on for the rest of the summer I did this series several years ago and received a lot of good feedback So often, we focus on the men in the Bible and we forget about the other unsung hero of scripture Women played a vital role in the Bible.

Today, our scripture invites us to look at a lady named Abigail. Does anybody know anything about Abigail? Invite people to share what they know Read scripture Starting with the beginning of chapter 25, we read that the prophet Samuel dies. He is buried in Ramah and the whole assemble of Israel mourns for him. After the time of mourning, David, who have been wondering in the desert because King Saul was trying to kill him, sends some men to seek food from a wealthy man named Nabal Nabal ridicules David and his men and sends them away without any food.

So when David asked for some compensation to feed his men, Nabal refused to help David. Asks that blame be placed on her Offers the food to David and his men Abigail stopped a hostile situation from taking place. And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: The story of Abigail is set in the years when David and his men are fugitives from King Saul.

Repeatedly Saul's forces pursue David, but he successfully eludes them in spite of the spies located in various parts of the country. On one occasion David is in the wilderness of Paran, which was located west of the southern end of the Dead Sea. This vast area proves to be a good area for raising sheep and goats. A wealthy man named Nabal uses it for his very large flocks. Though Nabal lives in the town of Maon, he owns property at Carmel, a small nearby town. Verse 2 indicates by numbers how wealthy he is.


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Having this many sheep and goats will necessitate a number of shepherds to provide them with proper care. One can only imagine the effort to shear the sheep and then care for the wool. Besides the work, the shearing time also becomes a time for festivity. Nabal, more than likely, doesn't spend his time there during most of the year. Since shearing would be similar in importance to harvest for a farmer, he is there for this significant shearing event.

The difference in personality between Nabal and his wife, Abigail, are pronounced. She is both beautiful and intelligent. Her name means "whose father is joy. He is "surly and mean" v. You wonder if his parents gave him the name Nabal "fool" or if it was conferred on him later in life. How did these two ever get together in marriage?

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More than likely it came about as the result of an arranged marriage. Knowing Nabal is personally in the area, David sends 10 men to greet him and request provisions at this time of festivity. This representative group approaches him with wishes of health and long life for both himself and his household. They point to their treatment of his shepherds and that no animals are missing.

Courage, Grace, Wisdom, and Humility – Heart of the Journey

This means David and his men did not simply take animals for their personal use like some fugitives would have. It also could indicate their protecting the unarmed shepherds from desert raiders. This will be verified later. It is suggested that Nabal should check the accuracy of their statements with his shepherds. Of course, that would be out of the question with such a personality as his. Notice, David makes no specific request other than what Nabal could spare at this celebration time. This isn't a "shakedown" or a blackmail attempt. And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David?

Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be? So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings. And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: Nabal's harsh dismissal of David's request demonstrates his true nature.

His question "Who is this David? Who wouldn't know of the hero who just a few years before brought victory to Israel by defeating Goliath? How could Nabal even pretend not to know of the one whom the women sang his praises 1 Samuel Nabal's response further suggests David's being a traitor to the king of Israel, a rebel.

What a slap in the face to the messengers and their leader! In view of this portrayal of David, Nabal indicates there being no reason to take provisions from his shearers and give them to David and his men. He offers no appreciation for the services rendered to his men and property. Nabal chooses to serve only himself.

Nabal's response infuriates David. He immediately orders two-thirds of his army men to strap on their swords and prepare for battle. Ellicott's Bible Commentary suggests, "The largeness of the force showed how terribly David was in earnest, and how bent he was on wiping out the insult of Nabal in blood.

In Nabal, the rich sheep-master, the rude refuser of the fairly earned gift, David saw a deadly political advisory who would hunt him down like a wild beast. But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them.

But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields: They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.

And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you.

Abigail: Woman of Wisdom, Courage, & Action!: Bible Study for Small Groups

But she told not her husband Nabal. When one of the young men inform Abigail of the events, she understands this is a crisis. Immediately she mounts an effort to avoid an unnecessary catastrophe. It is interesting how this informant viewed what took place. David's men brought an appropriate greeting from David to Nabal. He in turn responded with no hint of expected Oriental hospitality and gratitude. Rather, Nabal hurled insults at them. This worker's description carries added weight due to his having personally seen and experienced the attitude and care of David and his men.

In verse 15 he describes the protective care given by David's men to Nabal's shepherds. He describes them as being a wall shielding them day and night v. Having shared the story, this unnamed man places the future in Abigail's hands. He knows disaster will come on them. It is possible some had attempted to speak to Nabal about the situation. But if they did, it accomplished nothing. Stubborn, obstinate, egotistical men do not change their minds! Or, if they do, it is under considerable pressure of the more powerful. Abigail quickly gathers food supplies as a gift for David and his men.

The availability of this amount of food indicates a sizeable number of individuals worked for Nabal. Once the donkeys are loaded, she sends them on ahead. Possibly she needed some extra time to be prepared properly for the meeting. All this takes place without Nabal's knowledge. More than likely he is out supervising or observing the shearing. And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert of the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met them.

Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave one male of all who belong to him by morning light. In these verses David's thought process becomes very evident. He realizes how worthless all his good deeds to Nabal really are. Caring for Nabal's property brought nothing more than the railing insults of a wealthy, self-centered person.

This evil response deserves the most severe retribution in David's mind. He decides to attack Nabal's encampment and kill all the males. Then, David and his men could take all the needed supplies. In this vengeful environment Abigail meets David. It is interesting how Scripture describes the exact location of their meeting. The mountain ravine provides a narrow place guaranteeing their coming face-to-face.

And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,. And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: Wisdom and determination evidence themselves in Abigail's actions.

Abigail: Wise and Determined

This is a make-or-break situation. If she can intercept and persuade David from his intended purpose, there will not be the shedding of much innocent blood. Nabal probably deserves David's wrath; however, those working for him are simply pawns in this setting. Recognizing who David is, Abigail immediately dismounts from her donkey and offers the bow of greatest humility. Instead of remaining on her feet and bowing either her head or from the waist, Abigail prostrates herself at David's feet.

In an attempt to ward off the bloodshed and save innocent lives, she asks for the blame to be hers. Though having nothing to do with what took place, she willingly offers herself as the culprit. Only after setting the stage does she ask David to disregard the words and actions of her husband. What a contrast between Abigail's wise humility and Nabal's foolish pride.

Women of the Bible Series : ABIGAIL

Abigail's words in verse 25 indicate she knows the true nature of her husband. She understands him to be truly a "man of Belial"—a person who is worthless or without profit. Yes, he amasses riches, but as a person he is a "no account. A fool makes foolish decisions.


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    6. Working as the intercessor and mediator, Abigail points to herself as being different than her husband. This is accomplished by stating she did not see the delegation of David's men when they came. Her insinuation is that things would have been different if she had. And it shall come to pass, when the Lord shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel;.

    That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: A major shift now comes into the conversation.

    Abigail: Our Sister of Great Wisdom and Courage

    Abigail goes beyond a wife interceding for her husband and household. She suddenly becomes a messenger of the Lord. A much bigger picture comes to light as Abigail shares an understanding of God's purpose and future status of David. In verse 26 she, in essence, points to her coming as the action of the Lord keeping him from bloodshed.