Ch. 1 Samuel 25:1. Samuel’s death and burial

1. all the Israelites, &c.] A public mourning was held as after the death of Moses (Deuteronomy 34:8), and the whole nation met to do honour to him, who for well nigh eighty years had gone in and out amongst them as Prophet, Judge, and Counsellor of the King.

in his house] Not actually in the house, which would have been inconsistent with the laws of ceremonial purity (Numbers 19:16), but in some court or garden attached to the house. Compare 2 Chronicles 33:20 with 2 Kings 21:18. The Mussulman tradition places the prophet’s tomb on the hill known as Neby Samwil, five miles N.W. of Jerusalem, but see note on 1 Samuel 1:1.

the wilderness of Paran] A general name for the great tract of desert south of Palestine, between the wilderness of Shur on the west, Edom on the east, and the wilderness of Sinai on the south. It was the abode of Ishmael (Genesis 21:21); the scene of the wanderings of the Israelites; and the place from which the spies were sent (Numbers 10:12; Numbers 13:3). The Sept. reads Maon, but the change is unnecessary, if we suppose the term Paran to be used with some latitude.

2–13. Nabal’s churlish behaviour to David

2. a man in Maon] Nabal’s home was in the city of Maon, and his possessions (or, his business) about a mile to the north at Carmel. These places are mentioned together in Joshua 15:55. See also note on ch. 1 Samuel 15:12.

very great] i.e. very rich. The same epithet is applied to (2 Samuel 19:32).

3. Nabal] The name means Fool. It is the word used in Psalm 14:1; Proverbs 30:22; &c.

churlish] Lit. hard. Cp. Matthew 25:24, where the same Greek word is used as in the Sept. here (σκληρός).

of the house of Caleb] Who settled at Hebron (Joshua 15:13). Cp. “the south of Caleb” in ch. 1 Samuel 30:14. The Sept. rendering “dog-like” (κυνικός), referring to his character, is not to be followed.

6. to him that liveth in prosperity] The meaning of the single Heb. word thus rendered is exceedingly obscure. It seems best to explain it as an exclamation, “Hail!” literally, “For life!”

7. that thou hast shearers] Sheep-shearing was and still is an occasion of festivity. See 2 Samuel 13:23-24. David’s message was not a demand for black-mail. He had done Nabal real service, by protecting his flocks from roving marauders, and he was entitled to recompence. “On such a festive occasion near a town or village, even in our own time, an Arab Sheikh of the neighbouring desert would hardly fail to put in a word, either in person or by message; and his message, both in form and substance, would be only the transcript of that of David.” Robinson, Bibl. Res. 1. 498.

8. a good day] A day of festivity and rejoicing. Cp. Esther 8:17.

10. Who is David, &c.] Cp. Jdg 9:38.

11. my water] Perhaps water is specially mentioned because it is scarce in the district. Cp. Joshua 15:19. The Sept. however has “wine.”

13. abode by the stuff] Remained to guard their property. On “stuff” see 1 Samuel 10:22 : cp. 1 Samuel 30:24.

14–22. Abigail’s wise counsel

14. to salute] Lit. to bless, as in ch. 1 Samuel 13:10. Cp. 2 Kings 4:29, and the form of salutation in 1 Samuel 15:13.

he railed on them] Lit. flew upon them; the same word as in 1 Samuel 14:32.

15. as long as we were conversant with them] Lit. all the days we went to and fro with them. “Conversant” from Lat. conversari, to dwell or abide with, signifies “associated” or “living along with.”

16. a wall unto us] A defence against the predatory tribes of the desert. See Job 1:15; Job 1:17.

17. such a son of Belial] Such an evil man. See on 1 Samuel 1:16. So wilful and obstinate that his servants dared not try to reason with him, but appealed to Abigail instead.

18. Abigail made haste, and took] A store of provisions was prepared for the shearing feast (1 Samuel 25:11). For the different items of the present compare 2 Samuel 16:1; 1 Chronicles 12:40.

two bottles of wine] Skins, holding a considerable quantity. Ziba only brought one “bottle” of wine for David in his flight (2 Samuel 16:1). Those now used in the East are made of kid, goat, or ox skins, according to the size required.

five measures of parched corn] See on 1 Samuel 17:17. The “measure” (Heb. seah) contained one third of an ephah. See on 1 Samuel 1:24. Parched corn was only a delicacy, which accounts for the comparatively small quantity.

clusters of raisins] Lumps of dried grapes. The vineyards near Hebron still produce the largest and best grapes in all the country, and the finest of them are dried as raisins. Robinson’s Bibl. Res. I. 214, II. 81.

cakes of figs] Figs dried and compressed. They still grow in abundance in the neighbourhood of Hebron.

20. came down by the covert of the hill] Abigail was apparently riding down a defile between two hills, which is called “the covert” (lit. “the secret place of the mountain”), because it was concealed from observation. David’s troop came down the opposite hill to meet her. “Covert” from Fr. couvert means shelter, hiding-place. On “against” see 1 Samuel 9:14.

21. Surely in vain] Only to be deceived and disappointed. The same word is used in Jeremiah 3:23.

pertained] i.e. belonged. “Pertain” is derived from Lat. pertineo, through O. Fr. partenir. Cp. “appertain” from appartenir.

22. unto the enemies of David] In the usual oath-formula the swearer invokes divine vengeance upon himself (1 Samuel 20:13), or upon the person adjured (1 Samuel 3:17). And so the Sept. here; “So God do to David.” “The enemies of David” may possibly be an euphemism, introduced by a corrector who was unwilling to let David invoke vengeance upon himself for an oath which he afterwards broke. Comp. the note on 1 Samuel 20:16.

if I leave … any, &c.] David vows that he will exterminate the family and not leave a single man alive. Cp. Deuteronomy 20:13.

23–31. Abigail’s meeting with David

23. lighted off the ass] i.e. got down from, an old form of alighted. The Heb. word is different from that similarly translated in Joshua 15:18, and simply means “to descend.”

24. and fell at his feet] Apparently she first prostrated herself and did the usual obeisance as soon as she saw David, while he was still some distance off, and then afterwards approached and knelt down at his feet in the posture of a suppliant to make her petition.

26. Now therefore, &c.] Render, And now, my lord, as Jehovah liveth, and by the life of thy soul, surely Jehovah hath withholden thee from coming into blood-guiltiness, and saving thyself with thine own hand. And now let thine enemies, &c. Abigail solemnly affirms that it is God who by her means has restrained David from committing a great crime. She feels at once that she has gained her point, and clenches the matter by putting the whole question in the most solemn light.

let thine enemies … be as Nabal] As foolish, and consequently as little able to injure thee. In view of Nabal’s fate, the words are almost prophetic.

27. this blessing] So a complimentary present is styled in ch. 1 Samuel 30:26. Cp. Genesis 33:11; 2 Corinthians 9:5 (εὐλογία, as here in the Sept.).

unto the young men] She does not presume to offer it for David’s own use.

28. the trespass of thine handmaid] She takes the blame of the wrong done to David upon herself, as in v.24.

for the Lord, &c.] Abigail grounds her request on the conviction that David will succeed to the kingdom, when, as she points out in 1 Samuel 25:30-31, such an act of violence as he was minded to commit would be a burden on his conscience. Her conviction rests (1) on the fact that he has proved himself the champion of Jehovah’s people (see on 1 Samuel 18:17); (2) on his blameless life. Doubtless the nation was already anxiously looking forward to David as its future king.

will certainly make my lord a sure house] Will establish him and his posterity on the throne. For the phrase see 1 Samuel 2:35; and compare the promise in 2 Samuel 7:16. The same epithet is applied to David himself in 1 Samuel 22:14 (E. V. faithful).

evil hath not been found in thee] Cp. 1 Samuel 24:11; Psalm 7:3. David’s generous and winning character was in sharp contrast to Saul’s jealous suspicion and mad cruelty.

29. Yet a man, &c.] Better, And though men have arisen … yet the soul of my lord shall be bound up in the bundle of the living. The figure is taken from the practice of binding up valuables in a bag or bundle. Cp. Genesis 42:35. Of course the immediate reference is only to the safe preservation of David’s temporal life.

shall he sling out, &c.] A vigorous metaphor to express total rejection. Cp. Jeremiah 10:18.

the middle of a sling] Lit. the pan or hollow in which the stone was placed. The marginal rendering “bought” means “the bowed or bent part of a sling on which the stone was placed.” See the Bible Word-Book, p. 73.

30. appointed thee ruler] The same Heb. words are used in 1 Samuel 13:14, where the E. V. has “commanded him to he captain.” Cp. also 1 Samuel 9:16, 1 Samuel 10:1.

Abigail’s prudence, and her familiarity with the true idea of the theocratic king which was to be realised in David, suggest that she may have received instruction from Samuel, or some other prophet. Cp. 2 Kings 4:8 ff.

31. grief] The Heb. word, which occurs nowhere else, probably means stumbling-block. Such a crime as David had meditated would have remained as an obstacle in the way of his enjoying a clear conscience.

32–35. David’s favourable answer

32. Blessed be the Lord] David rightly recognises that the intervention of Providence has saved him from a foolish and wicked revenge. Compare his prayer in Psalm 19:13. There is no lack of faults in David’s life, and this outburst of passion was one of them; but with all his faults he had that spirit of genuine repentance which makes it possible for men

“To rise on stepping-stones

Of their dead selves to higher things.”

33. advice] Better, discretion.

from coming to shed blood] From coming into blood-guiltiness, as in 1 Samuel 25:26.

35. have accepted thy person] Here in a good sense = I have granted thy petition. Cp. Genesis 19:21.

36–38. Nabal’s death

36. a feast … like the feast of a king] His shearing-revel (cp. 2 Samuel 13:23) was on a scale of regal luxury.

37. and his wife, &c.] Better, that his wife told him … and his heart died, &c. An outburst of passion on hearing that his will had been thwarted brought on a fit of apoplexy, in which he lingered on insensible for ten days, until

38. the Lord smote Nabal] His death was a divine judgment none the less that a partly natural cause may be assigned for it in his intemperance and passion. For “smote” comp. the use of the same word in ch. 1 Samuel 26:10, and 2 Chronicles 13:20 (E. V. struck).

39–44. David’s marriage with Abigail

39. pleaded the cause, &c.] Exacted from Nabal a due penalty for the injury he did me. Cp. 1 Samuel 24:15. In those days godly men looked for visible judgments upon the wicked in this world, and rejoiced in them as a vindication of God’s righteous government.

hath kept his servant from evil, &c.] The E. V. misses the striking contrast between David and Nabal. Render, hath restrained his servant from wickedness, but the wickedness of Nabal hath Jehovah returned upon his own head.

41. and bowed herself, &c.] With the obsequiousness characteristic of Oriental nations, she expresses her devotion both by gesture and word. “Washing the feet” like “loosing the shoe-latchet” (Mark 1:7) was the service of the meanest slaves.

43. took] Had taken, before his marriage with Abigail. Ahinoam stands first in the list of his wives in 2 Samuel 3:2.

of Jezreel] A city in the mountains of Judah near Carmel and Juttah. See Joshua 15:55-56.

44. Saul had given Michal] Probably he did it when David fled, to mark the completeness of the breach between them. David afterwards compelled Phalti (or Phaltiel) to restore him Michal (2 Samuel 3:15).

Gallim] Only referred to again in Isaiah 10:30, from which passage it appears that it was between Gibeah and Jerusalem. The name of Phalti’s father Laish was probably derived from the place Laish mentioned in the same verse.