1 Samuel 25
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
1 Samuel 25
NJB (MT versing) Samuel's Death Death of Samuel Death of Samuel The Death of Samuel Death of Samuel 25:1 25:1 25:1a 25:1a 25:1a 25:1b Nabal and Abigail David and the Wife of Nabal David, Nabal, and Abigail David and Abigail Story of Nabal and Abigail 25:1b-3c 25:1b 25:2-8 25:2-9 25:2-8 25:2-3 25:3d-8 25:4-8 25:9-13 25:9-13 25:9-11 25:9-13 25:10-13 25:12-13 25:14-17 25:14-17 25:14-17 25:14-17 25:14-17 Abigail Intercedes 25:18-22 25:18-22 25:18-22 25:18-19 25:18-19 25:20-22 25:20-31 25:23-25 25:23-31 25:23-25 25:23-31 25:26-31 25:26-31 25:32-35 25:32-35 25:32-35 25:32-35 25:32-35 25:36-38 25:36-38 25:36-38 25:36-38 25:36-38 David Marries Abigail 25:39-42 25:39-43 25:39-42 25:39a-e 25:39 25:39f-40 25:40-42 25:41-42 25:43 25:43-44 25:43-44 25:43-44 25:44 25:44 Etc.
1 Samuel 25:1
25:1 "Samuel died" This brief historical note has no seeming relationship to what follows (cf. 1 Sam. 28:3). ▣ "mourned for him" See SPECIAL TOPIC: GRIEVING RITES. ▣ "buried him" See SPECIAL TOPIC: BURIAL PRACTICES. ▣ "the wilderness of Paran" The LXX has "the wilderness of Maon" (cf. 1 Sam. 23:24-25), probably because Paran was so far south. SPECIAL TOPIC: THE WILDERNESSES OF THE EXODUS
1 Samuel 25:2-8
25:2 "Maon. . .Carmel" These two locations are in the hill country of Judah south of Hebron (cf. 1 Sam. 15:12). This is not the "Carmel" on the seacoast, known as Mt. Carmel, where Elijah confronted the prophets of Ba'al (i.e., 1 Kings 18). ▣ "thousand. . .thousand" These are round numbers implying Nabal was very wealthy in livestock. 25:3 Verse 3 is in parenthesis in the NASB, which denotes an editorial comment. The information sets the literary stage for the events in chapter 25. Nabal ‒ the word play on his name meant "churlish (BDB 615 II, cf. v. 25) harsh (BDB 904) evil in his dealings Abigail good, understanding (BDB 373 CONSTRUCT BDB 968) beautiful in appearance (BDB 421 CONSTRUCT BDB 1061) ▣ "a Calebite" This may mean he was a descendant of Caleb (cf. Num. 32:12; Josh. 14:14) possibly a play on the name "dog" (BDB 477); dogs were not pets but unclean street scavengers an adjective of "dog" meaning "dog-like" (LXX, Peshitta) Josephus, Antiq. 6.13.6 calls him a "Ziphite" MT possibly read "as his heart" (UBS Handbook, p. 516) Nabal was a bad man (TEV). 25:5-6 This was the blessing that David told his men to give Nabal. have a long life peace be to you peace be to your house peace be to all within your house 25:5 "sent ten young men" David expected a generous food provision for his protection of Nabal's flocks. 25:6 "Have a long life" NKJV, Peshitta "to him who lives in prosperity" "salute him" "greetings, my friend" NJB, Vulgate "to my brother" (requires emendation) "all good wishes for the year ahead" "Say, as follows to life!" "Say this "to good times" The MT has "and thus you say ‒ of life." The UBS Text Project, p. 199, suggests that this is an idiomatic expression, "thus (i.e., in peace, prosperity) may it be for next year," which is how the REB translates it. ▣ "Peace" This is repeated three times. SPECIAL TOPIC: PEACE (OT) 25:7 David gives the reasons why Nabal should help him with provisions for his men for a special feast (v. 8). he protected Nabal's shepherds and flocks (vv. 15-16,21) he had not taken any of Nabal's animals for food (vv. 15-16,21)
1 Samuel 25:9-13
25:9 NASB, NRSV, TEV "then they waited" NKJV, NJB "and waited" "when they paused" "when they stopped speaking" "he (Nabal) leaped up" The MT has "and then they waited" (BDB 628, KB 679, Qal IMPERFECT with waw). There are several ways to interpret this phrase. making them wait was meant to show them disrespect the LXX links this to v. 10 the UBS Text Project does not mention any options to the MT the Anchor Bible suggests "he behaved arrogantly," based on DSS 25:10-11 This was Nabal's harsh reply. 25:11 "my water" The LXX has "my wine" (cf. v. 18; REB, NJB), which makes more sense in this context. The Peshitta follows the MT. It is possible that "bread and water" were an idiom for "food" in general. 25:13 "gird on his sword" The intensity of David's feelings is conveyed in the repetition of this phrase, three times.
1 Samuel 25:14-17
25:17 "a worthless man" "a scoundrel" "so ill natured" "so mean" "such a brute" "a wretched fellow" "a nasty fellow" "a pestilent son" This is literally "son of Belial" (cf. 1 Sam. 1:16; 2:12; 10:27; 25:17,25; 30:22; 2 Sam. 16:7; 20:1; 22:5; 23:6; 1 Kgs. 21:10,13). It denotes a worthless person (BDB 116; see full note at 2 Sam. 20:1). In the NT it becomes a title for Satan (cf. 2 Cor. 6:15).
1 Samuel 25:18-22
25:18 "measures" This is the Hebrew word seah (BDB 684), which was about 1/3 ephah. The Jewish Study Bible, p. 609, has "more than six quarts." SPECIAL TOPIC: ANE WEIGHTS AND VOLUMES 25:22 This is an oath (cf. 1 Sam. 3:17; 14:44; 20:13). Notice Nabal's household and servants were to bear the judgment of David as well as Nabal himself. This is the ANE concept of "corporality" (i.e., Adam, Achan). ▣ "May God do so to the enemies of David" This follows the MT but both the LXX and Peshitta have "May God do so to David." The UBS Text Project, p. 199, gives the LXX form a "B" rating (some doubt). The JPSOA has a comment in the footnote, "The phrase (MT) is intended to avoid the imprecation of David against himself."
1 Samuel 25:23-25
25:23-31 Abigail tries to placate David's anger. We clearly see in this chapter the weaknesses and strengths of David's personality. 25:25 "this worthless man" See full note at 2 Sam. 20:1.
1 Samuel 25:26-31
25:26 This is the key verse. David must not avenge himself. He must let YHWH act on his behalf. ▣ "as the Lord lives" This is a play on the covenant name of Israel's God, YHWH, which is a form of the verb "to be." He is the ever-living, only-living God (cf. v. 34). SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D. 25:28 "the Lord will certainly make" This is the intensified construction of a INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and an IMPERFECT VERB of the same root (BDB 793, KB 889). YHWH will assure David an enduring house (i.e., 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17). Abigail knows YHWH will fight David's battles evil must not be found in David's life and reign (YHWH's promises have a conditional element) 25:29 Abigail is obviously referring to Saul's pursuit of David. The imagery of "a bundle of life" according to the Jewish Study Bible, p. 609, is a metaphor denoting a long, prosperous life according to NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 843, it denotes God's care and safekeeping (i.e., tied up in a leather bag) possibly it is parallel to the book of life where the names of YHWH's faithful followers are recorded (cf. Daniel 12:1) SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TWO BOOKS OF GOD 25:30 This verse shows that the people of Israel, as well as Saul and Jonathan, knew David would be king.
1 Samuel 25:32-35
25:32-34 David recognizes Abigail's good words. He receives them (cf. v. 35) and blesses her for them. blessed be the Lord God of Israel who sent her blessed be her discernment (v. 3) bless her because she kept David from revenge on innocent people bless God who restrained David by means of Abigail's words, v. 34 25:34 "male" The MT has the idiom "one who urinates against the wall" (cf. v. 22, 1 Kgs. 14:10; 16:11; 21:21; 2 Kgs. 9:8).
1 Samuel 25:36-38
25:36 "he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king" The time of sheep shearing was traditionally a time of feasting and parties (i.e., Genesis 38; 2 Sam. 13:23-24). The descriptive phrase shows that Nabal had the resources to help David but he refused, and by his refusal, depreciated David and his family. ▣ "he was very drunk" See SPECIAL TOPIC: BIBLICAL ATTITUDES TOWARD ALCOHOL AND ALCOHOL ABUSE. 25:37-38 These verses imply that when Abigail told Nabal about David's plans and presence, he had a stroke and survived for only ten days. The stroke could have been caused by fear of David anger about David anger about what his wife did behind his back 25:38 "the Lord struck Nabal" This kind of statement often causes problems for modern western people. all causality is attributed to YHWH in the OT (cf. 2 Chr. 20:6; Eccl. 7:14; Isa. 14:24-27; 43:13; 45:7; 54:16; Jer. 18:11; Lam. 3:33-38; Amos 3:1) people reap what they sow (the two ways, cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28) YHWH is taking action on behalf of His future king (cf. 1 Sam. 25:28-29,39) One must not take this verse as a proof-text for Divine Determinism. This is ANE imagery/theology (see G. B. Caird, The Language and Imagery of the Bible). Two books that have really helped me in this area of how to interpret events in my life are Hannah Smith's The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life John W. Wenham The Goodness of God
1 Samuel 25:39-42
25:39-44 David, as the future king, had many wives. Three are listed here. Michal, Saul's youngest daughter, v. 44 (but Saul took her and gave her to another man, cf. 2 Sam. 3:13-16) Abigail, Nabal's widow Ahinoam of Jerzreel (cf. 2 Sam. 3:1; 1 Chr. 3:1) Wives were for both descendants and political alliances. By the time of 1 Chronicles 3, David had six wives and more later (cf. 2 Sam. 5:12-13). 25:41 "your maidservant is a maid to wash the feet of my lord's servants" Abigail is a humble person (cf. vv. 23-25). This act was the job of household servants, not the wife. One wonders how much good advice this lady shared with David throughout her life.