Bible Commentaries

Death of Samuel. The Incident of Nabal. David and Abigail

1. Paran] That part of the desert between Sinai and Palestine which bordered on Judah.

2. Possessions] rather, 'occupation,' 'business.' Carmel] see on 1 Samuel 15:12. Great] has frequently the meaning of 'rich': cp. 2 Samuel 19:32.

Shearing his sheep] A special occasion for festivity and entertainment: cp. 1 Samuel 25:36; 2 Samuel 13:23.

Of the house of Caleb] This district of the S. of Judah had been conquered and settled by Caleb. It is called 'the south of Caleb' in 1 Samuel 30:14.

6. To him that liveth in prosperity] Vulgate has 'to my brethren.'

8. A good day] This is the ordinary Heb. phrase for a festival.

11. My water] Water is precious in these dry lands: cp. Judges 1:15. But LXX reads 'my wine.'

16. A wall] The protection from Arab robbers deserved some recognition from those who lived near the desert. Precisely the same demand is made at present by Bedouin sheikhs living on the borders of civilisation.

25. Folly] i.e. wrong-headed and foolish obstinacy and churlishness. The Heb. is the feminine form of 'Nabal': cp. 2 Samuel 3:33.

27. Blessing] RV 'present': cp. 30:26mg; Genesis 33:11.

28. Fighteth the battles of the lord] David had rescued the inhabitants of Keilah from the Philistines (1 Samuel 23:5), and protected the dwellers in the S. of Judah from the desert nomads (1 Samuel 25:16).

29. A man] The reference is to Saul.

Bound] i.e. safely bound up, so that not one is lost. In the bundle of life] rather, 'in the bundle of the living,' i.e. in the number of those whose lives are guarded and protected by God. With] 'in the custody of.'

31. Causeless] Abigail ventures to hint that Nabal's answer was not a sufficient reason for the vengeance David proposed to take.

33. Thy advice] RV 'thy wisdom.'

39. Communed with Abigail] RV 'spake concerning.' It is the technical term for 'asking any one's hand in marriage': cp. Song of Solomon 8:8.

44. Saul considered that David, as an outlaw, had forfeited his wife. But David himself never acknowledged this, and claimed Michal as his wife as soon as he had the power (2 Samuel 3:14).