Once David had killed the Philistine giant, Goliath, and saved the Israelites from slavery, King Saul's jealousy ate at him like a canker. It intensified even more once he realized that David would replace him as king. More than once he tried to kill this "usurper" to the throne.

We read in 1Samuel 25:1 that Samuel had died and "the Israelites gathered together and lamented for him, and buried him at his home in Ramah." Meanwhile, David is hiding from Saul in the wilderness of Paran, along with about six hundred men. In 1Samuel chapter 24 a messenger brings Saul word that David and his men are located in the wilderness of Engedi. He immediately gathered an army and went in pursuit of his new enemy.

As they approached the area, Saul went into a cave to rest. Little did he know that David, and the men with him, were hiding deep in the recesses of the same cave. As Saul slept David approached him stealthily and cut off a piece of Saul's robe. When the soldiers encouraged him to harm (or kill) the king David replied, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD."  He then hid himself again until Saul left the cave.(1Samuel_24:6).

Once Saul was a distance away, David showed himself and called out to him. When Saul turned to look David bowed his face to the ground in respect for his king. He then went on to explain what he had done and told Saul that this act proved that he had no intention to do him harm. Saul was so moved by what David said that he wept.

He then asked David to promise him that he would not cut off all the descendents to his house. David gave his word that he would not. Many years later (2Samuel_9) David kept his promise to Saul. He found a crippled grandson, the son of his close friend Jonathan, and he restored all the lands and riches that were rightfully his. He also brought him to live in the palace and treated him as a son. But that is another story for another time. Let's talk about Abigail.

We read in 1Samuel_25:2 about a man called Nabal. The text says he was very wealthy and owned  3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats. His home was in Maon, but he had been shearing his sheep in Carmel, which was near the place where David was hiding from Saul. It was a feast day and Nabal prepared a banquet for his shearers. The text goes on to say that he was harsh and evil in his doings.

David got wind of the impending banquet and knew there would be ample food that Nabal could share with them. He then sent ten young men to Nabal with a request for food for their party. He told them to say, "Peace be to you, peace to your house, and peace to all that you have! Now I have heard that you have shearers. Your shepherds were with us, and we did not hurt them, nor was there anything missing from them all the while they were in Carmel. Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we come on a feast day. Please give whatever comes to your hand to your servants and to your son David" 1Samuel_25:6-8.

This gesture from the future king of Israel would have humbled most men, but not Nabal. This wealthy man (who was very drunk by this time) scoffed at the request. He was rude to the young men and sent them away empty-handed.

When David heard this, he told four hundred of his soldiers to strap on their swords. Nabal, he had determined, was going to pay for his rudeness and stinginess with his life, as well as the lives of all the men with him.

Meanwhile, one of the shearers sought out Nabal's wife, Abigail, and related the events that had occurred. The scriptures call her "a woman of good understanding and beautiful appearance" (verse 3). Her name literally means "My Father Rejoiced" . The young man explained why he had come to her with his request: "But the men (David's soldiers) were very good to us, and we were not hurt, nor did we miss anything as long as we accompanied them, when we were in the fields. They were a wall to us both by night and day, all the time we were with them keeping the sheep. Now therefore, know and
consider what you will do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his household. For he is such a scoundrel that one cannot speak to him."

She hurried and loaded donkeys with ample food for David and his men. After mounting another donkey she instructed the servant to go in front of the procession. All this she did in secret, not telling her drunken husband.

As she approached David and his men, she got off the donkey and fell on her face at his feet. She begged him to take the gift of food and forget his vow to shed her husband's blood. She reasoned that when he became king over Israel, he would not want to remember an incident when he took vengeance on her "scoundrel" husband and shed blood without a cause. She also asked him to remember her kindness when he became ruler of his people. Her speech was a well-calculated one that contained both praise and sound advice.

David was impressed with her beauty and her wisdom and said, "Blessed is the LORD God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! And blessed is your advice and blessed are you, because you have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand. For indeed, as the LORD God of Israel lives, who has kept me
back from hurting you, unless you had hastened and come to meet me, surely by morning light no males would have been left to Nabal!" (verses 32-34)

The story does not end here. The next morning Abigail related the previous days events to her (now sober) husband. When he realized how close he had come to causing the death of his whole household, it frightened him and the scripture says, "his heart died within him." In other words, he had a heart attack. He lived another ten days and then died.

When David learned that Nabal was dead, he sent word and proposed to Abigail. She became the second of his eight wives. After a period of time she gave birth to a son, whom they named him Chileab (also called Daniel).

We see Abigail again in 1Samuel 30, as an amazing rescue unfolds. While David was away, the Amalekites besieged Ziklag, burned the city to the ground, and took the citizens captive. Among those taken were David's two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail. The people were so upset about the tragedy that there was talk of stoning David for this disaster. David;
however, had other plans.

With six hundred men, he set out to avenge the people. Two hundred became weary and had to wait while the remaining four hundred went on with David. He not only rescued his wives, but every person that had been carried away. In addition, all the spoils were returned to their owners, and David took the flocks and herds for his share.

Abigail's name literally means "my father rejoiced." She used what she had . . . wisdom, beauty, and kindness . . . to avert a volatile situation. We may not all be Abigails, but we all have something. The thing we must do is to wisely use whatever talent we have to the glory of God. Do you wish you were more wise? Prayer is the answer. In James_1:5 we read, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." Does this mean that God will open the tops of our heads and pour it inside . . . without us lifting a finger? Absolutely not! The Lord has always expected us to do the best we can and strive to ever do better . . . and God will pick up the slack.

We all run into "sticky situations" from time-to-time. The way we react can either make the problem worse or defuse a possible tragedy. We need to be very careful if we choose to intervene in the troubles of other people, however. There is a fine line between giving aid and meddling. The wise man, Solomon, said, "He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel
not his own Is like one who takes a dog by the ears." (Proverbs_26:17). Close your eyes and picture a big, ugly bull dog, and he is coming at you. As a last ditch effort, you grab him by both ears and hold him at arms length. Now what are you going to do? If you let go of either ear, he will attack, but you can't hold on forever. We all want to be wise in out decisions, but be very careful you don't quit helping and go to meddling.

©Jeanetta Watkins