Now that Abigail had kept her husband and the rest of the men in her household from being killed, it was time to go home and face Nabal. When she arrived home she found that her husband was enjoying the shearing festival to the full and was happily drunk. Knowing it would do no good to address him in that state, she didn’t talk to him until the next day.
Nabal’s extravagant banquet was a reminder of his foolishness. With enough wealth to throw a party that would rival a royal feast, there was no financial reason for the man to snub David and his men. It was a purely selfish choice to ignore the man who had guarded his men and flocks. Worse yet, Nabal wasn’t even showing signs of regretting his decision. He was hoarding what was his and he didn’t care. This was a bold disobedience to God’s law about caring for others.
When morning came and Nabal was back in a sober mind it was time for Abigail to tell her husband what she had done. Now remember, she knew her husband, she knew he was a fool and he had a temper which could rival the meanest of men. She knew what could happen to her by telling Nabal that she had gone against his decision and taken some of the abundance of their stored food and given it to David. No matter the outcome, she knew she had to tell him.
Nabal’s reaction was not likely one that had crossed his wife’s mind. While being prepared for the wrath of the foolish man, she may have mentally prepared for a lashing, either physically or verbally, but instead he had some kind of medical emergency that leaves him in a paralyzed state. Expecting to be given a piece of his mind she finds herself in a situation where her husband can’t say or do anything.
Our passage says that about 10 days later the Lord brought Nabal to the end of his days and he died. Those 10 days must have been interesting for Abigail and the rest of the household. We don’t know how much Nabal could have known about what was going on around him but he may have been seeing and hearing the world in a different way. People may have said things to him which they had always been afraid to say or maybe they saw his demise as an example of what God’s judgment could look like and avoided him altogether. Either way the scene would have brought various people to think about what was becoming of the man known to be as foolish as he was rich.
Making It Personal
Do you tend to be more wise or foolish? Have you found it beneficial to spend some time listening instead of talking? What have you learned by listening instead of blowing up at someone?
Making It Personal Kids
What is the difference between being wise and being foolish? How could listening instead of talking help you learn wisdom? Have you ever learned something just by listening?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for showing us once again how listening can be helpful in growing in wisdom. Help us learn to think before speaking instead of speaking as a fool. Give us wisdom of how to live before it is too late. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Comentarios