David and Saul had a complicated relationship. Sometimes, David would comfort Saul by playing the harp when the harmful spirit came on him. Other times, Saul tried to kill David with a spear or sent people to murder him in his bed. Saul even hunted David with an army of three thousand men, all to kill his rival.
Despite this, David refused to harm Saul. He believed that Saul was the Lord’s anointed and wouldn’t stretch out his hand against him.
After David spared Saul’s life, Saul had a moment of clarity. He made truthful statements about the man he would once again try to kill.
Today you have explained how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands.
For who has ever found an enemy and sent the enemy safely away? So may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day.
Now I know that you shall surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.
Swear to me, therefore, by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me and that you will not wipe out my name from my father’s house” (1 Samuel 24:18-21).
Saul saw that David behaved righteously and believed God would make him the king of Israel. He asked David not to destroy his descendants or erase his father’s name when that happened.
David agreed, and they parted ways, meeting again later under more complex circumstances.
David and Nabal
The 14th Psalm says that the fool has said in his heart that there is no God.
After Samuel died, David met a man whose name meant “fool.” This didn’t mean Nabal was intellectually ignorant or slow-minded. It meant he believed he could do whatever he wanted without being accountable. That’s the meaning of “fool” in the Bible.
David had an army of 600 men, and as the saying goes, “an army moves on its stomach.” They were hungry.
They had protected Nabal’s herds, which included 3,000 sheep, 1,000 goats, and vineyards. Nabal was extremely wealthy. David’s men hadn’t taken any of his goods and had guarded them from roving bands of robbers.
All David asked was for Nabal to share some of what he had with them. However, Nabal’s response was far from generous or thoughtful; it was the response of a fool.
But Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants today who are breaking away from their masters.
Shall I take my bread and my water and the meat that I have butchered for my shearers and give it to men who come from I do not know where?” (1 Samuel 25:10-11).
When David’s men returned from meeting Nabal, they reported that this rich man refused to share any of his goods with the army. David decided to take what they needed by force. He took 400 soldiers and left 200 behind to guard the camp. Then, they headed toward Carmel, where Nabal’s sheep were being sheared and a feast was underway.
Tomorrow’s article will feature someone very different from Nabal. His wife was wise and humble. We’ll see how she saved her husband’s life and those around him with her wise advice to David.
Reflections
The Bible is an amazing history book. It shares stories of people we wouldn’t know about otherwise. But it also offers wise advice for those who read and apply its lessons to their lives.
For example, we have Nabal, a fool, and Saul, who isn’t much better. Then there’s David, who is about to act rashly but is stopped by a wise woman named Abigail.
If we read the Bible like a novel, we might just flip through pages without really thinking about the story. But if we see the Bible as a message from God on how to live, we need to ask ourselves some questions.
- Are we like the fool who acts wrongly, thinking there are no consequences?
- When do we act rashly and need good advice?
- How can we gain wisdom like Abigail’s?
- Where do we find Godly wisdom? What steps do we need to take to obtain it?
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 