1 Samuele 25:35 Commento

We have here some intermission of David's troubles by Saul. Providence favoured him with a breathing time, and yet this chapter gives us instances of the troubles of David. If one vexation seems to be over, we must not be secure; a storm may arise from some other point, as here to David. I. Tidings of the death of Samuel could not but trouble him (Sa1 25:1). But, II. The abuse he received from Nabal is more largely recorded in this chapter. 1. The character of Nabal (Sa1 25:2, Sa1 25:3). 2. The humble request sent to him (Sa1 25:4-9). 3. His churlish answer (Sa1 25:10-12). 4. David's angry resentment of it (Sa1 25:13, Sa1 25:21, Sa1 25:22). 5. Abigail's prudent care to prevent the mischief it was likely to bring upon her family (Sa1 25:14-20). 6. Her address to David to pacify him (Sa1 25:23-31). 7. David's favourable reception of her (Sa1 25:32-35). 8. The death of Nabal (Sa1 25:36-38). 9. Abigail's marriage to David (Sa1 25:39-44).

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 25 This chapter gives an account of the death of Samuel, and of the ill treatment David met with from Nabal; it begins with the death of Samuel, which was greatly lamented in Israel, Sa1 25:1; it draws the character of Nabal, and his wife, Sa1 25:2; records a message of David to him, by his young men, desiring he would send him some of his provisions made for his sheep shearers, Sa1 25:4; and Nabal's ill-natured answer to him reported by the young men, which provoked David to arm against him, Sa1 25:10; and this being told Abigail, the wife of Nabal, and a good character given of David and his men, and of the advantage Nabal's shepherds had received from them, and the danger his family was in through his ingratitude, Sa1 25:14; she prepared a present to pacify David, went with it herself, and addressed him in a very handsome, affectionate, and prudent manner, Sa1 25:18; and met with a kind reception, Sa1 25:32; and the chapter is closed with an account of the death of Nabal, and of the marriage of Abigail to David, Sa1 25:32.

So David received of her hand that which she had brought him,.... Her present, Sa1 25:18; and which he kindly took for his own use, as well as for his men; for it was a present for a prince: and said to her, go up in peace to thine house; in peace of mind, having her request granted, and nothing to fear from David and his men, and so might return home with the greatest safety in her own person, with those that were with her, and be under no apprehensions of danger and destruction to Nabal and his family: see, I have hearkened to thy voice; to her arguments and reasonings, which were powerful; to her petitions, which were granted; and to her good counsel and advice, which he took: and have accepted thy person: done as she desired, forgave the offence, and so lifted her up, as the word signifies, and made her countenance cheerful; received her present kindly, and took well all she said and did; and promised to grant her, for the future, anything that lay in his power, whenever she should apply to him, see Job 42:8.

Further, we are taught at considerable length by other texts of Scripture, too, that we neither should nor can fulfill everything that we decide upon whether with tranquil or upset mind. In them we frequently read that holy men or angels or even almighty God himself altered the things that they had promised. For blessed David determined with the promise of an oath and said, “May God do this and add more to the enemies of David if, of all that belongs to Nabal, I leave one male until morning.” But when his wife, Abigail, interceded and entreated on his behalf, David immediately ceased his threats, softened his words, and preferred to be considered a transgressor of his own intention than to be true to his oath by cruelly carrying it out. And he said, “As the Lord lives, unless you had come quickly to meet me, there would not have been left to Nabal one male until the morning light.” As we do not at all consider the promptness of his rash vow, which proceeded from an upset and disturbed mind, as something to be imitated, so likewise we judge that the cessation and correction of the thing that was decided on is to be pursued.

David then took from her hand everything she had brought him. The Lord accepted the devotion of all believers, which the hand, that is, the work of the Synagogue preaching, had brought to Him on behalf of her children. He kindly advised that after receiving from Him the grace of heavenly peace, they should return to conscience and diligently discern how they should live for themselves.

The death of Samuel, Sa1 25:1. The history of Nabal, and his churlishness towards David and his men, Sa1 25:2-12. David, determining to punish him, is appeased by Abigail, Nabal's wife, vv. 13-35. Abigail returns, and tells Nabal of the danger that he has escaped: who on hearing it is thunderstruck, and dies in ten days, Sa1 25:36-38 David, hearing of this, sends and takes Abigail to wife, Sa1 25:39-42. He marries also Ahinoam of Jezreel, Saul having given Michal, David's wife, to Phalti, the son of Laish, Sa1 25:43, Sa1 25:44.

SAMUEL DIES. (Sa1 25:1-9) Samuel died--After a long life of piety and public usefulness, he left behind him a reputation which ranks him among the greatest of Scripture worthies. buried him in his house at Ramah--that is, his own mausoleum. The Hebrews took as great care to provide sepulchers anciently as people do in the East still, where every respectable family has its own house of the dead. Often this is in a little detached garden, containing a small stone building (where there is no rock), resembling a house, which is called the sepulcher of the family--it has neither door nor window. David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran--This removal had probably no connection with the prophet's death; but was probably occasioned by the necessity of seeking provision for his numerous followers. the wilderness of Paran--stretching from Sinai to the borders of Palestine in the southern territories of Judea. Like other wildernesses, it presented large tracts of natural pasture, to which the people sent their cattle at the grazing season, but where they were liable to constant and heavy depredations by prowling Arabs. David and his men earned their subsistence by making reprisals on the cattle of these freebooting Ishmaelites; and, frequently for their useful services, they obtained voluntary tokens of acknowledgment from the peaceful inhabitants.

The death of Samuel is inserted here, because it occurred at that time. The fact that all Israel assembled together to his burial, and lamented him, i.e., mourned for him, was a sign that his labours as a prophet were recognised by the whole nation as a blessing for Israel. Since the days of Moses and Joshua, no man had arisen to whom the covenant nation owed so much as to Samuel, who has been justly called the reformer and restorer of the theocracy. They buried him "in his house at Ramah." The expression "his house" does not mean his burial-place or family tomb, nor his native place, but the house in which he lived, with the court belonging to it, where Samuel was placed in a tomb erected especially for him. After the death of Samuel, David went down into the desert of Paran, i.e., into the northern portion of the desert of Arabia, which stretches up to the mountains of Judah (see at Num 10:12); most likely for no other reason than because he could no longer find sufficient means of subsistence for himself and his six hundred men in the desert of Judah.