Day 67 – 1 Samuel 25:32-36

Scripture Review

1 Samuel 25:32-36

After Abigail's humble plea, David's heart changes.

"And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me:"

(1 Samuel 25:32)

David blesses the LORD God of Israel before he says anything, understands that Abigail did not just happen to be there. God sent her. David now sees the meeting as God's intervention and uses the words "which sent thee this day to meet me" to show his revelation. Just a short time before, David was thinking about Nabal's evil. Now he is thinking about God's mercy.

"And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand."

(1 Samuel 25:33)

David blesses Abigail's advice. The word points to her wisdom, discernment, and good judgment. Her counsel was not merely kind. It was right, timely, and honored God. David says he was about to kill without God's command and take personal vengeance on Nabal's house. She kept him from "coming to shed blood." He says she also kept him from "avenging myself with mine own hand." showing David was about to take justice into his own hands instead of leaving judgment to the Lord. David confesses that Abigail's words kept him from sin. That is humility.

"For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall."

(1 Samuel 25:34)

David says "In very deed" means truly, certainly, without exaggeration. He was close to committing sin. Again he gives God the glory, "which hath kept me back." David sees that Abigail was the instrument, but the Lord was the One who restrained him.The phrase "by the morning light" means by dawn, by sunrise. David is saying that if Abigail had delayed even a little longer, Nabal's male household would have been destroyed by the next morning.

"So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person."

(1 Samuel 25:35)

David receives the gift. He accepts both the provision and the counsel that came with it. Then he tells Abigail, "Go up in peace to thine house." That means she can return without fear. David will not attack. He says, "I have hearkened to thy voice." He has yielded to the truth of her words "and have accepted thy person." meaning he has received her favorably. He respects her appeal and grants her request. David is not weakened by changing course. He is strengthened by it. Sometimes the strongest thing a man can do is stop before sin is committed.

"And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light."

(1 Samuel 25:36)

While Abigail has received mercy on the house, Nabal is feasting carelessly. "Like the feast of a king" means it was lavish, excessive, full of abundance and self-indulgence. His heart was "merry within him" because "he was very drunken." This is not holy joy. This is the false cheerfulness of intoxication. Nabal is blind to the danger he has brought on himself.

Abigail says nothing "until the morning light." Again, this means until dawn. She waits until he is sober. She knows the wrong time to speak can ruin even the right message.

God sent Abigail. Her wisdom preserved Nabal's house for the moment, but it also preserved David's heart.