IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Abigail Keeps David from Wrongdoing

Date: Jul. 22, 2024

Passage

1 Samuel 25:14-31 (ESV)

14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he railed at them. 15 Yet the men were very good to us, and we suffered no harm, and we did not miss anything when we were in the fields, as long as we went with them. 16 They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 17 Now therefore know this and consider what you should do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his house, and he is such a worthless man that one cannot speak to him.”

18 Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves and two skins of wine and five sheep already prepared and five seahs of parched grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys. 19 And she said to her young men, “Go on before me; behold, I come after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal. 20 And as she rode on the donkey and came down under cover of the mountain, behold, David and his men came down toward her, and she met them. 21 Now David had said, “Surely in vain have I guarded all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him, and he has returned me evil for good. 22 God do so to the enemies of David and more also, if by morning I leave so much as one male of all who belong to him.”

23 When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from the donkey and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground. 24 She fell at his feet and said, “On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. 25 Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent. 26 Now then, my lord, as the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, because the LORD has restrained you from bloodguilt and from saving with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal. 27 And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28 Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the LORD, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live. 29 If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the LORD your God. And the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling. 30 And when the LORD has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you and has appointed you prince over Israel, 31 my lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for having shed blood without cause or for my lord working salvation himself. And when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.”

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 25:31

my lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for having shed blood without cause or for my lord working salvation himself. And when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.”

Abigail, Nabal's wife, was an intelligent and beautiful woman (3). When her servant reported David’s rage over Nabal’s contemptuous response, she quickly thought on her feet. She knew she could not expect much from her husband (17), so she took matters into her own hands. She gathered food supplies for David and his men. The scale and speed of her gifts give us a glimpse into her wealth and position in the family.

When she came to David, she got off her donkey and bowed down, her face to the ground. With such a humble attitude, she persuaded David to avert the massacre he was about to bring (34). David was her enemy who was about to bring disaster upon the peaceful and comfortable life she had enjoyed. Yet, she had the wisdom and spiritual insight to recognize him as the one chosen by God and saw God’s guidance in his life (29). Her attitude was humble, but her words were effective as she brought his attention to his need to be right before God, preparing himself for the time when God made him a king (30,31). Her gentle reminder of God’s purpose in his life saved David from making a mistake he would regret. (Prov 31:26)

Prayer: Father, thank you for reminding me that you have called me for your great purpose. Help me to grow in wisdom so that even in frustrating times, I may be calm and make decisions to glorify you.

One Word: Abigail’s wisdom

Daily Bread

Absalom’s Conspiracy

2 Samuel 15:1-12

Key Verse: 15:6

Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

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