Seeds For Thinking

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

* The Foolish One
* Scripture: Abigail said, "For as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and folly is with him!"
1 Samuel 25:25, NKJV

Chip on the shoulder, and very lightly balanced! Wouldn't take much to knock it off, or set off the wearer, for that matter. Some people are like that - primed to explode, and a short fuse to boot. Perpetually angry at the world and all within it.
Now I'm not sure that this description fits Nabal the Carmelite, but from the account in the book of 1 Samuel, he certainly lives up to his name, which means "Fool." (1 Samuel Ch. 25)
He was blessed with riches; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. His wife, Abigail, is noted as being a woman of good understanding and beautiful appearance. Nabal was harsh and evil in his doings. Quite a contrast!
David and his band of men had been hiding in the wilderness of Maon and the strongholds of En Gedi. King Saul pursued David relentlessly, seeking to take his life. Saul unknowingly entered a cave in which David was hiding, yet David restrained his servants from harming the king. The opportunity was there; the sword was in David's hand, but he used it only to cut off the corner of Saul's robe.
After Saul had exited the cave, David made his presence known, and displayed the piece of cloth from the robe as evidence that his hand was not against the king.
Saul lifted up his voice and wept (24:16b)
Of such was the character of David. But Saul was not the only one he protected. David and his men provided security for the shepherds foraging their flocks in the wilderness, even the flocks and shepherds of Nabal.
David sent ten young men to Nabal, seeking presents for their protective services, coming in peace to "him who lives in prosperity." Nabal not only refused to pay from his largess, but also insulted David and the messengers. He has repaid David "evil for good.: (Vs. 21)
David set out to redress Nabal's foolish insult with four-hundred armed men. Caught between their scoundrel of a master and a revenging army, the servants alert Abigail to the coming danger.
Taking matters into her own hand, Abigail went out to meet David with food and wine. Apologizing for her husband, "The Foolish One", she convinces David to refrain from bloodshed.
Later, when Nabal had sobered up from the wine of the feast enough to understand what he had done, he suffered a stroke, and died ten days later.

"Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go, Lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul." Proverbs 22:24, 25, NKJV
February 5, 2006