1 Samuel 25:18-20
Verse 19 Then she told her servants, “Go on ahead; I’ll follow you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
Upon hearing what Nabal’s shepherd had to say about the master’s treatment of David and his men, Abigail makes immediate plans. She knows that to ward off a slaughter of her husband and the entire household, she must act quickly and get to David before he gets to the property. She also knows that she can’t meet the man empty handed, so she gathers some things which David had originally asked for.
Now while it says that she took immediate action that does not mean she hurried off to meet the future king. The things she was gathering would take a bit of effort. Sheep shearing is often done in the spring as the wool has kept the sheep warm during the winter months. Some even shear as early as February so they are sheared before lambing season when the ewe’s lactating for their lambs is thought to possibly decrease the quality of the wool.
Abigail gathers quite a feast despite the time of year. She took two hundred loaves of bread and two skins of wine. She also had five sheep which were already dressed, not a quick process, as well as slightly more than a bushel of roasted grain. Added to this were a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred pressed fig cakes. This amount of food required beasts of burden to carry and so after gathering all the items, there was the matter of packing it all to go.
We mentioned yesterday that Nabal was rich and this gift and the donkeys they were riding on were a perfect example of that wealth. Abigail was also able to travel via a donkey. This wealth and size of the gift would have required that Abigail was traveling with servants to help her. In fact, she told them to travel ahead of her and she would follow them. But she didn’t tell her husband that she was going. She knew the results if she didn’t carry out her mission, and it wouldn’t be pretty.
As this beautiful lady enters the mountain ravine she sees David and his men coming down the mountain towards her. She knew he had no reason to be kind to her but she knew enough about his character to know she had to try.
Making It Personal
Have you ever stepped into a position to keep someone from doing something they shouldn’t do? Have you ever been so angry that you couldn’t wait to make the person pay for what they had done to you? What should your response be to a hurt done to you?
Making It Personal Kids
Have you ever tried to help someone not do something they would get in trouble for? Have you ever been so mad that you tried doing something that you shouldn’t do? What should you do if someone hurts you?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for this wonderful example of wisdom. Give us the courage to do what would please You in every instance in life. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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