The majority of Psalm 17 is beautifully sung by Sons of Korah called 'Apple of Your Eye'. Typed below is the link for this video in case you cannot open it here. My hope is you will find it pleasing, perhaps as David intended it while you listen to the melodious tune that I have come to be quite fond of.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDMjazfFvqsig&v=MjazfFvqsig
1 Samuel 25
1 Samuel 25:1
The latter years and prophecies of Samuel's life aren't recorded in
Scripture. But because we know that Israel mourned for him after his
death, we know he had great influence on the nation even during Saul's
reign.
Ok, so perhaps this is not exactly the town of Ramah that's north of Jerusalem where Samuel lived and died (hint: words are in English), but you can now hold an image that it is here in our story where Samuel died and was buried.
1 Samuel 25:3
The Hebrew name Nabal means fool. But there are a few words in Hebrew that indicates the word 'fool', each with their own nuance. Nabal, lends itself as one of the worst meanings. This is a person who shames his parents, disregards civility, runs at the mouth and will eventually die a disrespectful death. He has no fear of God or man and his life displays the consequences of this attitude. Proverbs strongly suggests avoiding such a person since this attitude about life will also lead others astray.
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| A shepherd in Afganistan; not the real Nabal, but you get the idea. |
Verses 4-17 are all quite self-explanatory.
Biblestudytools.com commented on all this food! I appreciate the details of it as I visualize what Abigail brought forth as a gift to David. This is one way to prove that a man's heart can be through his stomach. It worked in her day, too!
1 Samuel 25:18Then Abigail made haste
As the case required, her family being in imminent danger:
and took two hundred loaves;
of bread; of what size or weight they were is not said; though it may be reasonably concluded they were pretty large, since they are not called cakes, but loaves, and since they were to be a present to David and his men, who were numerous.
and two bottles of wine;
not such as ours are, which would have borne no proportion to the rest of the provision; but these were two vessels or casks of wine.
and five sheep ready dressed;
killed and dressed by the butcher, or made ready by the cook, boiled or roasted;
and five measures of parched [corn];
or five seahs, a measure which held, according to Bishop Cumberland F2, two wine gallons, four bottles, and a little more; of this parched corn and the Septuagint version has the same measure here, and calls them five ephahs of flour.
and an hundred clusters of raisins;
and two hundred cakes of figs;
which were dried, and pressed, and made into lumps, and she took two hundred of these; or, as the Targum, two hundred pound weight of them:
and laid [them] on asses;
one not being sufficient to carry all this provision.
(If back then Abigail could have only had a cart like this, she might not have needed multiple asses! Then again, the asses might have preferred a heavy load on their backs with a few buddies vs. this cart!)
1 Samuel 25:31
Abigail was no dummy. She realized her husband was a fool. She knew men like David (whom she knew was righteous and she undoubtedly heard how he had God's favor) wanted to kill him. So who knows how soon before this idiot husband of hers was murdered and she would be left a widow of a fool? Indeed, God did reward Abigail's generous gifts to David by making her David's wife after Nabal died. It appears that Abigail, who was most likely more of a slave than a beloved wife, would be happy to be rid of Nabal.
1 Samuel 25:37
Nabal finally came face to face with his folly, and it caused his heart to fail. He didn’t have time to repent. His fate was sealed. Those who think they will change right before they die are deceiving themselves. They should take notice of Nabal.
1 Samuel 25:41
Abigail must have had a miserable life with Nabal. We don’t know all
the details, but it appears she kept her faith in the Lord. A lesser
woman would have just given up and looked at her life as hopeless. But
in one day she went from being the wife of a worthless fellow to being
the wife of a king. There is always a reward to those who keep their
trust in God. ~Andrew Wommack
Oh, now I get this, people! Let's just say that I am now married to a prince, a true gentleman, a gift from God. AKA: Lord John Wonderly
1 Samuel 25:42
This godly woman had been in an unbearable situation for many years. But she remained faithful to the Lord and in just a couple of weeks her whole life changed for the good. We should never give up.
I am living proof that this isn't just Old Testament stuff. Literally, three weeks after my divorce of 24 years, God told me that John was my gift from Him for 24 years of obedience to an unfaithful, angry man. John and I married exactly one year from the date God introduced me to him. When it's done in God's timing, with God's blessing, haste is inconsequential.
1 Samuel 25:43
The book of Deuteronomy 17:17 made a statement that David overlooked and
he fell prey to its snare. He took more than one wife and this is what
likely started the idea that he could lust and have whatever woman he
wanted. He let his power and passion tempt him into sin including
adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah.
A man with a divided heart will be destroyed internally, then externally.
Deuteronomy 17:17 (NLT)
17 The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the Lord.
1 Samuel 25:44
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