She Acted With Discretion -"He Screamed Rebukes at Them" -Conclusion

 It must have been quite an undertaking to keep all those men fed in the wilderness.  So one day David sent two messengers to Nabal to ask for help.  David chose the moment wisely. It was the festive time of sheepshearing, when generosity and feasting were customary.  David also chose his word with care, using polite terms of address.  He even referred to himself as "your son David," perhaps a respectful acknowledgement of Nabal's greater age. How did Nabal respond? 

He was outraged!  "He screamed rebukes at them" is how the young men mentioned at the outset described the scene to Abigail.  Miserly Nabal complained  loudly about his precious bread, water, and slaughtered meat. He ridiculed David as inconsequential and compared him to a runaway servant.  Nabals' view may have been similar to that of Saul, who hated David.  Neither man had Jehovah's view. God loved David and saw him, not as a rebellious slave, but as the future king of Israel. - 1 SAMUEL 25:10, 11, 14. 

When the emissaries reported back to David, he became furious.  "Gird on every one his sword!" he commanded. Arming himself, David  led 400 of his men to attack. He vowed to wipe out every male in Nabal's household. (1 Samuel 25:12, 13, 21, 22.) David's ire was understandable, but his way of expressing it was wrong.  The Bible says: "Man's wrath does not work out God's righteousness." (James 1:20) How, though, could Abigail save her household?

Next time:  She Acted With Discretion - "Blessed Be  Your Sensibleness"

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