Tyndale Open Study Notes1 Samuel 25

This story about Nabal falls between two accounts in which Saul pursued David and David spared Saul’s life. Nabal was similar to Saul.

Paran: According to the Masoretic Text, David went to the wilderness of Paran after Samuel’s death. The Septuagint instead reads Maon, which fits better with the following story set in the Maon/Carmel area of Judah. This town in southern Judah (see study note on 1 Samuel 23:24) was probably Nabal’s home. The wilderness of Paran itself lay much farther south, in the northern Sinai near Kadesh-barnea, and is elsewhere described as a place of refuge (Genesis 21:21; 1 Kings 11:18).

Carmel was a village near Maon. It should not be confused with the famous mountain from the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 18. In this village, Saul built a monument to celebrate his victory over the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:12).

• Nabal: See 1 Samuel 25:25 to understand the irony of his name.

• Unlike her husband, Abigail was a sensible and wise person, as the story shows.

Sheep-shearing time for herdsmen was like harvest time for farmers. It was a time of celebration and thankfulness for blessings.

son of Jesse: This phrase refers to David. Like Saul, Nabal used this description in a disrespectful way. He avoided using David’s name to show contempt rather than honor (1 Samuel 20:27, 31; 22:7).

he has paid me back evil for good: See also 1 Samuel 24:17.

the LORD has held you back from bloodshed and from avenging yourself: Abigail began her plea by saying that God had kept David from murder and revenge, and she ended it the same way (1 Samuel 25:31). She reminded David that he had the power to kill Nabal, just as he had the power to kill Saul, but he chose not to do so.

• a lasting dynasty: God promised David that his family line would continue (see 2 Samuel 7).

• fights the LORD’s battles: David was famous and admired for defeating Israel’s enemies (1 Samuel 18:7, 13, 16).

• no evil be found in you: This does not mean that David was without sin. It means that he was innocent in the way he pursued the throne. He did not try to seize it by violence, as 1 Samuel 25:29–31 makes clear.

The phrase like stones from a sling fits David well. David famously defeated Goliath by striking him with a stone from a sling (1 Samuel 17:32–51). The image reminds listeners of that event and highlights David’s strength and skill.

for a king: Nabal was like Saul (see study note on 1 Samuel 25:1–44).

Nabal was so stunned by the revelation that he had a stroke or a heart attack.

• Nabal’s death was God’s punishment for his sin. David could not be accused of vengeful murder.

• David quickly asked Abigail to marry him. She had proven herself wise and was also beautiful (1 Samuel 25:3).

• Ahinoam was also the name of Saul’s wife (1 Samuel 14:50). If she was the same woman, then David married Saul’s widow after Saul died (1 Samuel 31:1–13). This would create another parallel between Nabal and Saul. However, other passages suggest they were two different women (1 Samuel 27:3; 30:5).

• This Jezreel was a small village in Judah, near Maon, Ziph, and Carmel (Joshua 15:55–56). It was not the better-known northern city of Jezreel.

Saul likely gave Michal to another man for political reasons. He wanted to weaken David's claim to the throne by ending David's marriage to a royal family member.