1 Samuel 25:13-22

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:12-17

Here is, I. The report made to David of the abuse Nabal had given to his messengers (1 Sam. 25:12): They turned their way. They showed their displeasure, as became them to do, by breaking off abruptly from such a churl, but prudently governed themselves so well as not to render railing for railing, not to call him as he deserved, much less to take by force what ought of right to have been given them, but came and told David that he might do as he thought fit. Christ's servants, when they are... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:18-31

We have here an account of Abigail's prudent management for the preserving of her husband and family from the destruction that was just coming upon them; and we find that she did her part admirably well and fully answered her character. The passion of fools often makes those breaches in a little time which the wise, with all their wisdom, have much ado to make up again. It is hard to say whether Abigail was more miserable in such a husband or Nabal happy in such a wife. A virtuous woman is a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:13

And David said unto his men ,.... Provoked to the last degree to have such a rude churlish answer returned to such a civil and humble message as he had sent: gird you on every man his sword ; and prepare to march and chastise Nabal for his insolence: and they girded on every man his sword ; in obedience to David, and in vindication of his honour and their own: and David also girded on his sword ; in order to march at the head of them, fired with indignation at the affront given... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:14

But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife ,.... Not one of David's young men, as what follows shows, but one of Nabal's young men or servants, one of those David directs him to for the truth of what he said, 1 Samuel 25:8 ; this was one of those that had been employed in feeding sheep in the wilderness, where David was, and knew him, but was now at Carmel, and was present when David's messengers came to Nabal, and was privy to what passed: saying, David sent messengers out of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:15

But the men were very good unto us ,.... Very kind and civil, yea, very useful and serviceable, even all the messengers David sent and Nabal railed on, yea, all David's men, and therefore deserved better treatment than they met with from Nabal: and we were not hurt ; neither by them nor others: neither missed we anything : of our flocks, or anything belonging to us; they neither robbed us themselves, nor suffered others to rob us: as long as we were conversant with them, when we... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:16

They were a wall unto us both by night and day ,.... Protecting and defending them against the Philistines, who, as they robbed the threshing floors of Keilah, would have plundered the flocks of Nabal; or it may be rather against the incursions of the Arabs in the wilderness of Paran, the posterity of Ishmael, who lived by plunder, and against the wild beasts of the desert, who otherwise would have carried off many of their sheep and lambs, by night or by day: all the while we were with... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:17

Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do ,.... For the preservation of her family: for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household ; which he concluded, either from something that dropped from David's messengers, as they turned away from Nabal; or from the martial spirit of David himself, who would never put up such an affront and indignity cast upon him; or from some intelligence he had of David's arming his men, and marching to take vengeance: for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:18

Then 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:19

And she said to her servants, go on before me ,.... With the present, the sight of which she wisely considered would in a great measure pacify David, and prepare him to hear patiently what she had to say to him: behold, I come after you ; signifying it would not be long before she came up to them, and overtook them: but she told not her husband Nabal ; neither the danger he and his family were in through his conduct, nor the preparations she had made to prevent it; knowing his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:20

And it was so, as she rode on the ass ,.... After her servants: that she came down, by the covert of the hill ; by the side of it, which was covered with bushes, and she rode among them, in a way that led through them, and so was not seen by David and his men; or by the shadow of the hill, toward the bottom of it, where by reason of that, and the opposite hill, it was darkish, and they could not see each other: and, behold, David and his men came down against her ; came down a hill... read more

Group of Brands