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DAVID’S CONFLICT WITH NABAL (2)

I Samuel 25:23-44

Victor M. Eskew

 

1.      Outline:

 

i.                    THE PLEA OF ABIGAIL (I Sam. 25:23-31)

ii.                  THE PEACE PROMISED BY DAVID (I Sam. 25:32-35)

iii.                THE PASSING OF NABAL (I Sam. 25:36-38)

iv.                THE PARTNERSHIP OF DAVID AND ABIGAIL (I Sam. 25:39-42)

v.                  THE POST ABOUT DAVID’S OTHER WIVES (I Sam. 25:43-44)

 

2.      What was the first thing Abigail did when she saw David? (I Sam. 25:23)

 

And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground.

 

A.    She got off her donkey, fell down on her face, and bowed before David.

 

B.      This response could have involved two different things:

1.      The respect of a woman before a man.

2.      The respect of a godly woman before a man of high honor.

 

C.     Question:  If we have been living at that time, how would we have looked upon and treated David?

 

3.      Who did she ask for David to put the iniquity upon? (I Sam. 25:24)

 

And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be…

 

A.    She wanted it to be placed upon her.

 

B.      Question:  Is it possible to take the iniquity of another upon ourselves?

1.      If the answer is no, why did Abigail do this?

2.      If the answer is yes, please explain how this is done.

 

4.      T – F    Abigail asked for permission to speak to David in more detail. (I Sam. 25:24)

 

…and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.

 

A.    True

 

5.      T – F    Abigail asked David to totally disregard Nabal. (I Sam. 25:25)

 

Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal…

 

A.    True

 

6.      Why did she ask David to disregard Nabal? (I Sam. 25:25)

 

…for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him…

 

A.    The name “Nabal” means “fool.”

 

B.      Abigail knew her husband well.  She had probably seen his shenanigans many times in their marriage.

 

C.     LESSON:  Over the years, family members learn the mindset and disposition of their spouse, parent, etc.  We become pretty good at knowing what they will say and how they will react.  When they don’t act in certain ways, we are often very surprised.

 

7.      T – F    Abigail had not seen David’s men whom he had sent to Nabal’s house (I Sam. 25:25)

 

…but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.

 

A.    True

 

8.      Who did Abigail say had withholden David from coming to shed blood? (I Sam. 25:26).

 

Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord liveth, and as they soul liveth seeing the Lord hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand…

 

A.    It was the Lord who had intervened to keep David from avenging himself.

 

B.      Abigail is a godly woman.  She may have prayed to the Lord to intervene in this matter.  Her finding David before the onslaught began may have been the answer to her prayer.  Thus, she knew the Lord had intervened.

 

9.      “…let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal (I Sam. 25:26).

 

A.    Abigail had told David to no longer concern himself with Nabal.

 

B.      She wanted all of David’s enemies to take this same position in the life of David. 

 

10.  What did Abigail call the gifts that she had brought to David? (I Sam. 25:27)

 

And now this blessing which thine handmaid hat brought unto my lord…

 

A.    She called it a blessing.

 

B.      Blessing:

1.      Strong (1293):  benediction, by implication prosperity        :- blessing, liberal, pool, present

2.      BDB:  blessing, prosperity, gift, present, treaty of peace

 

11.  T – F    Abigail states a second time that she is the one who transgressed (I Sam. 25:28).

 

I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid…

 

A.    True

 

12.  “…for the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure  house “(I Sam. 25:28).

 

 

13.  What two reasons did Abigail give for the previous statement? (I Sam. 25:28)

 

…because my lord fighteth the battles of the lord, and evil hath not be found in thee all thy days.

 

A.    David had fought the battles of the Lord.

 

B.      Evil had not been found in him up to that point in David’s life.

 

C.     LESSON:  Our character and the works in which we are engaged are known by others. 

 

14.  T – F    Abigail knew that Saul was seeking David’s life (I Sam. 25:29)

 

Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul…

 

A.    True

 

B.      This conflict between Saul and David had been going on for quite some time now.  The news of the conflict had spread throughout Israel.

 

15.  What did Abigail mean when she said:  “…but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God…”? (I Sam. 25:29).

 

A.    This bundle was the Lord’s bundle.  It consisted of the souls of them in whom God delighted and whose lives He would protect.

1.      Birds house their offspring in their nests.

2.      Animals protect their offspring in their dens.

3.      God preserves His offspring in “the bundle of life.”

 

B.      LESSON:  It is assuring to know that God is aware of our circumstances, especially those that are unfavorable to us, and that He seeks to preserve our lives in His “bundle of life.”

 

16.  What would the Lord do to the souls of David’s enemies? (I Sam. 25:29)

 

…and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.

 

A.    He would sling them out, as out of the middle of a sling.

 

B.      He would cast them away from David’s presence.  NOTE:  A stone slung from the middle of a sling would be cast the farthest.

 

17.  T – F    Abigail prophesied that David would never rule over Israel. (I Sam. 25:30)

 

And t shall come to pass, when the Lord shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel.

 

A.    False. 

 

B.      It is interesting that the division between Saul and David had grown to such an extent and was so well known by others and the prevailing consensus was the David would eventually take the throne.

 

18.  If David had done this deed that he was planning, what did Abigail say it would be to David? (I Sam. 25:31)

 

That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offense of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself…

 

A.    He would have grieved.

 

B.      He would have felt an offense had been committed in his heart.

 

C.     LESSON:  Things done hastily in anger can come back to bite us.

1.      It could be deep regret.  This seems to be what Abigail alludes to.

2.      This regret could involve actions that could never be reversed.  If David had taken lives at the home of Nabal, he would not have been able to restore those lives.

 

19.  What was David to do when the Lord shall have dealt well with him? (I Sam. 25:31).

 

…but when the Lord shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.

 

A.    Abigail wanted David to remember her when the Lord dealt well with him.

 

20.  When David first heard Abigail’s words, who did he bless? (I Sam. 25:32)

 

And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me.

 

A.    David blessed the Lord for sending Abigail to him.

 

B.      LESSON:  There are times when the quick thinking and the negotiation of others can keep us from doing very harmful things.  When a person comes into our lives with such advice, we should thank God for them.

 

21.  T – F    When David heard Abigail’s words, he cursed her. (I Sam. 25:33)

 

And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.

 

A.    False.  He blessed both her and her advice.

 

22.  What would have happened if Abigail had not met David that day? (I Sam. 25:34)

 

For in very deed, as the Lord God of Israel liveth, which kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

 

A.    Had Abigail not shown up, David would have slaughtered the men of Nabal’s  household.

 

B.      LESSON:  Unless there is some form of intervention, anger will often act in evil ways until it has completed its wicked mission.

 

 

 

 

23.  T – F    David did not receive the gift from Abigail. (I Sam. 25:35)

 

So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her…

 

A.    False

 

24.  “Go in peace to thine house; see I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person” (I Sam. 25:35)

 

25.  What was Nabal holding when Abigail got back to her house? (I Sam. 25:36)

 

And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king…

 

A.    A feast, like the feast of a king

 

26.  Why didn’t Abigail tell Nabal about what had happened with David? (I Sam. 25:36)

 

…and Nabal’s heart was merry within him for he was very drunken:   wherefore she told him nothing less or more, until the morning light.

 

A.    Abigail did not tell Nabal because he was “very drunken.”

 

B.      LESSON:  When a person is drunk, his mind is not functioning correctly.  He is not in a proper condition to receive very important information.

 

27.  When did she tell Nabal? (I Sam. 25:37)

 

But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things…

 

A.    She told him the following morning.

 

28.  When Nabal heard the words of Abigail, what happened to him? (I Sam. 25:37)

 

…that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.

 

A.    His heart died within him, and he became a stone.

 

B.      Keil and Delitzsche believe that Nabal suffered a stroke.  They write:  “whereat he was so terrified, that he was smitten with a stroke.”

 

29.  How long did it take for Nabal to die? (I Sam. 25:38)

 

And it came to pass about ten days after, that the Lord smote Nabal, that he died.

 

A.    About 10 days

 

30.  When David heard that Nabal was dead, what four things did he do? (I Sam. 25:39)

 

And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the Lord, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept back his servant from evil:  for the Lord hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head.  And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife.

 

A.    He blessed the Lord because He pled the cause of David’s reproach.

 

B.      He blessed the Lord because He kept back David from evil.

 

C.     He blessed the Lord because He returned the wickedness of Nabal on his own head.

 

D.    He sent to Abigail to take her for his wife.

 

31.  Who told Abigail that David wanted to take her to be his wife? (I Sam. 25:40)

 

And when the servants of David were come to Abigail in Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife.

 

A.    David’s servants

 

32.  T – F    Abigail agreed to go with them. (I Sam. 25:41)

 

And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of my lord.

 

A.    True

 

33.  What position would Abigail gladly accept in David’s house? (I Sam. 25:41)

 

...Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.

 

A.    She would be a handmaid.

 

B.      She would be a servant to the servants.

 

34.  How many damsels went with Abigail when she went to be David’s wife? (I Sam. 25:42)

 

And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went with the messengers of David, and became his wife.

 

A.    Five

 

35.  Who else did David take to be his wife? (I Sam. 25:43)

 

David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives.

 

A.    Ahinoam of Jezreel

 

B.      She would become the mother of David’s firstborn son, Ammon.

 

36.  Who did Saul give Michal to instead of David? (I Sam. 25:44)

 

But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of Gallim.

 

A.    Saul had given Michal to Phalti the son of Laish.

 

B.      Gallim was found in Benjamin.  Saul may have chosen him because he was of the same tribe as Saul.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DAVID SPARES SAUL THE SECOND TIME

I Samuel 26:1-12

Victor M. Eskew

 

1.      Outline:

 

vi.                I SAMUEL 26:1-3a

vii.              I SAMUEL 26:3b-5

viii.            I SAMUEL 26:6-7

ix.                I SAMUEL 26:8-11a

x.                  I SAMUEL 26:11b-12

 

2.      Who told Saul where David was hiding? (I Sam. 26:1).

 

3.      Where did they say David was? (I Sam. 26:1).

 

4.      T – F    Saul had no interest in finding David. (I Sam. 26:2)

 

5.      How many men did Saul take with him to find David? (I Sam. 26:2)

 

6.      T – F    David was not aware that Saul was after him in the wilderness. (I Sam. 26:3)

 

7.      Who did David send out to confirm that Saul was come out “in very deed”? (I Sam. 26:4)

 

8.      When David came to Saul’s camp, what other person did he see? (I Sam. 26:5)

 

9.      Where was Saul laying? (I Sam. 26:5)

 

10.  To whom did David ask this question:  “Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp?” (I Sam. 26:6)

 

11.  Which man said that he would go with David? (I Sam. 26:6)

 

12.  When did they go into Saul’s camp? (I Sam. 26:7)

 

13.  What was Saul doing when they entered the camp? (I Sam. 26:7)

 

14.  Where was Saul’s spear? (I Sam. 26:7)

 

15.  What two things did Abishai say to David when they found Saul asleep? (I Sam. 26:8)

 

A.

 

B.

 

16.  T – F    Abishai was sure he could kill Saul with one blow. (I Sam. 26:8)

 

17.  “And David said to Abishai, __________________ him not…” (I Sam. 26:9)

 

18.  Why wouldn’t David allow Abishai kill Saul? (I Sam. 26:9)

 

19.  T- F      If a person killed the Lord’s anointed, he would be guitless. (I Sam. 26:9)

20.  What were the three ways David believed Saul could possibly die? (I Sam. 26:10)

 

A.

 

B.

 

C.

 

21.  “The Lord ________________ that I should stretch forth mine hand against the ____________  __________________” (I Sam. 26:11)

 

22.  Before they left the camp, what two things did David instruct Abishai to take? (I Sam. 26:11)

 

A.

 

B.

 

23.  T – F    As David and Abishai left the camp, some of Saul’s troops heard them.

(I Sam. 26:12)

 

24.  Why didn’t anyone in the camp hear David and Abishai? (I Sam. 26:12)