RESTITUTION

GREED AND RECOMPENSE
Abigail’s story

CONSIDER THIS

1 Samuel 25

[25:2-8] After reaching the Promised Land and settling in, David noticed a certain man there, Nabal, a rich Calebite. David remembered him because he traveled with them and while they were still in the wilderness, he and his men looked after his shepherds who watched over his flock. Now, this was time for the great festival, a celebration of and everyone was preparing by shearing their sheep for their wool as was Nabal. This was also a time that David and his men were in great need of supplies for themselves. David dispatches a few of his men to bring a message to Nabal- reminding him of the time they were together in the wilderness, and how they looked after the welfare of his sheep, then to ask for the supplies.

1 Samuel 25: 11 Am I supposed to take my bread, my water, and my meat that I butchered for my shearers and give them to these men? I don’t know where they are from.”

By the time they got to Nabal, he had started in on the celebrations and consumed quite a bit of alcohol. Consequently, he didn’t remember who David was much less what he had done for him. Instead, Nabal raised his voice and in his arrogance sends David’s men on their way. After hearing this report, David was infuriated, so he saddles up his men and heads out to confront Nabal.

35a Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay (Deuteronomy 32:35a)

A young man who was in Nabal’s army alerted Abigail, (Nabal’s wife) of the impending debauchee, and her how David kept watch over the sheep, Nabal’s ungratefulness. She orders troops to quickly gather as much supplies possible and heads out to intercept David- All the while when Nabal is still celebrating. When she meets up with him, Abigail apologizes profusely for Nabal’s arrogance and stupidity after all David had done for them, and pleads with him to accept the supplies on his behalf [23-25]. David shares his frustration on her husband’s response; the he accepts the supplies and turns back. When Abigail returned, she saw that Nabal was so drunk with alcohol that she didn’t bother to tell him with what she had done. The next day, when Nabal had sobered up, Abigail tells him what she did for David to make up for his arrogance and right about then, God shows up to make recompense- Nabal suffers a seizure and dies.

When an offense is made against us, God Almighty is sure to intercede on our behalf. He inserts Abigail (the wiser of the two), who He equips to be His instrument to change the outcome of this event. And we know she was rewarded greatly for her obedience.