Chapter 25:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Ruth 2 Samuel
1 Samuel 25
Concise Complete
Death of Samuel. (1) David's request; Nabal's churlish
refusal. (2-11) David's intention to destroy Nabal. (12-17) Abigail takes a
present to David. (18-31) He is pacified, Nabal dies. (32-39) David takes
Abigail to wife. (39-44)
Verse 1 All Israel
lamented Samuel, and they had reason. He prayed daily for them. Those have hard
hearts, who can bury faithful ministers without grief; who do not feel their
loss of those who have prayed for them, and taught them the way of the Lord.
Verses 2-11 We
should not have heard of Nabal, if nothing had passed between him and David.
Observe his name, Nabal, "A fool;" so it signifies. Riches make men look great
in the eye of the world; but to one that takes right views, Nabal looked very
mean. He had no honour or honesty; he was churlish, cross, and ill-humoured;
evil in his doings, hard and oppressive; a man that cared not what fraud and
violence he used in getting and saving. What little reason have we to value the
wealth of this world, when so great a churl as Nabal abounds, and so good a man
as David suffers want!, David pleaded the kindness Nabal's shepherds had
received. Considering that David's men were in distress and debt, and
discontented, and the scarcity of provisions, it was by good management that
they were kept from plundering. Nabal went into a passion, as covetous men are
apt to do, when asked for any thing, thinking thus to cover one sin with
another; and, by abusing the poor, to excuse themselves from relieving them. But
God will not thus be mocked. Let this help us to bear reproaches and
misrepresentations with patience and cheerfulness, and make us easy under them;
it has often been the lot of the excellent ones of the earth. Nabal insists much
on the property he had in the provisions of his table. May he not do what he
will with his own? We mistake, if we think we are absolute lords of what we
have, and may do what we please with it. No; we are but stewards, and must use
it as we are directed, remembering it is not our own, but His who intrusted us
with it.
Verses 12-17
God is kind to the evil and unthankful, and why may not we be so? David
determined to destroy Nabal, and all that belonged to him. Is this thy voice, O
David? Has he been so long in the school of affliction, where he should have
learned patience, and yet is so passionate? He at other times was calm and
considerate, but is put into such a heat by a few hard words, that he seeks to
destroy a whole family. What are the best of men, when God leaves them to
themselves, that they may know what is in their hearts? What need to pray, Lord,
lead us not into temptation!
Verses 18-31
By a present Abigail atoned for Nabal's denial of David's request. Her behaviour
was very submissive. Yielding pacifies great offences. She puts herself in the
place of a penitent, and of a petitioner. She could not excuse her husband's
conduct. She depends not upon her own reasonings, but on God's grace, to soften
David, and expects that grace would work powerfully. She says that it was below
him to take vengeance on so weak and despicable an enemy as Nabal, who, as he
would do him no kindness, so he could do him no hurt. She foretells the glorious
end of David's present troubles. God will preserve thy life; therefore it
becomes not thee unjustly and unnecessarily to take away the lives of any,
especially of the people of thy God and Saviour. Abigail keeps this argument for
the last, as very powerful with so good a man; that the less he indulged his
passion, the more he consulted his peace and the repose of his own conscience.
Many have done that in a heat, which they have a thousand times wished undone
again. The sweetness of revenge is soon turned into bitterness. When tempted to
sin, we should consider how it will appear when we think upon it afterwards.
Verses 32-39
David gives God thanks for sending him this happy check in a sinful way. Whoever
meet us with counsel, direction, comfort, caution, or seasonable reproof, we
must see God sending them. We ought to be very thankful for those happy
providences which are the means of keeping us from sinning. Most people think it
enough, if they take reproof patiently; but few will take it thankfully, and
commend those who give it, and accept it as a favour. The nearer we are to
committing sin, the greater is the mercy of a seasonable restraint. Sinners are
often most secure when most in danger. He was very drunk. A sign he was Nabal, a
fool, that could not use plenty without abusing it; who could not be pleasant
with his friends without making a beast of himself. There is not a surer sign
that a man has but little wisdom, nor a surer way to destroy the little he has,
than drinking to excess. Next morning, how he is changed! His heart overnight
merry with wine, next morning heavy as a stone; so deceitful are carnal
pleasures, so soon passes the laughter of the fool; the end of that mirth is
heaviness. Drunkards are sad, when they reflect upon their own folly. About ten
days after, the Lord smote Nabal, that he died. David blessed God that he had
been kept from killing Nabal. Worldly sorrow, mortified pride, and an affrighted
conscience, sometimes end the joys of the sensualist, and separate the covetous
man from his wealth; but, whatever the weapon, the Lord smites men with death
when it pleases him.
Verses 39-44
Abigail believed that David would be king over Israel, and greatly esteemed his
pious and excellent character. She deemed his proposal of marriage honourable,
and advantageous to her, notwithstanding his present difficulties. With great
humility, and doubtless agreeably to the customs of those times, she consented,
being willing to share his trails. Thus those who join themselves to Christ,
must be willing now to suffer with him, believing that hereafter they shall
reign with him.
Chapter 25:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Ruth 2 Samuel
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
