1Sa 25:4-11 | KingComments | STEP | When David hears that Nabal is shearing his sheep, he thinks this is the best opportunity to ask Nabal for a favor. It seems to have been a habit to have large meals on the occasion of the shearing of the sheep, as we also see with Absalom ( ). Shearing the sheep ( ) is like collecting the harvest. Such an event makes one happy and often generous. David sends ten young men to Nabal and tells them exactly what to wish him, what they have been to him – so that Nabal now is able to celebrate this sheep shearers festival – and what they should ask for as a favor. He orders his ten young men to first greet him in his name. Then they must wish him peace, both for him personally and for his family and servants, and for all his possessions. This wish of peace is not only politeness but shows the mind of David toward Nabal. Besides showing his mind in his good wishes David also points out his commitment to the wellbeing of Nabal. Not only has he taken nothing, but he has also ensured protection that others have taken nothing of what belongs to Nabal. With these evidences he underlines his words. And this is not all either. He points out to Nabal that he can check the truth of his statements with his servants. Finally, David appeals to the grace of Nabal. He does not demand anything, he does not threaten, he does not demand a reward, but asks Nabal to act mercifully. And is it not a good day when he approaches Nabal? With all these words David wants to create the right atmosphere for the question he wants to ask. He is humble. About his own young men, he speaks to Nabal as “your servants” and he calls himself “your son David”. He also does not give a list of desired articles but leaves it entirely to Nabal. He asks Nabal to give him “whatever you find at hand”, this means, what he can miss and has within reach, without having to make any effort.

‏ 1 Samuel 25:4-11

David’s Request

When David hears that Nabal is shearing his sheep, he thinks this is the best opportunity to ask Nabal for a favor. It seems to have been a habit to have large meals on the occasion of the shearing of the sheep, as we also see with Absalom (2Sam 13:23-24). Shearing the sheep (Gen 31:19 ; Gen 38:12-13) is like collecting the harvest. Such an event makes one happy and often generous.

David sends ten young men to Nabal and tells them exactly what to wish him, what they have been to him – so that Nabal now is able to celebrate this sheep shearers festival – and what they should ask for as a favor. He orders his ten young men to first greet him in his name. Then they must wish him peace, both for him personally and for his family and servants, and for all his possessions. This wish of peace is not only politeness but shows the mind of David toward Nabal.

Besides showing his mind in his good wishes David also points out his commitment to the wellbeing of Nabal. Not only has he taken nothing, but he has also ensured protection that others have taken nothing of what belongs to Nabal. With these evidences he underlines his words. And this is not all either. He points out to Nabal that he can check the truth of his statements with his servants. Finally, David appeals to the grace of Nabal. He does not demand anything, he does not threaten, he does not demand a reward, but asks Nabal to act mercifully. And is it not a good day when he approaches Nabal?

With all these words David wants to create the right atmosphere for the question he wants to ask. He is humble. About his own young men, he speaks to Nabal as “your servants” and he calls himself “your son David”. He also does not give a list of desired articles but leaves it entirely to Nabal. He asks Nabal to give him “whatever you find at hand”, this means, what he can miss and has within reach, without having to make any effort.

Nabal’s Response

The ten young men come to Nabal and speak in name of David what he has told them. The testimony is given by ten men. The number ten is the number of responsibility. Nabal is responsible for his response to David’s question. The question is whether the claims of God’s anointed king, even though he is on the run, are recognized. The fact that David as a person does not seem to live on the height of faith does not in any way diminish the test to which Nabal is subjected by this question.

When they have spoken and are silent, Nabal immediately answers. His answer is a deep insult to David and shows contempt for the anointed king. Derisively he says: “Who is David?” It sounds like Pharaoh’s derisive question to Moses: “Who is the LORD?” (Exo 5:2; cf. Job 21:15a). Then he says: “And who is the son of Jesse?” This shows that he does know David and that he despises him, as is the case with Saul, who also calls David this way (1Sam 20:27).

By the way, the question “who is David”, and if we see David as a picture of the Lord Jesus, is a question that is asked of every human being. Every human being will have to answer the question: “What do you think about the Christ?” (Mt 22:42). The answer to this question determines eternity. If we do not know the answer to this question, it is guilty ignorance. As for David, Abigail knows, while Nabal does not. As for Christ, anyone can know, because it is written in God’s Word. If we do not know, it is because we do not want to know.

Nabal sees everything as his property, obtained by his own efforts. The recurring word “my” indicates this. It never comes to him that he owes his wealth largely to the protection of his property by David and his men. Because of this he has lost nothing (1Sam 25:15-16).

Nabal is remarkably similar to the rich man about whom the Lord Jesus tells a parable, in response to someone’s question of whether He wants to judge in a dispute about an inheritance (Lk 12:13-21). In the parable God also addresses that rich man with the name “Fool” (Lk 12:20). Whoever looks at his possessions as purely the result of his own merit, without any sense of gratitude to God, is a fool.