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When David was wandering about in
the wilderness of Engedi and Paran, he and his men often wanted food; but
they never tried to get it in a wrong way, nor to steal from these near
them. There was a man who
lived at Maon, named Nabal. He was very rich, and had great
possessions in Carmel: sheep, and goats, and asses, and
camels. He lived near the place where David now was, and he was
shearing his sheep in Carmel: David knew that Nabal was very rich,
and he sent messengers to him, to ask for food. David's servants
spoke very respectfully to Nabal; they did not rudely ask for what they
wanted; for David taught them to honor and respect all men. But
Nabal was a selfish and cruel man. He did not care for other people;
he tried only to please himself. All his money, and all his
possessions, he kept for his own use; he never thought about the poor and
hungry, who had no food and no home. Why does God give some people
riches? Does He wish them to keep all themselves, and give none
away? No, when God gives riches to people, He likes them to be kind
and generous; He wishes them to do good with what they have. At the
day of judgment, God will punish those rich people who have not rightly
spent what he gave them. Nabal
was angry with David's servants; instead of giving them any thing, he
drove them away in a passion, and sent them back again to David.
When David heard of Nabal's unkindness and passion, he was angry
too. Was David right to be angry? No; he ought to have been
patient and forgiving, as he was when Saul was unkind to him. So
David told his men to take their swords, and he made all ready to go to
Nabal, to kill him, because he had been unkind and selfish, and
cruel. But Nabal had a wife named Abigail. She was not like
her husband; she was gentle, and kind, and willing to give away what she
could. When Abigail heard about Nabal's cruelty, she was very
sorry. She knew that David was a good man, and that he was in great
trouble, and trying to hide from Saul; and Abigail wished to be kind to
him and his men. So she called her servants, and told them to make
ready some sheep, and corn, and figs, and grapes, and to put them upon
asses, and take them to David; and she followed, but she did not tell
Nabal where she was going. When
Abigail met with David, she came down from the ass, and fell on her face
before him. Then she spoke very gently to David, and asked him not
to be angry, but to forgive her wicked husband. Abigail loved God;
and she told David how wrong it is to be passionate and angry; but she
spoke very respectfully when she said this, and reminded David that God
could preserve him, and punish his enemies; and that, therefore, he must
be patient, and leave all to God. When David heard Abigail talk so
gently, he became gentle too. He felt he had done wrong, and he
thanked God for sending Abigail to keep him from shedding blood. So
Abigail gave the present to David, and he thanked her, and she went
home. And David and his men had food to eat now, without fighting
and shedding blood. It was not right for David to punish Nabal, but
God punished him. God must punish our enemies, not we. When
Abigail came home, she found Nabal making a great feast with his
friends. They were eating and drinking, and very merry. It was
wicked merriment. They loved their own pleasure and ease; but they
did not think of their poor hungry neighbors; they did not care for God,
nor holy things: all their thoughts were about this world; eating
and drinking, and pleasing themselves. Abigail did not stay with
this wicked company; she did not speak to Nabal then, but next morning,
she told him about David; and all that she had done. Nabal felt
frightened and unhappy at what his wife said. He knew he had done
wrong; but Abigail's reproof did not make him repent, and turn to
God. He had no comfort now. His riches and his worldly company
could do him no good; and God was not his friend. He lived only ten
days after.
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