(Click here for a video of John reading this Catch.)
Ruth, Rahab, Deborah, Jael, Esther, Abigail … We have a tendency to think of these women of the Bible as exceptions to the rule. They are not. Many of you might have a wife like mine who is actually a composite of all of them. She is loyal like Ruth, cunning like Rahab, wise like Deborah, opportunistic like Jael, influential like Esther, but I would say that she is mostly like Abigail.
Abigail was a woman of God who was married to a foolish man, Nabal, whose name actually means “fool.” Nabal made the mistake of insulting David when he was traveling about with a band of warriors. As a small and efficient army, David and his men had watched over and protected Nabal’s servants who were out in the field shearing sheep — a major enterprise because Nabal had 4,000 sheep and goats. As a return for the favor, David had asked Nabal if, as was the custom, he and his men might share in the celebration feast that always followed the completion of the shearing season. When Nabal refused and threw insults back at David, David strapped on his sword and took 400 of his men with him bent on not leaving one male alive in Nabal’s household. “Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good. So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall” (1 Samuel 25:21-22 KJV).
Needless to say, David was upset. Now Abigail knew nothing of this until one of the servants came and told her that Nabal had insulted David, and that he and 400 men were on the way to her house, and it was not going to be pretty. So acting quickly and without Nabal’s knowledge, she loaded up donkeys with loaves of bread, wine, slaughtered sheep, raisins and fig cakes and went out to meet David with what he had requested. And when she did, she got off her donkey, bowed low, and said, “I accept all blame in this matter, my lord. Please listen to what I have to say. I know Nabal is a wicked and ill-tempered man; please don’t pay any attention to him. He is a fool, just as his name suggests” (24-25).
And then, at great risk, she proceeded to tell him three things, all of which took a good deal of courage. First, she told him not to waste his time taking vengeance on a fool. You are here to fight the Lord ’s battles and this is not one of them. Secondly, when you are the leader of Israel, you won’t want to have this needless bloodshed on your hands. And finally, though she didn’t say these actual words, it was the real intent behind everything she said: Remember who you are, David.
Fortunately, David did, and praised God for Abigail. “Thank God for your good sense! Bless you for keeping me from murder and from carrying out vengeance with my own hands.” (31)
When Abigail returned home and told Nabal all that had happened and he realized how close he had come to losing everything, he had a stroke, and ten days later, he died.
Any man who has a woman who will remind him of who he is in Christ, and insist on taking the high road in all his dealings, is blessed, indeed. I am fortunate to be such a man.
Men of the Catch, I write this so that you might see the value of the women in your lives and give them proper honor.
A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. (Proverbs 31:30-31)
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