Topical Bible: Contempt: Nabal

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Topical Encyclopedia

Nabal is a biblical figure whose account is recounted in 1 Samuel 25. He is a wealthy but foolish man from the region of Maon, near Carmel, in the territory of Judah. Nabal's name itself means "fool" or "senseless," which is reflective of his character and actions as described in the Scriptures. He is married to Abigail, a woman noted for her intelligence and beauty, who plays a crucial role in the narrative.

Biblical Account:

The account of Nabal is set during the time when David, the future king of Israel, is fleeing from King Saul. David and his men are in the wilderness of Paran, and they provide protection to the shepherds and flocks of Nabal without demanding any payment. During the shearing season, a time of festivity and abundance, David sends ten of his young men to Nabal to request provisions, appealing to the goodwill and generosity that should accompany such a prosperous occasion.

David instructs his men to greet Nabal with respect and to remind him of the protection they had provided. The message is delivered with humility and a request for whatever Nabal can spare: "Please give your servants and your son David whatever you can find for them" (1 Samuel 25:8).

Nabal's response is one of contempt and scorn. He dismisses David's men harshly, questioning David's identity and legitimacy: "Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants these days are breaking away from their masters" (1 Samuel 25:10). Nabal's words reflect not only a lack of gratitude but also a disdain for David's status and the services rendered by his men.

Character and Consequences:

Nabal's contemptuous behavior is contrasted sharply with the wisdom and discernment of his wife, Abigail. Upon learning of her husband's folly and the potential danger it poses, Abigail acts swiftly and decisively. She gathers a generous supply of food and wine and sets out to meet David, offering the provisions as a peace offering. Her actions and words are marked by humility and respect, as she acknowledges David's future as the leader of Israel and seeks to avert bloodshed.

Abigail's intervention is successful, and David praises her for her good judgment: "Blessed be your discernment, and blessed be you for restraining me from bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hands" (1 Samuel 25:33). Her wise and humble approach stands in stark contrast to Nabal's arrogance and folly.

The consequences of Nabal's contempt are severe. When Abigail returns home and informs Nabal of the events, he is struck with fear and becomes like a stone. About ten days later, the Lord strikes Nabal, and he dies (1 Samuel 25:37-38). This outcome serves as a divine judgment on Nabal's foolishness and disrespect.

Theological Implications:

Nabal's account serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of pride, ingratitude, and contempt. His refusal to recognize the rightful claims of David and his men, coupled with his disdainful attitude, ultimately leads to his downfall. The narrative highlights the importance of humility, generosity, and the recognition of God's anointed, as exemplified by Abigail's actions.

In the broader biblical context, Nabal's contempt is a reminder of the consequences of rejecting God's chosen leaders and the blessings that come from aligning oneself with God's purposes. The account underscores the biblical principle that "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6), illustrating the stark contrast between Nabal's folly and Abigail's wisdom.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Samuel 25:10,11
And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Second Book
... that he promised to be with us in order to show greater contempt for us ... When the
blessed David had suffered the insulting scorn of Nabal the Carmelite, since ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/the second book.htm

The Heinous Sin of Drunkenness
... by drinking, that were you to hear of them, your heart, like Nabal's, after he ... But
you may say, If I leave my companions, I must expect contempt: for they will ...
/.../selected sermons of george whitefield/the heinous sin of drunkenness.htm

Christ's Humiliation in his Incarnation
... It was said of Nabal, he is such a son of Belial, that a ... Humility, says Bernard,
is contemptus propriae extellentiae, a contempt of self-excellence,' a kind of ...
/.../watson/a body of divinity/6 christs humiliation in his.htm

Saul Rejected
... had made a swift march from the south where Amalek dwelt, passing by Nabal's Carmel,
where ... and oxen above Saul'; and there is a tone of almost contempt for the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/saul rejected.htm

Rom. xii. 1
... to live in poverty, in lowliness of mind, in contempt of glory; in continency ... Such
was Nabal, if not to Godward, at least toward man, having become senseless ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xx rom xii 1.htm

Book 5 Footnotes
... against innocent David, but to expose him to the laughter and contempt of all ... it
was in this case of David, who, although he had sworn to destroy Nabal and his ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 5 footnotes.htm

Answer to Eunomius' Second Book .
... in like manner of the Father and of the Son, and have betaken themselves to the
word "ungenerate," a term fabricated by themselves to throw contempt on the ...
/.../gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/answer to eunomius second book.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... the latter word, which was regarded as that of the strange god, and would thus have
the sacrilegious meaning "Jahveh is Baal." The term of contempt, Ebed, was ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ;
The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3. <. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/come and welcome to jesus.htm

An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of ...
... No sin, no shame: Let men stand where God hath set them, and there is no cause of
shame, though they be exposed in outward appearance to never so much contempt ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/an exposition on the first.htm