Abigail, Kind Sweet Abigail

By Mary Vee
I Samuel 25

The Shepherd/Servant's Thoughts

After David heard the news about Nabal, he became angrier than a lion who had his food stolen. Everyone knew Nabal deserved any wrath David spilled on him, especially those of us who are Nabal's servants. The problems is, his wife didn't deserve the trouble. 


Abigail was a woman of good understanding and she was beautiful. She had worked hard to please her husband and kept their house clean. She took care of all chores at the house while Nabal was off shearing the sheep and she never stirred trouble. The whole countryside knew what a lovely woman Abigail was both inside and out.


David's temper flashed when he heard what Nabal said. Even though I knew him only a short time, I could tell David would gather his men, their weapons, and punish Nabal for the evil words he said. 


I needed to warn Abigail. I took the short cut which ran through open fields, taking my life in my hands. If Nabal saw me, he'd find something to punish me for. It didn't matter. Abigail needed time to solve the problem.


When I arrived, Abigail had a basket of laundry in her arms. I ran to her and caught my breath. "I have terrible news for you."


"Here, sit down, and catch your breath then tell me your news."


"Forgive me, it can't wait." 


She handed me a cup of water, anyway while keeping her eyes on me. Her soft heart showed even in trouble times. I gulped the water then told her the news. "Abigail, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, but Nabal treated them harshly. 


"David and his men were very good to us. They never took anything of ours, and they protected us as long as we stayed near them in the fields. They were a wall to us both night and day keeping any enemy away...all the time we took care of the sheep. Please, think about what you will do because David has determined  to fight our master and his household. Nabal is such a scoundrel to bring this trouble on us."


"Oh, dear." She grabbed the fabric from her dress which dragged against the ground  and ran to the servants. 


I followed to help where I could. She called out orders to servants as she ran. " I need two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five sheep dressed to eat, five seahs of roasted grain, one hundred clusters of raising, and two hundred cakes of figs. Quickly."


While the servants ran to pack the food she hurried to the donkeys. "Help me get them ready." We untied the stubborn beasts and coaxed them out to the yard. She wiped sweat from her brown and kept working. "I'll stay here and load the donkeys. Take two servants with you and go before me. When you meet David tell him I am coming behind you. Breathe no word to Nabal."


"Yes, my lady." 


I waved to two other servants known to be fast runners and led them in the direction David would probably come.


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Picture courtesy of christianimageresource.com  


1.  How did the servant describe Abigail?
2.  Why did the servant leave David and the other shepherds?
3.  What did he tell Abigail?
4.  What did she do?
5.  What job did the servant have?
6.  Why did she want someone to do that job?
7.  Why, do you think, did God include this story in the Bible?