David's Bad Week

By Mary Vee
I Samuel 25

David's Thoughts

This hasn't been one of the best weeks. 


First--


My friend and spiritual leader, the one whom God sent to anoint me as future leader of Israel, has died. The prophet Samuel, truly a man of God, now rests in the everlasting arms of God. I will miss him.


Then--


My men and I traveled to Maon to hide from Saul. Wherever the Lord sent us, we looked for ways to help the people who lived in the area. A few shepherds who worked for Nabal joined us for fellowship. We protected the shepherds and their sheep, let them join in our evening fun, even eat with us. They fit in quite nicely with my men, laughing and working together.


One day we ran out of food. 


Since we had helped Nabal's shepherds, I sent ten messengers to Nabal to ask for food or whatever he could spare. 


Apparently Nabal was shearing his sheep when my men arrived. He allowed them to speak to him. They said, "Greetings in the name of our commander, David. Peace be to you, peace to your house, and peace to all that you have. 


"Our commander has heard you have shearers. Your shepherds were with us, and we did not hurt them, nor was anything missing from them all the while they were in Carmel. Please, ask your men and they will tell you. David asks that you let his men who protected your shepherds find favor in  your eyes, for we come on a feast day. Please give whatever you can spare to your servants and to your son David."


Nabal said to my messengers, " Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants who break away, each one from his master. You expect me to take my bread, water, and meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men when I don't know where they are from?"


The nerve of Nabal! He, a man of great wealth couldn't share food with those who had protected his land, who risked their lives that his sheep could prosper? Unbelievable.


I paced for a few minutes. No. I could not tolerate such disrespect even for one minute.


I picked up my sword and raised it high. "Every man, take up your sword. We will fight Nabal tonight."  Two hundred men were chosen to protect our supplies and four hundred followed me to war against the man who treated my messengers wickedly and wouldn't share with those who helped him. 


P.S. At the time, I didn't know one of Nabal's servants left my camp and ran to Nabal's wife, Abigal, to warn her.


Come back next week to read about the war against Nabal.


*******************************
1. Where did David go?
2. Who did he and his men help? What did they do?
3.  When David ran out of food what did he do?
4. Who is Nabal?
5.  Why did Nabal say no?
6. When the messengers told David the message, what did he do?