Deeper Reflection
ONE OF NABAL’S SERVANTS warned Abigail that “evil is plotted” by David against Nabal and his whole household for refusing David’s request for provisions in spite of the good that David did to him (vv.14-17). And what follows is a narration of Abigail’s quick action (vv.18-20, 23-24a) and her words of wisdom to David (1 Sam 25:24b-31), and David’s theological response to Abigail (1 Sam 25:32-35) – all of which reflect the timely providence of God. David viewed Nabal’s “returning me evil for good” (v.21) as a problem to be eliminated – one that can be eliminated easily and quickly with “his sword and about four hundred men” (v.13). But David did not know that he was on his way to creating a problem for himself: hasty vengeance and bloodshed. The narrator places David’s intention (vv.21-22) for his coming to Nabal with 400 men (v.13) in between Abigail’s meeting with David (vv.20, 23) “to stress what high stakes are involved in Abigail’s mission. If she fails, every male in Nabal’s household will bite the dust”²⁹. Abigail did not know for sure if she had made a right and wise move. Oftentimes, the decisions that we make and the actions that we take are carried out in the reality of “I don’t know”, because we are not all-knowing beings. But God knows. And God knows that we do not know. This God is sovereign over all things and in His providence He directs or redirects us in our “I don’t know”.

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²⁹ Dale Ralph Davis, 257