Resource > Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable) >
1 Samuel >
Exposition >
IV. SAUL AND DAVID 1 Sam. 16--31 >
C. David in Exile chs. 21-30 >
3. David's goodness to two fools ch. 24-26 >
David's sparing of Nabal's life ch. 25 >
Nabal was a political loyalist who regarded David simply as a rebel. Perhaps he felt that David was running a protection racket to finance his outlaw way of life. More probably, I think, miserly Nabal simply did not want to part with anything that he had (cf. Luke 7:44-47). He failed to admit that David had been a blessing to him. He also refused to acknowledge David as the Lord's anointed. Ironically Nabal's servants were about to abandon him, the very thing he falsely accused David of doing to Saul (v. 10; cf. 22:7-8).252
David overreacted to Nabal's insulting rebuff (v. 13). He prepared to attack and kill every male in Nabal's household that very night (vv. 22, 34)
