…Saul said, “…How often does someone catch an enemy and then let him get away unharmed?”
Surprising. In however many years that remain for me here, Lord, may I do surprising things.
“Now I am sure that you will be king of Israel and that the kingdom will continue under your rule.”
Frustrating. So why didn’t Saul respond accordingly and avoid all the needless suffering that was to follow?! Like most, he would only relinquish power when it was ripped from his hands (1 Samuel 31:1-7). Sad.
…Saul went back home, and David and his men went back to their hiding place.
David was not taken in by Saul’s “confession”, for everything that came out of his mouth was of no value.
Samuel died, and all the Israelites came together and mourned for him.
The end of an era (Judges), just like that of Moses before him (Deuteronomy 34:7), Abraham before him (Genesis 25:7-8), … Will we see another “era” in our time, Lord? Please open the doors wide to your Kingdom (Matthew 22:9-10)!
There was a man of the clan of Caleb named Nabal… He was a very rich man… His wife Abigail was beautiful and intelligent, but he was a mean, bad-tempered man.
Another of the many injustices in this world! How I once dreamed of being rich and having a wife like Abigail… No, it has been for the best that I remain as I am (1 Corinthiens 7:26-32).
“David sends you greetings, my friend, with his best wishes for you, your family, and all that is yours. …he wants you to know that your shepherds have been with us and we did not harm them. Nothing that belonged to them was stolen all the time they were at Carmel.”
May I be found equally faithful, Lord (Luke 19:16-17).
David’s men delivered this message to Nabal in David’s name. Then they waited there, and Nabal finally answered, “David? Who is he? I’ve never heard of him! The country is full of runaway slaves nowadays! I’m not going to take my bread and water, and the animals I have butchered for my sheepshearers, and give them to people who come from I don’t know where!”
Willful ignorance. Everyone at the time would have known who David was and Nabal would have been well aware of the service that was being rendered for his benefit. When it came time to acknowledge it, it became an “inconvenient truth”. All too common these days…