1 Samuel 25:27

25:18-31 By a present Abigail atoned for Nabal's denial of David's request. Her behaviour was very submissive. Yielding pacifies great offences. She puts herself in the place of a penitent, and of a petitioner. She could not excuse her husband's conduct. She depends not upon her own reasonings, but on God's grace, to soften David, and expects that grace would work powerfully. She says that it was below him to take vengeance on so weak and despicable an enemy as Nabal, who, as he would do him no kindness, so he could do him no hurt. She foretells the glorious end of David's present troubles. God will preserve thy life; therefore it becomes not thee unjustly and unnecessarily to take away the lives of any, especially of the people of thy God and Saviour. Abigail keeps this argument for the last, as very powerful with so good a man; that the less he indulged his passion, the more he consulted his peace and the repose of his own conscience. Many have done that in a heat, which they have a thousand times wished undone again. The sweetness of revenge is soon turned into bitterness. When tempted to sin, we should consider how it will appear when we think upon it afterwards.

And now this blessing, which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord,.... The present, consisting of the things mentioned in 1 Samuel 25:18 ; which came as a blessing from God, and with good will from her: let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord; the servants of David: in the original it is, "that walk at the feet of my lord": and which the Targum paraphrases, "who minister before my lord"; and so Abigail's damsels are called "pedissequae", or "that walked at her feet", 1 Samuel 25:42; and with the Romans, in later times, servants were called a "pedibus" and "pedissequi" (d). This also is very artfully said, as if the present was not good enough for David, and worthy of his acceptance; might be agreeable to his men, and of service to them. (d) Vid. Pignorium de Servis, p. 140, 248, 293.

1 Samuel 25:27 . Now this blessing — That is, this present or gift. The same phrase is used, 1 Samuel 30:26 ; 2 Kings 5:15 . A present is termed a blessing, not only because the matter of it comes from God’s blessing, but also because it is given with a blessing, or with a good will. Let it be given unto the young men — As being unworthy of David’s own acceptance. Thus humbly she speaks of the noble present she had brought.

4 . of which the Lord said ] David may have received from Samuel and Gad assurances of his ultimate deliverance from Saul’s persecutions, which his followers interpret in their own way. Cp. 1 Samuel 23:17 , 1 Samuel 25:28-30 . the skirt ] See on 1 Samuel 25:27 . He wished to have some proof to convince Saul that his life had been in his power.

The passage should be rendered as follows: "And now my lord, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth," it is "the Lord" that "hath withholden thee from coming" into blood-guiltiness (as in 1 Samuel 25:33 ), "and from saving thyself with thine own hand;" and "now" all "thine enemies" shall be as Nabal (whom she considers as utterly impotent to hurt David, and as already thoroughly humbled before him), and (so shall be) all "that seek evil to my Lord."

(27) This blessing. —That is to say, gift. Of this Abigail makes little account—it was simply an expression of her homage and good will. It was not intended, of course, for David, but for his company; but she brought it, as is the custom in the East where an inferior approaches a superior, whether as a visitor or as a suppliant, to bring in the hand gifts. Let it be given, she added, to his companions.

This blessing; so a gift or present is called here, and Genesis 33:11 , and elsewhere; not only because the matter of it comes from God’s blessing, but also because it is given with a blessing, or with a good will. Let it even be given unto the young men, as being unworthy of thine acceptance or use.

It is only in the third line that she finally mentions the present, but in such a manner that she does not offer it directly to David, but describes it as a gift for the men in his train. "And now this blessing (בּרכה here and 1 Samuel 30:26 , as in Genesis 33:11 : cf. ἡ εὐλογία, 2 Corinthians 9:5-6 ), which thine handmaid hath brought, let it be given to the young men in my lord's train" (lit. "at the feet of:" cf. Exodus 11:8 ; Judges 4:10 , etc.).