A Closer Walk
A wife is such a blessing. In fact, of all the earthly blessings our Lord has heaped on us as men, our wives might be the greatest blessing of all. The Bible refers to a wife as a helper. “...but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him,” Genesis 2:20 NASB. And help they do. And sometimes they are even instrumental in keeping us out of trouble.
“There was a man...the man's name was Nabal, and his wife's name was Abigail. And the woman was intelligent and beautiful in appearance, but the man was harsh and evil in his dealings... ,” 1 Samuel 25:2-3 NASB. David and his men guarded Nabal's shepherds and sheep out in the wilderness. No harm came to them, nor did anything turn up missing during all the time they were there. As long as Nabal's flocks and shepherds were with David and his men, they were safe and protected. David did not ask for anything in return. After having guarded the shepherds and sheep for a period of time, David, who would later become the king of Israel, sent some of his men to Nabal to ask for food. “...Please give whatever you find at hand to your servants and to your son David,” 1 Samuel 25:8.
Nabal didn't just refuse their request, he scorned their request. So David's men returned and reported this to him. “And David said to his men, 'Each of you gird on his sword' and David also girded on his sword...Now David had said, 'Surely in vain I have guarded all that this man has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him; and he has returned me evil for good. May God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if by morning I leave as much as one male of any who belong to him',” 1 Samuel 25:13 and 21-22 NASB. David intended to seek revenge on Nabal and punish his entire household for this harsh treatment.
After Nabal had scorned the request and David's men had left, one of the servants alerted Abigail. “But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, 'Behold, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, and he scorned him. Yet the men were very good to us, and we were not insulted, nor did we miss anything as long as we were in their fields. They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the time we were with them tending the sheep',” 1 Samuel 25:14-16 NASB. So Abigail hurried and put together provisions of food to take for David and his men to eat.
When Abigail met up with David and his four hundred men, all armed and ready to do battle, she dismounted and fell on her face at David's feet. “On me alone, my lord be the blame...but I your maidservant did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent...And now let this gift which your maidservant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who accompany my lord. Please forgive the transgression of your maidservant... ,” 1 Samuel 25:24-28 NASB.
So Abigail took the blame for Nabal's bad decision. The Scriptures tell us she was not even aware that David's men had visited them. But by doing what she did, Abigail pulled Nabal's bacon out of the fire. He likely didn't even know that his bacon was in the fire. David and his men were on their way to Nabal's house to kill every male on the property. David had sworn to it. Abigail saved Nabal, as well as all the male servants, slaves, and livestock, and he likely didn't even know he needed saving. Wives are like that. They help to keep us husbands headed in the right direction and on the straight and narrow. Wives are good for us men. And, sometimes, wives become mothers.
“An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, And he will have no lack of gain...Her children rise up and bless her; her husband also, and he praises her saying: Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all,” Proverbs 31:10-11 and 28-29 NASB.