I Samuel 25:39 And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head
When we first learn of Bible characters like David, Jonathan, and Samuel, we often consider them heroes who can do no wrong. Later we learn more and realize that they were flawed people; they were human. When we think of David, we think of the story about Goliath, but we very rarely hear the story in I Samuel 25 about David, Nabal, and Abigail.
The first verse in I Samuel 25 tells us that David lost a friend, Samuel. That was a big deal. The last verse of I Samuel 25 tells us that David lost a wife. Saul had given Michal, his daughter and David’s wife, to another man. In between the first and last verse, David lost his patience. He had been hiding out in the wilderness, protecting the shepherds and livestock of a man named Nabal. Instead of providing food, help, and encouragement to David and his men who had shown him kindness, Nabal was very selfish. This story shows three ways you can respond to people.
First, you can give evil for good. That is what Nabal did. Verse 21 says, “Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness.” Many times we say, “What good is it to do right? No good deed will go unpunished. It is not benefiting me.” That is how David felt. He continued, “Nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good.”
What is it to give evil for good? It is foolish. Nabal’s name means foolish. He was a powerful, cruel, stubborn, evil, and selfish man. Ultimately, giving evil for good is ignorant. Verse 37 tells us that Nabal’s wife Abigail essentially spared their lives by giving food and provisions to David and his mighty men. When Abigail told Nabal of this, the Bible says that Nabal’s “heart died within him, and he became as a stone.” I would not be surprised if Nabal was shocked at the peril he had been in unknowingly. He had treated David and his men contemptuously, as if they were nothing, and he had been ignorant of what he was dealing with.
So many times, we don’t intend to give evil for good, we just don’t intend to give good. That can be a dangerous place to be. We need to be actively looking at how we can give. Sometimes we may just treat people with indifference when they have done us some good turn of which we weren’t aware. So, evil for good is foolishness and ignorance. You don’t know all the facts, so to give evil or indifference to good is not wise.
The second approach is evil for evil. This is completely natural. When David took a majority of his men to wipe out Nabal and his home, Abigail made an appeal to David and provided food that they needed. She says, “And it shall come to pass, that the LORD shall have done to my lord [David] according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel; that this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offense of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself.” She was saying that there is a future, and if David did the wrong thing now, it may have bad consequences in his future. In other words, giving evil for evil is totally natural, but it is short-sighted. You don’t know where it may lead.
Usually, if I am offended and going after someone, I am not thinking correctly even if I think I am thinking. I am feeling, and that is shortsighted. Romans 12 says, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath.” That literally means to give a place for the wrath. The wrath of whom? Romans 12 answers the question, “For it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” God will take care of the wrong, so we are to do good to those who have wronged us.
I can do evil for good as foolish Nabal did; I can render evil for evil, which is what short-sighted David almost did, or I can overcome evil with good. Romans 12 says, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” That is exactly what Abigail did when she quieted the anger of these men who were hungry. David told Abigail in verse 34, “God…hath kept me back from hurting thee.” When I take my hands off, God begins what only God can do. Verse 38 says, “And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died.” God caused him to die. God was in control. David didn’t need to take revenge because God was in control.
Verse 39 says, “And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head.” So, Abigail overcome evil with good. This is not natural; it is supernatural, and this is the power that is available to those who approach people keeping God in mind.