Person
Nabal
Mentioned in 18 verses across 2 books, first in 1 Samuel 25:3. The verses below are the ones linked to this person (the Theographic dataset, with our sourced corrections).
In the Bible
The first 10 of 18 verses, in Bible order. Text from the Berean Standard Bible; verse numbers follow the KJV.
1 Samuel
- 1 Samuel 25:3
His name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was harsh and evil in his dealings.
- 1 Samuel 25:4
While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep.
- 1 Samuel 25:5
So David sent ten young men and instructed them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel. Greet him in my name
- 1 Samuel 25:9
When David’s young men arrived, they relayed all these words to Nabal on behalf of David. Then they waited.
- 1 Samuel 25:10
But Nabal asked them, “Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants these days are breaking away from their masters.
- 1 Samuel 25:14
Meanwhile, one of Nabal’s young men informed Nabal’s wife Abigail, “Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, but he scolded them.
- 1 Samuel 25:19
and said to her young men, “Go ahead of me. I will be right behind you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
- 1 Samuel 25:25
My lord should pay no attention to this scoundrel Nabal, for he lives up to his name: His name means Fool, and folly accompanies him. I, your servant, did not see my lord’s young men whom you sent.
- 1 Samuel 25:26
Now, my lord, as surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, the LORD has held you back from coming to bloodshed and avenging yourself with your own hand. May your enemies and those who seek harm for my lord be like Nabal.
- 1 Samuel 25:34
Otherwise, as surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, then surely no male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by morning light.”
Dictionary
From Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897), as attached to this record by Theographic. The entry is for the name and can describe more than one person who bore it. Easton wrote in 1897, and some of his views are now debated.
Read Easton’s entry
Foolish, a descendant of Caleb who dwelt at Maon ([1 Sam. 25](/1sam#1Sam.25)), the modern Main, 7 miles south-east of Hebron. He was “very great, and he had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats...but the man was churlish and evil in his doings.” During his wanderings David came into that district, and hearing that Nabal was about to shear his sheep, he sent ten of his young men to ask “whatsoever cometh unto thy hand for thy servants.” Nabal insultingly resented the demand, saying, “Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse?” (1 Sam. 25:10, 11). One of the shepherds that stood by and saw the reception David’s messengers had met with, informed Abigail, Nabal’s wife, who at once realized the danger that threatened her household. She forthwith proceeded to the camp of David, bringing with her ample stores of provisions (25:18). She so courteously and persuasively pled her cause that David’s anger was appeased, and he said to her, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee this day to meet me.”
On her return she found her husband incapable from drunkenness of understanding the state of matters, and not till the following day did she explain to him what had happened. He was stunned by a sense of the danger to which his conduct had exposed him. “His heart died within him, and he became as a stone.” and about ten days after “the Lord smote Nabal that he died” (1 Sam. 25:37, 38). Not long after David married Abigail (q.v.).