32 Then David said to Abigail , " Blessed be the Lord God of Israel , who sent you this day to meet me, 33 and blessed be your discernment , and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodshed and from avenging myself by my own hand . 34 "Nevertheless , as the Lord God of Israel lives , who has restrained me from harming you, unless you had come quickly to meet me, surely e there would not have been left to Nabal until the morning light as much as one male e ." 35 So David received from her hand what she had brought him and said to her, " Go up to your house in peace . See , I have listened to you and granted your request ."
36 Then Abigail came to Nabal , and behold , he was holding a feast in his house , like the feast of a king . And Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very e drunk ; so she did not tell him anything at all e until the morning light . 37 But in the morning , when the wine had gone out of Nabal , his wife told him these things , and his heart died within him so that he became as a stone . 38 About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal and he died . 39 When David heard that Nabal was dead , he said , "Blessed be the Lord , who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal and has kept back His servant from evil . The Lord has also returned the evildoing of Nabal on his own head ." Then David sent a proposal to Abigail , to take her as his wife .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Samuel 25:32-39
Commentary on 1 Samuel 25:32-39
(Read 1 Samuel 25:32-39)
David gives God thanks for sending him this happy check in a sinful way. Whoever meet us with counsel, direction, comfort, caution, or seasonable reproof, we must see God sending them. We ought to be very thankful for those happy providences which are the means of keeping us from sinning. Most people think it enough, if they take reproof patiently; but few will take it thankfully, and commend those who give it, and accept it as a favour. The nearer we are to committing sin, the greater is the mercy of a seasonable restraint. Sinners are often most secure when most in danger. He was very drunk. A sign he was Nabal, a fool, that could not use plenty without abusing it; who could not be pleasant with his friends without making a beast of himself. There is not a surer sign that a man has but little wisdom, nor a surer way to destroy the little he has, than drinking to excess. Next morning, how he is changed! His heart overnight merry with wine, next morning heavy as a stone; so deceitful are carnal pleasures, so soon passes the laughter of the fool; the end of that mirth is heaviness. Drunkards are sad, when they reflect upon their own folly. About ten days after, the Lord smote Nabal, that he died. David blessed God that he had been kept from killing Nabal. Worldly sorrow, mortified pride, and an affrighted conscience, sometimes end the joys of the sensualist, and separate the covetous man from his wealth; but, whatever the weapon, the Lord smites men with death when it pleases him.