Nabal

(foolish) (1 Sam. 25:3 and others)—a man of Carmel, from Maon, a very wealthy man who had many flocks on Mount Carmel, but coarse, willful, and ungrateful. His name occurs in Holy Scripture in connection with one very interesting episode from the life of David, the details of which are set forth in the First Book of Samuel (ch. 25). Nabal had extensive possessions on Mount Carmel, on which grazed the enormous flocks of his sheep under the watch of his shepherds. During his sojourn in the wilderness, David sent ten young men to Nabal, who at that time was engaged in the customary annual shearing of his sheep, with an earnest request that he send him provisions, and at the same time, through the young men, reminded him of the protection which his shepherds had received from David while on Carmel.

Nabal rudely refused to give provisions and, moreover, insulted David in the process, calling him a servant fleeing from his master (1 Sam. 25:9). David, having received this insulting reply, resolved to avenge himself on Nabal without delay, and for this purpose, arming about four hundred of his men, set out toward Nabal’s tents. But on the way he was met by Abigail, who had been forewarned by the shepherds of David’s intention, and who therefore went out to meet him with gifts, to soften his anger and prevent bloodshed.

Her intercession was so successful that David gave up his revenge, and moreover, after Nabal’s death, offered Abigail to be his wife, to which she, with complete submissiveness, immediately expressed her consent. Nabal died ten days after David’s expedition. “The LORD smote Nabal,” says the sacred historian.