My computer is still doing strange things.  Nothing opens like it did a week ago.  And when I do get something opened, I have to go through a dozen steps to get where I want to go.  Oh well, I am thankful I am not back in the fifties using a manual typewriter, carbon paper and correction sheets of white retyping junk.  What a mess that was.

Sunday our lesson was very interesting.  It was about a stupid man named Nabal, married to a very smart and beautiful woman--who had enough sense to avert a slaughter.  Her name was Abigail.   Why I hadn't appreciated her story before now, I don't know.  I had certainly read it a number of times.  I think it was probably because I was concentrating on the main characters in the book of Samuel--which were Saul, Jonathan and David.

Nabal "dissed" David in a public and unnecessary way.  Nabal's men had been under the protection of David as  they shepherded their sheep.  If Nabal had had a brain, he would have been showering David with thanks, presents and praise.  But he was a rude, uncouth, stupid and ignorant man.  (The Bible calls him churlish and evil.)  He said, "Who does this son of Jesse think he is?"  (Of course, David was already anointed to be the next king.)  This made David furious, so he saddled up his army, drew swords, and started towards Nabal's house to kill him and all of those who served him.

But Abigail, hearing what her husband Nabal had done, found bread, fruits, and a group of loyal
men to accompany her, and intercepted David and asked permission to speak.  She basically told David that Nabal was a boorish nincompoop, and to put the blame on her.  She begged David not to take vengeance into his own hands, because he would have to live with the guilt of murder for the rest of his life.  She asked David to remember her when he came into his kingdom.

David was calmed.  Nabal got drunk and died of a stroke the next day.  God takes care of things.  Abigail was brave.  She spoke to a man who was not family--which was not allowed back then.  She took sides in a peaceful way to avert a disaster.  She was smart, and she used her intelligence.  She flattered David.  She fed him.  (Always a good plan where men are concerned.) And she sized up her husband as an idiot--which he was.  Later, David had the good sense to send for her and marry her.