Nabal

NABAL (Hebrew: «Fool»). - A large owner of flocks in Carmel, southeast of Hebron, of whom 1 Sam. 25 speaks. He had as his wife Abigail (v.), "a woman of good sense and of very beautiful appearance, while he was harsh and of bad manners." During the sumptuous banquets customary on the occasion of sheep-shearing, David, who was wandering in those parts with his band to escape from Saul, had him asked for some gratuity in exchange for having respected, indeed defended, his flocks. He met with refusal and contempt, whereupon he set out to take vengeance; but Abigail came to meet him with gifts, to appease him. When N., "after the wine had evaporated," learned from his wife of the danger he had run, "his heart died within him, and he became like a stone" (ibid. 25, 37). He expired ten days later, and the wise woman became the wife of David. The narrative is historically valuable for the information concerning customs and beliefs.

Gino Bressan