The Bible In Paintings, #107: DAVID, ABIGAIL, AND NABAL THE FOOL

Bing Images ^ | c. 2200 BC -- c. 95 AD | by the Father, Son & Holy Spirit

[Hebrews 11:6]

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THE FOOL
AND HIS WIFE

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1^st. . S A M U E L . . 2 5
New International Version, emphases added
Abrdgd – the complete text is in your Bible
OR
TO READ 1^ST SAMUEL 25 IN FULL, Click Here
TO HEAR MAX McLEAN READING IT, Click Here
TO HEAR A DRAMATIZATION OF IT, Click Here
TO WATCH AN OVERVIEW OF 1^ST SAMUEL , Click Here

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1 0 1 1 . . B. C.

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2 A certain man in Carmel had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing. 3 His name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband was surly and mean in his dealings.

4 David 5 sent ten young men. 6 “Say to him: ‘Long life to you! Good health to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours!

7 “‘When your shepherds were with us, we did not mistreat them, and the whole time they were at Carmel nothing of theirs was missing. 8 Therefore be favorable toward my men. Please give your servants and your son David whatever you can find for them.’”

10 Nabal answered, “Who is this David? 11 Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?”

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1

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2
by JAN NOORTIG
“Nabal Refusing Provisions to King David's Emmissaries”

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3

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12 David’s men turned around and reported every word. 13 David said to his men, “Each of you strap on your sword!” About four hundred men went up with David.

14 One of the servants told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “David sent messengers from the wilderness to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them. 15 Yet these men were very good to us. 17 Now see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him.”

18 Abigail acted quickly. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys.

23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground. 24 She fell at his feet and said: “25 Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name means Fool, and folly goes with him. 27 And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my lord, be given to the men who follow you.”

32 David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. 33 May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. 34 Otherwise, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak.”

35 Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted your request.”

4
by JAMES TISSOT
“Abigail Kneels before David”

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5
“Please, listen to your servant”

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7
by FRANS FRANCKEN II
“David and Abigail”

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8
by HANS JORDAENS III
“David Meets Abigail”

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9
by PETER PAUL RUBENS
“The Meeting of David and Abigail”

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10
by GIUSEPPE MARIA CRESPI
“The Offering of Abigail before David”

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11
by LOUIS DE BOULLOGNE
“David Receiving Round Bread”

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12

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13
YOU DECIDE: Is this artist plainly asserting that
Abigail’s foolish husband is, in fact, a horse’s ass?

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14

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15
“Abigail Bringing Gift to David”

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16

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17

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18
by JACOB WILLEMSZ DE WET THE ELDER
“The Meeting of David and Abigail”

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19

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20

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21
by JOSEPH SCHONMANN
“David and Abigail”

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22

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23
by PETER VAN LINT
“David and Abigail”

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24
by ANTONIO MOLINARI
“David and Abigail”

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25
by JUAN ANTONIO ESCALANTE
“Prudent Abigail”

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26
by JULIUS SCHNORR VON KAROLSFELD
“David and Abigail”

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27

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28
by GIUSTINO MENESCARDI
“Abigail soothes and disarms David indignant against her husband Nabal”

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29
by MORITZ VON SCHWIND
“Abigail in front of David”

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30

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31

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32
by GASPAR VAN DEN HOECKE
“David and Abigail”

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33
by DAVID VINCKBOONS
“David And Abigail”

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34
by THEODOOR ROMBOUTS
“Meeting of David and Abigail”

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37 In the morning, Nabal’s wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone. 38 About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal and he died.

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34
“Abigail Tends Nabal”

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39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise be to the Lord, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal’s wrongdoing down on his own head.”

Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife. 40 His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, “David has sent us to you to take you to become his wife.”

42 Abigail quickly got on a donkey and went with David’s messengers and became his wife.

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֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎
֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎

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SNEAK PEEK: Next time,

FEARFUL SAUL
CONSULTS A WITCH

If you're sensing the Holy Spirit is suggesting
that you read ahead, we'll be in 1^ST SAMUEL 28

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֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎
֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎

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R E S O U R C E S

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If you'd like to see for yourself the Bing page
which yielded most of the works above, here is the link:

David, Abigail & Nabal

Where no attribution appears below a work,
the artist's name is unknown
Works are numbered to facilitate your commenting

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Links to three masters who painted Biblical scenes prolifically:

REMBRANDT HARMENSZOON van RIJN

GUSTAV DORÉ
241 wood engravings for
La Grande Bible de Tours

JAMES TISSOT
180 watercolors depicting Bible scenes

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Links to two Bibles with comprehensive illustrations:

The Art Bible (1896)

The Maciejowski-Morgan Bible (c.1245)

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This series keeps moving from one Bible passage to another,
so here is a fascinating and enjoyable link to assist in following along:
BIBLE TIMELINE

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Finally, here are links to the
PREVIOUS 106 POSTS IN THIS SERIES
with descriptive titles to assist you in finding those which interest you

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SPECIAL THANKS
to FReeper left that other site,
who allowed God to make her His conduit
for incomparable enthusiasm, encouragement,
education, advice and technical assistance!

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NOTES ON MY SELECTION CRITERIA

Q u a l i t y The Bible and its Author are my focus, not the art:
this is The Bible in Paintings, not “Great Paintings” nor even “Good Paintings.” So, works need not be masterpieces to qualify for inclusion here—they don’t need to be housed at the Louvre nor auctioned by Sotheby’s. They only need to illustrate successfully some aspect of the Biblical text or, frankly, just tickle my fancy, which I'm asking the Holy Spirit to guide. Often, artists misrepresent the Scripture, but unless the error is material, licentious or heretical I usually include the artwork, trusting that the Spirit is perfectly capable of defending Himself. So, with such forgiving filters, it means that you're seeing practically everything I'm finding.

P a c i n gThe pace may seem glacial to those eager to see their favorite events. My commission is to search for art on each Bible passage in sequence; if I find enough, then it becomes the next installment, even if undramatic. But where there is no art, that Bible passage goes untold here. The Bible is a thick book, as you know; but we'll get there eventually, Lord willing. Always remember:
love, joy, peace, patience kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control is a fruit of the Spirit!

Art is merely the Toy Department of Bible study,
so I’m just having fun here—I hope you are, too!
Thank you for your understanding.

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[Hebrews 11:6]

At the Holy Spirit's prompting, I am surveying "Bible art" to give God glory, as many of these artists have done, and for my own amusement and learning; and I thought others might enjoy it and be blessed by it, too. My plan is to proceed methodically from left-to right, Genesis to Revelation, as the Lord wills. Back soon with another.

The Bible encourages us to meditate on it (Ps. 1:1-3, 119:11-16, etc.); these artists have done so, and their works can assist us and enrich our own thoughts about biblical characters, incidents and concepts, and increase our faith in He who is behind it all. As you encounter and consider these images and the related Scriptures and the Spirit enlightens your understanding, please share it with us!

But it is not only oil-on-canvas that can so help us; I refer to the astonishing video series The Chosen, which strolls through the four Gospels at the most leisurely pace. The eight episodes of Season 1 are finished, and the second of a planned seven seasons is coming soon. I say "leisurely" because after an entire year’s viewing Jesus still has only seven of the apostles (although He's preparing to call up Thomas from the minor leagues--but Thomas is skeptical, of course). Anticipating a canvas of fifty-plus hours instead of a movie's paltry two hours, The Chosen turns the characters (especially including Jesus!) into three-dimensional humans and brings the Gospels alive--you have never seen anything even remotely like it! Here is the Official Trailer.

Here is a link for free viewing of The Chosen: “Works with your phone, tablet, and you can cast to your Roku or Chromecast.” Last fall I paid $34.98 for DVDs and ongoing internet access—best 35 bucks I’ve ever spent (I don’t recall how much our marriage license cost, but then it was 43 years ago).

[Red Badger]

She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys.

They were just laying around?....................

[Hebrews 11:6]

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F o r . . y o u r

CONSIDERATION

ENJOYMENT

& BLESSING

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[Hebrews 11:6]

A testimony to her ability to cope during a crisis. Obviously, it took time and effort to prepare, but also obviously she envisioned the plan, marshalled her resources, and carried it out, successfully. One can see how such utter competence was appealing later to David.

[Red Badger]

Nabal was a total idiot.

When somebody with 400+ armed men to spare to fight, asks you for something, nicely I might add, you give it to them, no matter who they are....................

[Hebrews 11:6]

A horse’s ass.

[etabeta]

Brain and beauty versus arrogant stupidity. Nabal sure lived up to his name!

Picture #21 and @29 are wonderful.

[ConorMacNessa]

Thanks very much for this elegant array of Biblical Art. In this instance, the distaff side understood the importance of hospitality toward strangers - a cardinal virtue in the ancient world - not so much in today's society.

"Dia shábháil ar fad anseo!"

[Hebrews 11:6]

My mom always said, “It takes a lady!”

[Hebrews 11:6]

a cardinal virtue in the ancient world

Exercised wonderfully by Abraham toward his three visitors a millennium previously. (One really must excuse Job's earlier inhospitality.) And we are left with the more modern exhortations to "Love your neighbor" and "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers."

[Maudeen]

Psalm 14:1 - The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Yep.