patriarchs and prophets-第155节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


neither　missed　we　anything；　as　long　as　we　were　conversant　with　them；　when　we
were　in　the　fields。　They　were　a　wall　unto

666

us　both　by　night　and　day；　all　the　while　we　were　with　them　keeping　the　sheep。
Now　therefore　know　and　consider　what　thou　wilt　do；　for　evil　is　determined
against　our　master；　and　against　all　his　household。〃

Without　consulting　her　husband　or　telling　him　of　her　intention；　Abigail　made
up　an　ample　supply　of　provisions；　which；　laded　upon　asses；　she　sent　forward
in　the　charge　of　servants；　and　herself　started　out　to　meet　the　band　of
David。　She　met　them　in　a　covert　of　a　hill。　〃And　when　Abigail　saw　David；　she
hasted；　and　lighted　off　the　ass；　and　fell　before　David　on　her　face；　and
bowed　herself　to　the　ground；　and　fell　at　his　feet；　and　said；　Upon　me；　my
lord；　upon　me　let　this　iniquity　be：　and　let　thine　handmaid；　I　pray　thee；
speak　in　thine　audience。〃　Abigail　addressed　David　with　as　much　reverence　as
though　speaking　to　a　crowned　monarch。　Nabal　had　scornfully　exclaimed；　〃Who
is　David？〃　but　Abigail　called　him；　〃my　lord。〃　With　kind　words　she　sought　to
sooth　his　irritated　feelings；　and　she　pleaded　with　him　in　behalf　of　her
husband。　With　nothing　of　ostentation　or　pride；　but　full　of　the　wisdom　and
love　of　God；　Abigail　revealed　the　strength　of　her　devotion　to　her　household；
and　she　made　it　plain　to　David　that　the　unkind　course　of　her　husband　was　in
no　wise　premeditated　against　him　as　a　personal　affront；　but　was　simply　the
outburst　of　an　unhappy　and　selfish　nature。

〃Now　therefore；　my　lord；　as　the　Lord　liveth；　and　as　thy　soul　liveth；　seeing
the　Lord　hath　withholden　thee　from　coming　to　shed　blood；　and　from　avenging
thyself　with　thine　own　hand；　now　let　thine　enemies；　and　they　that　seek　evil
to　my　lord；　be　as　Nabal。〃　Abigail　did　not　take　to　herself　the　credit　of　this
reasoning　to　turn　David　from　his　hasty　purpose；　but　gave　to　God　the　honor
and　the　praise。　She　then　offered　her　rich　provision　as　a　peace　offering　to
the　men　of　David；　and　still　pleaded　as　if　she　herself　were　the　one　who　had
so　excited　the　resentment　of　the　chief。

〃I　pray　thee；〃　she　said；　〃forgive　the　trespass　of　thine　handmaid：　for　the
Lord　will　certainly　make　my　lord　a　sure　house；　because　my　lord　fighteth　the
battles　of　the　Lord；　and　evil　hath　not　been　found　in　thee　all　thy　days。〃
Abigail　presented　by　implication　the　course　that　David　ought　to　pursue。　He
should　fight　the　battles　of　the　Lord。　He　was　not　to　seek　revenge　for
personal　wrongs；　even　though　persecuted　as　a　traitor。　She　continued：　〃Though
man　be　risen　up　to　pursue　thee；　and　to　seek　thy　soul；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　667

yet　the　soul　of　my　lord　shall　be　bound　in　the　bundle　of　life　with　the　Lord
thy　God。　。　。　。　And　it　shall　come　to　pass；　when　the　Lord　shall　have　done　to
my　lord　according　to　all　the　good　that　He　hath　spoken　concerning　thee；　and
shall　have　appointed　thee　prince　over　Israel；　that　this　shall　be　no　grief
unto　thee；　nor　offense　of　heart　unto　my　lord；　either　that　thou　hast　shed
blood　causeless；　or　that　my　lord　hath　avenged　himself：　and　when　the　Lord
shall　have　dealt　well　with　my　lord；　then　remember　thine　handmaid。〃
1　Samuel　25：29：31；　R。　V。

These　words　could　have　come　only　from　the　lips　of　one　who　had　partaken　of
the　wisdom　from　above。　The　piety　of　Abigail；　like　the　fragrance　of　a　flower；
breathed　out　all　unconsciously　in　face　and　word　and　action。　The　Spirit　of
the　Son　of　God　was　abiding　in　her　soul。　Her　speech；　seasoned　with　grace；　and
full　of　kindness　and　peace；　shed　a　heavenly　influence。　Better　impulses　came
to　David；　and　he　trembled　as　he　thought　what　might　have　been　the
consequences　of　his　rash　purpose。　〃Blessed　are　the　peacemakers：　for　they
shall　be　called　the　children　of　God。〃　Matthew　5：9。　Would　that　there　were
many　more　like　this　woman　of　Israel；　who　would　soothe　the　irritated
feelings；　prevent　rash　impulses；　and　quell　great　evils　by　words　of　calm　and
well…directed　wisdom。

A　consecrated　Christian　life　is　ever　shedding　light　and　comfort　and　peace。
It　is　characterized　by　purity；　tact；　simplicity；　and　usefulness。　It　is
controlled　by　that　unselfish　love　that　sanctifies　the　influence。　It　is　full
of　Christ；　and　leaves　a　track　of　light　wherever　its　possessor　may　go。
Abigail　was　a　wise　reprover　and　counselor。　David's　passion　died　away　under
the　power　of　her　influence　and　reasoning。　He　was　convinced　that　he　had　taken
an　unwise　course　and　had　lost　control　of　his　own　spirit。

With　a　humble　heart　he　received　the　rebuke；　in　harmony　with　his　own　words；
〃Let　the　righteous　smite　me；　it　shall　be　a　kindness：　and　let　him　reprove　me；
it　shall　be　an　excellent　oil。〃　Psalm　141：5。　He　gave　thanks　and　blessings
because　she　advised　him　righteously。　There　are　many　who；　when　they　are
reproved；　think　it　praiseworthy　if　they　receive　the　rebuke　without　becoming
impatient；　but　how　few　take　reproof　with　gratitude　of　heart　and　bless　those
who　seek　to　save　them　from　pursuing　an　evil　course。

When　Abigail　returned　home　she　found　Nabal　and　his　guests　in　the　enjoyment
of　a　great　feast；　which　they　had　converted　into

668

a　scene　of　drunken　revelry。　Not　until　the　next　morning　did　she　relate　to　her
husband　what　had　occurred　in　her　interview　with　David。　Nabal　was　a　coward　at
heart；　and　when　he　realized　how　near　his　folly　had　brought　him　to　a　sudden
death；　he　seemed　smitten　with　paralysis。　Fearful　that　David　would　still
pursue　his　purpose　of　revenge；　he　was　filled　with　horror；　and　sank　down　in　a
condition　of　helpless　insensibility。　After　ten　days　he　died。　The　life　that
God　had　given　him　had　been　only　a　curse　to　the　world。　In　the　midst　of　his
rejoicing　and　making　merry；　God　had　said　to　him；　as　He　said　to　the　rich　man
of　the　parable；　〃This　night　thy　soul　shall　be　required　of　thee。〃　Luke　12：20。

David　afterward　married　Abigail。　He　was　already　the　husband　of　one　wife；　but
the　custom　of　the　nations　of　his　time　had　perverted　his　judgment　and
influenced　his　actions。　Even　great　and　good　men　have　erred　in　following　the
practices　of　the　world。　The　bitter　result　of　marrying　many　wives　was　sorely
felt　throughout　all　the　life　of　David。

After　the　death　of　Samuel；　David　was　left　in　peace　for　a　few　months。　Again
he　repaired　to　the　solitude　of　the　Ziphites；　but　these　enemies；　hoping　to
secure　the　favor　of　the　king；　informed　him　of　David's　hiding　place。　This
intelligence　aroused　the　demon　of　passion　that　had　been　slumbering　in　Saul's
breast。　Once　more　he　summoned　his　men　of　arms　and　led　them　out　in　pursuit　of
David。　But　friendly　spies　brought　tidings　to　the　son　of　Jesse　that　Saul　was
again　pursuing　him；　and　with　a　few　of　his　men；　David　started　out　to　learn
the　location　of　his　enemy。　It　was　night　when；　cautiously　advancing；　they
came　upon　the　encampment；　and　saw　before　them　the　tents　of　the　king　and　his
attendants。　They　were　unobserved；　for　the　camp　was　quiet　in　slumber。　David
called　upon　his　friends　to　go　with　him　into　the　very　midst　of　the　foe。　In
answer　to　his　question；　〃Who　will　go　down　with　me　to　Saul　to　the　camp？〃
Abishai　promptly　responded；　〃I　will　go　down　with　thee。〃

Hidden　by　the　deep　shadows　of　the　hills；　David　and　his　attendant　entered　the
encampment　of　the　enemy。　As　they　sought　to　ascertain　the　exact　number　of
their　foes；　they　came　upon　Saul　sleeping；　his　spear　stuck　in　the　ground；　and
a　cruse　of　water　at　his　head。　Beside　him　lay　Abner；　his　chief　commander；　and
all　around　them　were　the　soldiers；　locked　in　slumber。　Abishai　raised　his
spear；　and　said　to　David；　〃God　hath　delivered　thine　enemy　into　thine　hand
this　day：　now　therefore　let　me　smite

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　671

him；　I　pray　thee；　with　the　spear　even　to　the　earth　at　once；　and　I　will　not
smite　him　the　second　time。〃　He　waited　for　the　word　of　permission；　but　there
fell　upon　his　ear　the　whispered　words：　〃Destroy　him　not：　for　who　can　stretch
forth　his　hand　against　the　Lord's　anointed；　and　be　guiltless？　。　。　。　As　the
Lord　liveth；　the　Lord　shall　smite　him；　or　his　day　shall　come　to　die；　or　he
shall　descend　into　battle；　and　perish。　The　Lord　forbid　that　I　should　stretch
forth　mine　hand　against　the　Lord's　anointed：　but；　I　pray　thee；　take　thou　now
the　spear　that　is　at　his　bolster；　and　the　cruse　of　water；　and　let　us　go。　So
David　took　the　spear　and　the　cruse　of　water　from　Saul's　bolster；　and　they
gat　them　away；　and　no　man　saw　it；　nor　knew　it；　neither　awaked：　for　they　were
all　asleep；　because　a　deep　sleep　from　the　Lord　was　fallen　upon　them。〃　How
easily　the　Lord　can　weaken　the　strongest；　remove　prudence　from　the　wisest；
and　baffle　the　skill　of　the　most　watchful！

When　David　was　at　a　safe　distance　from　the　camp　he　stood　on　the　top　of　a
hill　and　cried　with　a　loud　voice　to　the　people　and　to　Abner；　saying；　〃Art
not　thou　a　valiant　man？　and　who　is　like　to　thee　in　Israel？　wherefore　then
hast　thou　not　kept　thy　lord　the　king？　for　there　came　one　of　the　people　in　to
destroy　the　king　thy　lord。　This　thing　is　not　good　that　thou　hast　done。　As
the　Lord　liveth；　ye　are　worthy　to　die；　because　ye　have　not　kept　your　master
the　Lord's　anointed。　And　now　see　where　the　king's　spear　is；　and　the　cruse　of
water　that　was　at　his　bolster。　And　Saul　knew　David's　voice；　and　said；　Is
this　thy　voice；　my　s