36
Daughters of God
her husband to worship at Shiloh, she gave the child this reminder
of her love. Every fiber of the little garment had been woven with a
prayer that he might be pure, noble, and true. She did not ask for her
son worldly greatness, but she earnestly pleaded that he might attain
that greatness which Heaven values—that he might honor God and
bless his fellowmen.—
Patriarchs and Prophets, 572 (1890)
.
Abigail
This chapter is based on
1 Samuel 25
.
Abigail was the beautiful, kind, and intelligent wife of Nabal, a mean
and violent-tempered man. By her wise course she was able to avoid
much
[42]
bloodshed when her husband treated David and his men with contempt
.
When David was a fugitive from the face of Saul, he had camped
near the possessions of Nabal and had protected the flocks and the
shepherds of this man.... In a time of need, David sent messengers
to Nabal with a courteous message, asking for food for himself and
his men, and Nabal answered with insolence, returning evil for good,
and refusing to share his abundance with his neighbors. No message
could have been more respectful than that which David sent to this
man, but Nabal accused David and his men falsely in order to justify
himself in his selfishness, and represented David and his followers as
runaway slaves. When the messenger returned with this insolent taunt,
David’s indignation was aroused, and he determined to have speedy
revenge.—
Manuscript Releases 21:213 (1891)
.
One of Nabal’s servants hastened to Abigail, the wife of Nabal,
after he had dismissed David’s young men, and told her what had
happened. “Behold,” he said, “David sent messengers out of the
wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them. But the men
were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any
thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in
the fields. They were a wall unto 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.”