1 Samuel 25:13 Insult

 ”David said to his men, “Each of you strap on your sword!” So they did, and David strapped his on as well. About four hundred men went up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.“ 1 Samuel‬ ‭25‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

a. Then David said to his men, “Every man gird on his sword”: David received Nabal’s response exactly the way Nabal intended it to be received: as a great insult. But Nabal is not dealing with a weak, no-account man; David was a great soldier and warrior. In our modern way of speaking, David would have said to his men, “Lock and load!” In a western movie, he would have said, “Mount up, boys!” David was ready to fight.

i. This is not a high moment for David. He doesn’t respond the way the LORD would have him respond to an insult, or even to an attack. God would have us bear insults with love and kindness, returning their evil with our good. This is high ground to walk on, but it is commanded by Jesus: Whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also (Matthew 5:39).

ii. David didn’t show Nabal the same kindness and longsuffering that he showed to Saul. In just the previous chapter, David spared Saul’s life when Saul not only insulted David but also actually attacked him and tried to kill him. David was able to be kind and longsuffering to Saul, but it seems to have been harder to do it towards someone he perceived as his equal or lower than himself. Often, this is a true measure of our character – not how we treat our superiors, but how we treat our equals or those “beneath” us in some way or another.

b. About four hundred men went with David: David is not coming to Nabal just to make a statement, but to wipe him out. That is why he arms himself and his men and why he left some men behind to watch the stuff and serve as reinforcements.

Insult

Recently we looked at our Homeowners Association Facebook page and my wife made a comment about the snow removal with the new contractor. The board had hired a new contractor because they fired the old contractor after thirty years of service. She said they should have stayed with the previous contractor. She was immediately attacked, insulted and harassed by the ex president, and was told she had no say in the matter. I stewed and chewed on it for a while and posted a bible verse (Ecclesiastes 10:3).

Then the ex president attacked, insulted and harassed both of us to the point that we left the group. Someone else asked a simple question and he started bullying and harassing her. I noticed by the time I left the group the members count had reduced by four.

How would the Lord want us to react to an insult?

Whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also (Matthew 5:39).

”Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.“

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭26‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The Message translation is interesting so I included it!

”Don’t respond to the stupidity of a fool; you’ll only look foolish yourself. Answer a fool in simple terms so he doesn’t get a swelled head. You’re only asking for trouble when you send a message by a fool.“ Proverbs‬ ‭26‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Have you ever answered the insult of a fool and regretted it?

Blessings