NABAL. A wealthy but churlish sheep-owner ‘in Maon, whose business was in Carmel’ ( 1 Samuel 25:2 RVm [Note: Revised Version margin.] ). David, while living as an outlaw and freebooter, demanded at Nabal’s sheepshearing his reward for defending his flocks ( 1 Samuel 25:5 ff.). Nabal, inflamed with wine, returned an insolent answer, and David was prevented from wreaking terrible vengeance only by the timely arrival of Abigail, Nabal’s wife, with large gifts and abundant flattery. The word Nabal means ‘fool,’ and Abigail, with wifely candour, says to David, ‘Fool is his name and fool is he.’ The next day Nabal was informed of all that had happened, and the shock of discovery brought on an apoplectic seizure, which caused his death. Abigail then became David’s wife.
W. F. Boyd.