Nabal Refuses to Help, Primary - I, Lesson - 16

PRIMARY

AGE: 6 - 7 YEARS

STANDARD (GRADE): I & II

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LESSON – 16

NABAL REFUSES TO HELP

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Nabal was a very wealthy man who lived in a place called Maon, when King Saul was ruling Israel. He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep. His wife’s name was Abigail. Nabal was known for being a miserly man who was surly and mean, but his wife Abigail was generous and kind-hearted.

Once in a year the sheep farmers would celebrate the shearing festival. It was also called as Hag ha-Gez. Shearing is the process of trimming the hair or wool off of the sheep. It's like giving the sheep a haircut. Sheep were sheared after the winter season during late spring season so as to keep the sheep cool during the hot summer. 

Shearing of sheep

            

                                           Sheep                                                              Goat

The shearing day was a day of festivity and rejoicing. The farmer would invite his relatives and friends to come and take part in the shearing and when it was over, there would be singing, dancing and a sumptuous feast for all.

The sheared wool would be spun into yarn, which was then used to make dresses, tents and carpets.

                        

                             Wool spun into Yarn                                             Dried Yarn

Yarn made into woolen clothes

Once Nabal was celebrating his shearing festival at a place called Carmel. At that time David and his men had arrived there because King Saul was after them. King Saul did not like David and wanted to harm him. So, David and his men fled and lived in the desert near Nabal’s shearing place. While living there, David and his men kept a watch over Nabal and his flock also; because the farmers were in danger of being attacked by their enemies or robbers and their flock and their precious wool stolen. So, David and his men being there, provided security for Nabal, his flock and his shearers.

David and his men had travelled a large distance and their food supply was getting low. David thought of getting help from Nabal and sent ten of his men to Nabal to request some food.  The men approached Nabal and wished him health and long life for both himself and his family and they requested him to spare some food for them. But Nabal insulted David and his men by calling them runaway men and refused to share his food with them. 

Even though David and his men had a need at that point of time, David was a respectable person. David was the Army Commander of King Saul; a reliable and a valiant soldier. God was with him. God had also chosen him as the next king of Israel. But Nabal who was unwise and mean, did not realise that he was putting himself, his friends and his family in danger by his wicked behaviour. The ten men came back to David and told him about how Nabal refused to share by calling them runaway men. David wanted to teach Nabal a lesson. So, four hundred of David’s men prepared to attack Nabal’s home. But God did not want David to fight that day, so he provided another solution.

One of Nabal’s servants quickly rushed to tell Nabal’s wife Abigail about Nabal refusing to share food with David and his men. Abigail knew she had to do something fast. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two goat-skins of wine, five cooked sheep, some roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs. She loaded them on donkeys and took them to David and his men. David received them, blessed her and returned to their camp without attacking Nabal. Nabal, his family, and servants were saved through Abigail’s wise and generous actions.

Bible Reference: I Samuel 25: 1-35

Memory Verse: If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? (I John 3:17) 

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES

Answer the following questions:

1. What was Nabal’s character like?

    ......................................................................................

2. What does sheep-shearing mean?

    ......................................................................................

3. Why did David and his men keep a watch over Nabal and his flock?

   .......................................................................................

4. How did Nabal put his friends and family in danger?

    ......................................................................................

5. Give the names of any 2 items Abigail gave to David and his men.

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Choose the best answer

1.      Nabal was celebrating shearing at a place called ………

a) Bethel                 b) Jericho               c) Carmel

2. David sent ten men to …………… to request some food.

     a) Nabal                  b) Saul                     c) Absalom

3. David was the Army Commander of King ………….

     a) Saul                     b) Solomon            c) Samuel

4. Nabal refused to share his food with …………… and his men.

     a) Daniel                 b) Elijah                  c) David

5. Nabal and his family were saved through the wise and generous actions of ……………...
a) Rahab                  b) Abigail                c) Jael