No, this is not Cherie’s description of our marriage.  This is Abigail’s description of her marriage in 1 Sam 25.25.  This is another instance where it pays mighty dividends to study the definition of Hebrew proper names.  Abigail is married to Nabal.  The word Nabal means “a fool.”

One wonders what exactly his parents were thinking, “Let’s set the little boy off right in life, let’s call him “The Fool.”  We don’t know how he got his name, whether it was a nickname he earned through his behavior, or whether that was his name from the start and it doesn’t really matter.  Nabal means “a fool” and he acts like a fool.  He’s also described as “churlish and evil” (KJV).  One would have to search long and hard to find anyone in the Bible described in a worse way.

One thing that fascinates me about the narrative here is Abigail’s character.  She is married to a fool, she knows it, the servants know it, David certainly knows it, but what do we find her doing?  Being a good wife to Nabal.  She ends up saving his life!  This is a woman of character.

After Nabal dies (the Lord smote Nabal [KJV]), David sends his servants to take Abigail as his wife (When my wife—who is on the same Bible reading plan  as I—read this passage, she said, “Wow, way to woo a woman, David.  Send servants to propose.”  Strange culture, that).

A couple of things stand out to me in this story.  First, it’s possible to be the richest man in your neighborhood and still be a fool.  Second, it’s possible to be married to the biggest fool in your neighborhood and still live righteously.