Wise woman in I Samuel 25 : 2-44: A hermeneutic study

Abstract

There’s no denying that the Bible also was a product of patriarchal culture, in which value and men's need became a measurement. Men tend to consider themselves stronger and more powerful while women were judged weaker both physically and intellectually. So, it wasn’t a surprise if in the Bible writings it was colored by the value and the man needs. Those facts also colored the interpretations of the Bible. Even though Bible was a patriarchal culture it also covered about the women needs. Unfortunately, the predictions about women needs were based on the understandings and the needs of men. However, we have to confess that as the development of the world, the changes have been made in all aspect of life; culture, social and etc. including an opportunity for women to express themselves as a full creation in many functions, roles and responsibilities both in the church and in the society. It is hoped the women can use these opportunities and they can realize their existence as human beings who have the right to arrange their life and have courage to improve their potential as women. In this frame，, Abigail as a wisdom woman is taken to be followed by women in this era. This writing wants to talk about the story of woman in the Old Testament, then reading and interpreting it based on the women point of view. Focused of the story, is the story about a wisdom woman, Abigail in I Samuel 25: 2-44. The purpose of this study is to give awareness and understanding to the women in Asia, especially in the Moluccas who live in the culture where they are dominated by patriarchal culture. Women in Asia and Moluccas still depend on men and they have no courage to stand alone. For example, when they are offered to have a strategic position they tend to refuse it. The result of this is gender unfairness, and this happens both in the church and in the society, women play more important role in the family than in the public. The study about Abigail use exegesis method from women point of view. On that point of view, Abigail not only play the important role as a lifelong companion David and Nabal but also legitimated David’s power and his kingdom. The study of Abigail from feminist perspective does not make a conclusion, as what H.P. Smith said, that this story only concerned about David’s method to get Abigail as his wife. The contrary this thesis has showed the role of Abigail as one of wisdom women in The Old Testament who play the public role in patriarchal society. Feminist perspective interpretation sees Abigail as a leading role who decide all important moments which had relation with the kingdom and the future of Israel. Abigail was a picture of The Old Testament about a woman and the role of a wisdom woman in public that she was equal to men. Men and women were equal. The author of Samuel, (in verse 3) clearly identified Abigail as a woman who was not only beautiful (physically) but also possessed wisdom. She was wise and beautiful ("sekel weyph"), she has good understanding ("tov sekel"). Her beauty and her wisdom colored all aspects of her life, the way she spoke, her attitude and her behavior that she was appreciated by her society including David. The beauty and the wisdom of Abigail were forms of her power which was the same as what David and Nabal had. Abigail appreciated what she had as God’s gift, so she was different from Nabal and David who used their power to show their strength and hardness. In fact, Abigail used her power to protect and protect life. This was obviously seen when she action and made right decisions in solving the problem of her family and her nation. Abigail begun her acted when she heard from one of her servants that David was angry and he swore to kill Nabal, her husband, and all of her family. Nabal was too arrogant and didn’t fulfil what David and his men wanted. Even though they were always nice to Nabal's shepherds and their livestock. Nabal didn’t want to admit that he committed on to David and his followers who had protected Nabal's treasure from thief and wild animals, as a wall (Heb."khoma'). As a wise woman, Abigail didn’t want to keep quiet but she took a right step immediately (cf. Heb,"de，i ure’i" = think and consider). She realized that David would take revenge and keep his name as a hero (verse 13, 21). She knew that she had to save not only her husband and her family but also David who had been prepared by God to be the king of Israel to replace Saul. The beauty and the wisdom of Abigail could cool down the anger of David so he cancelled his plan to kill her family. This was obviously seen when she supplied what David and his men needed. She took all the responsibilities of a man (her husband, verse 19) even though she risked her life. She did it in her freedom with confidence without consulting with her husband. Abigail was sure that she wasn’t alone in her struggling, but God’s with her. Abigail was sure that God used her in His planning for the future of Israel, so God never let her alone. This was proven when she faced David and told him what she wanted, with all things that she had prepared for David and his men. Abigail is qualified as a person of good intelligence and good looks. Her approach to David was a model of tact. David was on the point of brutally and vindictively destroying an enemy, Nabal. Abigail gives two reasons why no king or future king should act in this fashion, (i) Any leader (any king of Israel) not to dissipate his energies in personal vendettas within his own realm, but to maintain his whole nation’s welfare against any external foes, (ii) A deed of vindictive revenge would destroy peace of mind (v. 31). A leader must not lose his personal integrity in his way. With her wisdom and her beauty, she tried to convince David about God’s plans on him. For Abigail this was more important for David as a man who had been prepared to be a leader/king of Israel. Abigail had warned David about God’s promise to him and his descendant. (See verse 28-30, cf II Samuel 7). Abigail said clearly that as a man who had been anointed by Samuel, David should have not concerned about the being insulted by Nabal but he had to concern about the law that arranged the society. As a king, he would be responsible for holding law, and that was why he should not be a judge for his own problem. Therefore, Abigail protected her family, David and her nation. David had to confess that all things happened between he and Abigail was because God sent Abigail to him so he could be avoided from taking blood revenge. David praised or blessed Abigail and he not only asked her went back in peace, but then he heard and followed what she said and took her face (verse 35). Finally, he took her as his wife after her husband, Nabal, had passed away (verse 42). The story of Abigail, David and Nabal was a reality that in patriarchal society, wisdom was not limited by men only but women could be committed on also to have wisdom. Thus, traditional wisdom as a universal education doesn’t limit, ethnic, nation, religion, sex and etc. So, the universality of wisdom shows that women are equal to men in capability and status to carry out the equal responsibility in handling problems of human beings. This means that God used not only men but also women in His plan. The theological base of this idea was in Genesis 1:26-27. It is said that men and women are equally created in “the Image of God". The expression “Image of God" connotes the meaning of the equal quality of perfection, women are equal to men as the whole human being. Therefore, this thesis is effort to critic the patriarchal culture in society and church life. Because it has not relevant again with present context reality. From the story of Abigail, the women in Asia， especially in the Moluccas，, have to study freedom, courage and women’s independency as a full creature in order to improve their capability and to motivate them in doing all things in the church and in the society. Women should have courage to struggle for living in peace without violence as form of their responsibility, been God’s partner and equal to men. Men and women have equal responsibility for developing God creatures in the earth.