David reacts with deep anger and a firm resolve to completely destroy Nabal's household. This harsh response is surprising, especially when contrasted with David's famous restraint toward King Saul, who relentlessly hunted him. The justification for such a severe decree stems from Nabal's status as a rebel against the crown. By this time, David's anointing as king was already widely known throughout Israel. Therefore, Nabal's public humiliation of David and his outright refusal to obey him were not mere insults; they constituted a capital offense. Under this ruling, a rebel is sentenced to death, and his property is transferred to the king [רלב״ג, אברבנאל].
To seal his decision, David utters a severe oath, invoking God's action against his enemies if he fails to carry out his plan. The primary approach among commentators is that David actually intended to direct the curse at himself, meaning, "So may God do to me." However, the text employs a euphemism to avoid recording an explicit curse against David, particularly because he ultimately changed his mind and did not carry out the oath [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Alternatively, some explain that this is not a standard oath at all. Instead, David is declaring that if he fails to wipe out Nabal, God will reward David's enemies with the same vast wealth He gave Nabal, which would serve as a heavy punishment for David [אברבנאל]. Another perspective suggests David is stating that God will eventually bring upon David's enemies the exact same destruction that David is currently planning for Nabal [מלבי״ם].
The planned annihilation is described with stark imagery, emphasizing that not a single soul would be spared. The primary approach among commentators is that the description refers to any human male, based on male physical anatomy [מצודת דוד, רלב״ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Other interpretations broaden the scope of the destruction, suggesting that the imagery includes even the dogs, meaning David intended to leave absolutely no living creature in Nabal's household [רש״י, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Additionally, based on the Aramaic translation, the imagery is understood metaphorically to represent any mature, knowledgeable adult [רש״י, רד״ק].