When one hears the term, "ignorance", the first thing that comes to one's mind is something bad or negative, and when the term is directed towards one's self, especially when one has a BA or an MA, one might say: "Really!? Mwar!" "What is it that I Don't Know? The problem is, some never keep the term in the context of a given situation or the spirit of the moment! Case in point. When a police or judge tells us; "Ignorance of the Law, is no excuse!" The usage here is very clear! However, all cases are not so. In some instances, it does not mean that one is not very smart, there is something someone has not learned, but a snap reaction to a situation. Temporary insanity as it were.
This calls to mind a story about King David of the Nation of Isreal, recorded in the bible. It was when David was running from King Saul, and He and his 600 men happened upon a certain flock and heard of a man named Nable. David and his men took it upon themselves to protect men from marauder bands, or whatever. To quote one of Nables men, "Like a wall he was around us!" Because of this, David thought Nable would be grateful, and appreciative, but his reaction was not what he expected:
Now there was a man in Maʹon+whose work was in Carʹmel.*
+ The man was very wealthy; he had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats, and he was then shearing his sheep at Carʹmel. 3 The man’s name was Naʹbal,+ and his wife’s name was Abʹi·gail.+ The wife was discerning and beautiful, but the husband, a Caʹleb·ite,+ was harsh, and he behaved badly.+ 4 David heard in the wilderness that Naʹbal was shearing his sheep. 5 So David sent ten young men to him, and David told the young men: “Go up to Carʹmel, and when you come to Naʹbal, ask him in my name about his welfare. 6 Then say, ‘May you live long and may you be well* and may your household be well and may all that you have be well. 7 Now I hear that you are doing your shearing. When your shepherds were with us, we did not harm them,+ and they found nothing missing the whole time they were in Carʹmel. 8 Ask your young men, and they will tell you. May my young men find favor in your eyes, because we have come at a joyous time.* Please give to your servants and to your son David whatever you can spare.’”+
9 So David’s young men went and told all of this to Naʹbal in David’s name. When they finished, 10 Naʹbal answered David’s servants: “Who is David, and who is the son of Jesʹse? Nowadays many servants are breaking away from their masters.+ 11 Do I have to take my bread and my water and the meat that I butchered for my shearers and give it to men who come from who knows where?”
Not the response one would expect, right? Well, not knowing very well, No. Note David's response?:
At that David’s young men returned and reported all these words to him. 13 David immediately said to his men: “Everyone straps on your sword!”+ So they all strapped on their swords, and David also strapped on his own sword, and about 400 men went up with David, while 200 men stayed with the baggage.
Now one might say that David had every right to be about to act a bit ignorant at this point, but notice what happened next:
Meanwhile, one of the servants reported to Abʹi·gail, Naʹbal’s wife: “Look! David sent messengers from the wilderness to wish our master well, but he screamed insults at them.+ 15 Those men were very good to us. They never harmed us, and we did not miss a single thing the whole time we were together with them in the fields.+ 16 They were like a protective wall around us, both by night and by day, the whole time we were with them shepherding the flock. 17 Now decide what you are going to do, for disaster has been determined against our master and against all his house,+ and he is such a worthless* man+ that no one can speak to him.”
18 So Abʹi·gail+ quickly took 200 loaves of bread, two large jars of wine, five dressed sheep, five seah measures* of roasted grain, 100 cakes of raisins, and 200 cakes of pressed figs and put all of it on the donkeys.+ 19 Then she said to her servants: “Go on ahead of me; I will follow you.” But she said nothing to her husband Naʹbal.
At this point, Abigail is the only one keeping a cool head. Notice her words to David, as she saves him from becoming blood guilty!
When Abʹi·gail caught sight of David, she hurried down off the donkey and threw herself facedown before David, bowing to the ground. 24
She then fell at his feet and said: “My lord, let the blame be on me; let your servant girl speak to you and listen to the words of your servant girl. 25 Please, do not let my lord pay attention to this worthless Naʹbal,+ for he is just like his name. Naʹbal* is his name, and senselessness is with him. But I, your servant girl, did not see my lord’s young men whom you sent. 26 And now, my lord, as surely as Jehovah is living and as you are* living, it is Jehovah who has held you back+ from incurring bloodguilt+ and from taking revenge* with your own hand. May your enemies and those seeking injury to my lord become like Naʹbal. 27 Now let this gift*+ that your servant girl has brought to my lord be given to the young men who are following my lord.+ 28 Pardon, please, the transgression of your servant girl, for Jehovah will without fail to make for my lord a lasting house,+ because my lord is fighting the wars of Jehovah,+ and no evil has been found in you all your days.+ 29 When someone rises up to pursue you and seeks your life,* the life* of my lord will be wrapped securely in the bag of life with Jehovah your God, but the lives* of your enemies he will hurl away like stones from a sling.* 30 And when Jehovah has done for my lord all the good things he has promised and he appoints you as leader over Israel,+ 31 you will have no remorse or regret* in your heart for shedding blood without cause and for letting the hand of my lord take revenge.*+ When Jehovah confers good upon my lord, remember your servant girl.”