Her name means: "My Father Is Joy"
Her character: Generous, quick-witted, and wise, she is one
of the Bible's great peacemakers.
Her sorrow: To have been
mismatched in marriage to her first husband.
Her joy: That
God used her to save lives, eventually making her the wife of
David.
Key Scriptures: 1 Samuel 25:2-42
Her Story
Blockhead, numskull, nincompoop—the words strike us as both harsh and
humorous. But any woman married to a man worthy of such labels would have little
to laugh about.
Abigail must have felt suffocated, having been paired with just such a
husband. Her father may have thought the wealthy Nabal was a catch, little
realizing the man's domineering attitude might one day endanger his daughter's
future. But fools and ruin often keep close company, as Abigail discovered.
For some time Abigail had been hearing of David: his encounter with Goliath,
his ruddy good looks, his prowess in battle, his rift with King Saul. Recently,
he had become her near neighbor in the Desert of Maon, west of the Dead Sea,
where he had taken refuge from Saul. Since David had arrived with his six
hundred men, marauders kept clear of her husband's livestock, and Nabal's flocks
prospered as a result.
But when David sent ten of his men to ask Nabal for provisions, Nabal, who
had grown richer by the day thanks to David, nearly spit in their faces. "Who is
this David? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. Why
should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my
shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?" Rich though he was,
Nabal had just foolishly insulted the region's most powerful man.
Aware of their danger, one of the servants ran quickly to Abigail, begging
her to intervene. As Nabal's wife, she must have suffered his arrogance every
day of her life. But this time his folly jeopardized the entire household.
Wasting no time, and without a word to her husband, she loaded a caravan of
donkeys with gifts for David and his men—freshly baked bread, skins of wine, red
meat, and various delicacies—and took them to David's camp. As soon as she saw
him, she fell to the ground at his feet, making one of the longest speeches by a
woman recorded in the Bible:
"My lord," she pleaded, "let the blame be on me alone. May my lord pay no
attention to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name is Fool,
and folly goes with him. But as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my
master sent. Please forgive your servant's offense, for the Lord will certainly
make a lasting dynasty for my master, because he fights the Lord's battles. Let
no wrongdoing be found in you as long as you live. Even though someone pursues
you, your life will be held securely by the Lord your God. But the lives of your
enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling."
Her well-chosen words, of course, reminded David of his success against
Goliath, erasing his anger and enabling his gracious reply: "Praise be to the
Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed
for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from
avenging myself with my own hands. If you had not come quickly to meet me, not
one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak." In addition
to saving lives, Abigail's wisdom had spared David from sinning, reminding him
that vengeance belongs only to God.
After her encounter with David, Abigail went to Carmel, where Nabal had been
shearing his sheep and celebrating his good fortune. Once again, she found him
playing the fool. Oblivious to danger, he was drunkenly presiding over a
festival banquet, like a great king. She waited until morning, when he was
sober, to tell him what had happened. As soon as Nabal heard the news, his heart
failed. Ten days later he was dead.
Arrogance, greed, and selfishness had conspired to rob Nabal of any good
sense he might once have possessed. Thinking himself a great man when he was
only a small one, he lost everything. Abigail was Nabal's opposite, a woman
whose humility, faith, generosity, intelligence, and honesty made her wise.
Rather than putting others at risk by an ungoverned tongue, her gracious words
saved lives.
When David heard the news of Nabal's death, he sent word to Abigail, asking
her to be his wife. This time it was Abigail's choice whether or not to marry.
She accepted, becoming David's third wife and eventually mother to his second
son, Kileab.
Unlike Michal, who had been a mere pawn on a chessboard, Abigail was a woman
who rose above her circumstances to change the course of events. Though
Scripture doesn't offer details regarding her daily life, it is logical to
suppose she was a good wife to Nabal. Even her entreaty to David was the act of
a good wife. Perhaps her marriage was the catalyst for her character, helping
her to cultivate contrasting virtues to Nabal's vices. Regardless, through her
quick-witted action, she spared her husband's life and goods. It was God, not
Abigail or David, who paid Nabal back for his arrogance and greed.
Her Promise
Abigail was a courageous woman, who made the best out of a difficult
situation. She knew the cultural principles at work here: Nabal—out of just
plain good hospitality and out of gratitude for the protection David's men had
provided—should have given David's men what they asked for. Yet when David
sought vengeance, Abigail interceded, realizing that vengeance wasn't something
that was up to David—or her—to give.
Years of living with Nabal did not seem to have made Abigail bitter, nor had
the years caused her to look for ways to get back at him and seek revenge. The
Lord honored Abigail for her consistency, her generosity, and her willingness to
continue on the right path, no matter how difficult. In the same way, God
continues to honor those who are faithful even when faithfulness brings
difficulty and hardship and pain. He doesn't promise to always deliver, as he
delivered Abigail, but he does promise to go with us.