Abigail

KNOWN AS A PEACEMAKER
1 Samuel 25:2-42; 2 Samuel 3:3

IMAGINE: Being a beautiful, intelligent, young Jewish girl given in marriage to a foolish, ruthless, evil drunkard.

After Samuel, the last of the judges and the first of the prophets died, David went down to the wilderness of Paran. This is where the Israelites spent part of their 40 years of wandering after the exodus. (Num. 10:12).  It was also where Abraham’s son, Ishmael, by Hagar, made his home. Now David was using the area as a place of refuge from King Saul, who wanted him dead.

A man of Maon had a business in
Carmel; he was a very rich man
with 3000 sheep and 1000 goats
and was shearing his sheep in Carmel.
The man’s name was Nabal, and his
wife’s name, Abigail. The woman was
intelligent and beautiful, but the man,
a Calebite, was harsh and
evil in his dealings.
1 Samuel 25:2, 3

Maon was one of the cities of the tribe of Judah in the area of Mt. Carmel. This is actually a coastal mountain range in Israel with a number of cities situated there. David and Nabal both were of the tribe of Judah.
Nabal means ‘fool’ or ‘foolish one’. The custom in that time would be to name a child at birth but later, according to characteristics of the person as they grew to adulthood, the name would be changed to accommodate their personality and actions. If this was the case with Nabal, he had more than likely been foolish from a very young age.
He is known to be harsh, rude, brutal, selfish and obsessed with his material possessions. He was not only a drunkard, but stubborn, ill-tempered, and an unbeliever. Scripture does mention he was a Calebite. These were descendants of Caleb who was one of the spies sent by Moses to spy out the land of Canaan on the Hebrew’s way to the promised land. He was promised him and his descendants would possess the land and thus Caleb settled in Hebron. (Num. 14:24). Consequently, Nabal had a good heritage but chose to go a different direction than his descendants.
Abigail, on the other hand, has a heritage that is not mentioned yet, it appears she was raised in a God honoring home, as she is knowledgeable of Jewish history and religious beliefs. She is described as intelligent and beautiful.
The Talmud (Jewish civil and ceremonial law and legend) mentions her as one of the four most beautiful women ever to have lived. The other three are Rahab, Sarah, and Esther. The name Abigail means ‘father’s joy’ or ‘gives joy’. This is quite a contrast to her foolish husband.
Her marriage to Nabal was more than likely an arranged marriage, as were almost all marriages of that day, by the parents of both the bride and the groom. Marrying Nabal gave her high societal status because of her husband’s wealth but that does not seem to have affected this seemingly sensible and humble woman.
While David and 600 men with him were in the wilderness, they took it upon themselves to protect Nabal’s large herds of sheep and goats from wild animals and thieves. By doing this they enhanced the wealth of this selfish herdsman.
When David heard Nabal was shearing sheep in the area he sent ten of his men to request food and provisions needed to sustain them while in the wilderness as payment for the help they had been to him. Nabal was having a great celebration over the amount of sheared wool from the sheep and certainly could provide for David and his men.
Nabal, being the ’fool’ that he was, refused David’s request. As mentioned, both David and Nabal were from the tribe of Judah which Nabal’s rejection of helping David made it that much more hideous. The custom of the day insisted on hospitality and would have demanded he share with those who had protected him and his household as David had done.
Out of sheer anger David arranges to take 400 of his men, with sword, to take from Nabal what he felt was proper payment for all the kindnesses and protection he and his men had shown Nabal’s herds and shepherds in the wilderness.
Nabal’s wife, Abigail, learns of her husband’s rude, ignorant actions and David’s angry intent from one of the servants. The servant informs her of all David and his men have done to prevent harm to the servants of Nabal, his flocks and to his household.
To prevent disaster, in any form from happening, Abigail hurriedly puts together food supplies in abundance for David and his men. She puts them on donkeys and sends them out with her male servants as she rides behind them.
David and his men were on their way to where Nabal was, intent on destroying this person who had returned evil for good. Abigail sees David, dismounts her donkey and falls at his feet so as to intervene to keep David from causing bloodshed and avenging himself.
Abigail seems to understand vengeance belongs to the Lord, and also to validate David’s destiny to reign as king chosen by God. Abigail’s peaceful resolution to the newly anointed king David, even though he was nothing more than an outlaw on the run at this time, is one of the longest recorded conversations by a woman in Scripture.
When Abigail left with provisions for David and his men, she did not let her husband know what she was doing. Upon her return to their house, Nabal was very drunk so she decided to tell him in the morning what she had done. When that time came and as she spoke to him, he appears to have had a seizure and become paralyzed until he died some ten days later.

When David’s servants came to Abigail
 at Carmel, they said to her, “David sent
us to bring you to him as a wife.”
1 Samuel 25:40

 In that time, if a woman became a widow, she was subject to the Levirate marriage arrangement, or became a beggar or prostitute. None of these seem to apply in this case as it is recorded Abigail left out with five female servants to meet David where his messengers led them. She had been a wealthy wife and now appears to be a wealthy widow.
Scripture is silent as to why David married her. It may have been her beauty, wealth, or a political move which was standard in that day. Marrying David did afford her a man’s protection which a woman needed in that day. Her being a rich widow she would need protection from marauders and possibly her own servants or family members.
Her first marriage, as mentioned, was probably an arranged marriage by parents of the couple. This marriage would be by choice. David seems to have great respect for her wisdom and much appreciation for her benevolence in a time of need.
David and Abigail do marry, making her his third wife, and she travels with him and his men until he is anointed king over Judah. She does bear David his second child, a son, named Cheleab, who is also called Daniel. (2 Sam. 3:3; 1 Chron.3:1).
Nothing is mentioned of her and Nabal having children or how long a time they were married. It appears she was a young bride and a very young widow as she is still in her child- bearing years when she marries David. 
Abigail shows the importance of intercession on the part of others whether they be good, bad, or indifferent to us. Those who know the Lord need to intercede on the part of those who don’t, making it possible for all to live in peace with one another.

If possible, on your part,
live at peace with everyone.
Friends, do not avenge yourselves;
instead, leave room for His wrath.
For it is written:
Vengeance belongs to Me;
I will repay, says the Lord.
Romans 12:18, 19

            Thought for the day:
That old law about ‘an eye
for an eye’ leaves everybody
blind.
The time is always right
to do what is right.
Martin Luther King, Jr.