Abigail
Israelite / Jew Hebrew, of Carmel in Judah · United Kingdom · Old Testament
- Name means
- My father's joy
- Role
- Wise wife of Nabal, later wife of David
- When
- c. 1010 BC (traditional)
What they did
A woman of good understanding who brought provisions to David and kept him from avenging himself on her foolish husband Nabal. After Nabal died, David married her.
Why it matters: the purpose of their role
God used her gentle wisdom to keep David from shedding blood; David blessed the LORD who sent her.
And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: 1 Samuel 25:32 (KJV)
Bible references
Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb. 1 Samuel 25:3 (KJV)
And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand. 1 Samuel 25:32-33 (KJV)
And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife. 1 Samuel 25:42 (KJV)
And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; 2 Samuel 3:3 (KJV)
Family
- Spouse(s)
- Nabal, David
- Children
- Chileab (also called Daniel)
Her son is Chileab in 2 Samuel 3:3 and Daniel in 1 Chronicles 3:1.