Abigail אֲבִיגַ֫יִל, אֲבִיגַ֫ל
Wife of Nabal, later married David
Biography
Abigail was a wise and beautiful woman who was initially married to a wealthy but foolish man named Nabal. When David and his men were in the wilderness, Nabal refused to provide them with food and supplies. Abigail, learning of this, quickly gathered provisions and went to meet David, apologizing for her husband's behavior and urging David not to seek revenge.
Impressed by her wisdom and courage, David accepted her appeal and spared Nabal's life. When Abigail told Nabal about this incident, he had a heart attack and died ten days later. After Nabal's death, David sent for Abigail and married her.
Abigail became one of David's wives and bore him a son named Chileab, who is also known as Daniel (2Sa.3.3; 1Ch.3.1). She accompanied David during his time in Ziklag, where he sought refuge from King Saul (1Sa.27.3; 30.5). Abigail's story demonstrates her wisdom, diplomacy, and faith in God.
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In Scripture
3 biblical books1 Samuel 5 verses
- 1 Samuel 25:3
"Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail. This woman was intelligent and had a beautiful face; but the man was surly and evil in his doings. He was of the house of Caleb."
- 1 Samuel 25:14
"But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, “Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to Greet our master; and he insulted them."
- 1 Samuel 25:18
"Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread, two containers of wine, five sheep ready dressed, five seahs of parched grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys."
- 1 Samuel 25:23
"When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got off her donkey, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground."
- 1 Samuel 25:32
"David said to Abigail, “Blessed is Yahweh, the God of Israel, who sent you today to meet me!"
2 Samuel 2 verses
- 2 Samuel 2:2
"So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite."
- 2 Samuel 3:3
"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;"
1 Chronicles 1 verse
- 1 Chronicles 3:1
"Now these were the sons of David, who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn, Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second, Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess;"
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Strong's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | אֲבִיגַ֫יִל, אֲבִיגַ֫ל | H0026G |