“May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands.”
1 Samuel 25:33
In 1 Samuel we meet Abigail, wife of the wealthy but rude Nabal. Nabal had refused to give food and shelter to David and his men while they were on the run from King Saul, though David had protected Nabal’s shepherds out in the fields. This angered David, so he intended to attack and kill Nabal’s whole crew the next day.
Enter the beautiful and intelligent Abigail! She immediately intervened by apologizing for her husband’s behavior. She rode out to meet David and offered him generous gifts. He was moved by her courage, humility, and wisdom. Abigail pled with him to let the Lord deal with Nabal so that David would remain honorable and not bear the burden of needless bloodshed.
As it turned out, Abigail’s surly husband died not long after she returned home. When David heard of it, he asked her to become his wife. Abigail’s quick thinking had saved the lives of her whole household of workers and had saved David from regret. Now she’d be the wife of David, a man after God’s heart rather than the wife of Nabal, whose very name meant “fool.”
Enter the beautiful and intelligent Abigail! She immediately intervened by apologizing for her husband’s behavior. She rode out to meet David and offered him generous gifts. He was moved by her courage, humility, and wisdom. Abigail pled with him to let the Lord deal with Nabal so that David would remain honorable and not bear the burden of needless bloodshed.
As it turned out, Abigail’s surly husband died not long after she returned home. When David heard of it, he asked her to become his wife. Abigail’s quick thinking had saved the lives of her whole household of workers and had saved David from regret. Now she’d be the wife of David, a man after God’s heart rather than the wife of Nabal, whose very name meant “fool.”
Scripture Focus
1 Samuel 25
Insight
Abigail urged David to let vengeance be the Lord’s, and the Lord honored her. We can remember this too (see Romans 12:19).
Bible In A Year
- Genesis 14-15
- Psalm 7
- Matthew 12
