Unlike Esther, who we wrote about yesterday, & her (in the end) good husband, Xerxes, Abigail was not so lucky. Her husband, Nabal, refused to show hospitality to the newly anointed king, David. David’s servants had served as protector & companions to Nabal’s shepherds & generally had been good to the man. When asked for this simple favor, Nabal refused, so angering David that he threatened revenge, & in those days the revenge of a king meant bloodshed.
In 1 Samuel we find this story, & Abigail interceding with David, asking him in verse 31 to not “have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed” & reminding him that God would give him a lasting dynasty. This was Abigail’s prophecy about the reign of King David.
Abigail, still the faithful wife, revealed to Nabal what she had done, but before he could punish her, God struck Nabal dead. David then married the brave, intelligent & beautiful Abigail who had saved his kingdom so much suffering.
When Abigail accompanied her husband to seek refuge in Philistine territory she was captured by the Amalekites. David was able to rescue her & they then settled in Hebron, a city that you can visit today in the West Bank.
Abigail gave birth to Daniel, but, of course, not the later Daniel famous for the lion’s den.
A woman who knew the way of peace & a prophet in her own right, Abigail is another of the inspiring women we find in the Bible.
