Who was Abigail in the BIble?

from the old testament

• King David had a complicated family life with multiple wives and many children. David's third wife was named Abigail. Her story is found in 1 Samuel 25.
• Abigail was originally the wife of a wealthy landowner named Nabal who lived in a town called Maon in the wilderness of Paran, an area near the Sinai Peninsula.
• Abigail was “discerning and beautiful” (1 Samuel 25:3)
• By the end of his reign, King Saul fought continuously with David and his army. While David was camped in the wilderness of Paran, he and his men helped protect shepherds. One day, David asked Nabal for food and supplies, but Nabal refused David. David was angry and planned to take revenge by killing all of Nabal's men. However, Abigail found out what happened, went to David, and brought him gifts, apologizing for her husband's foolish behavior. She pleaded that David would turn from his wrath and praised him for the work he was doing in God's name. She recognized God's intentions to remove Saul from power and put David on the throne (1 Samuel 25:30). Impacted by her actions, David decided not to seek revenge.
• After saving Nabal, Abigail returned home and found Nabal very drunk, hosting a feast. In the morning, Abigail told Nabal what happened, and his heart failed him. Ten days later, God struck Nabal dead. Upon hearing this, David praised God for avenging him and asked Abigail to be his wife.
• David and Abigail had a son (1 Chronicles 3:1).

from the new testament

• Although Abigail is not mentioned in the New Testament, her honorable behavior is a living illustration of New Testament instructions. For example, 1 Corinthians 7:12–16 presents principles for a believing spouse who is married to an unbelieving spouse. The believing spouse is to remain in the marriage and to live in peace if the unbelieving spouse will remain. While the Bible does not say Nabal was not a believer, his behavior and actions are indicative of his heart’s condition. Abigail honored God and was recognized for her character, and Nabal died in his sin.

implications for today

Abigail was beautiful inside and out: kind, intelligent, and wise. A godly woman, she understood the will of God and submitted to it. She was discerning in confronting David and kept him out of sin. David thanked her for this and repented of his desire to seek revenge. As a result, God avenged David by taking Nabal's life. Likewise, Abigail protected her foolish husband and did for David what Nabal should have done in the first place. Abigail is a profound example of a strong woman. She respected the men in her life rather than belittle them. Her goal was not to be better than them, but rather to bring the best out of them. She embodied the godly woman described in Proverbs 31:10–31.

Even though she lived long before Jesus was born, Abigail demonstrates several of His characteristics. Her actions were motivated not by self-preservation but by a desire to do the right thing. She lived in a difficult environment with a difficult husband but did not use that as an excuse to be disobedient to God or disrespectful to her husband. Ultimately, she was willing to sacrifice her well-being in order to protect her household. Further, God’s sovereignty in preserving David physically and in integrity reveals His greater redemptive plan. And, it also reveals God’s tender and intentional plan in including women in this great redemptive plan.