Who was Abigail in the Bible?

The Carmelitess who became the wife of David after the death of her churlish husband Nabal. This gracious woman humbled herself, confessed the 'iniquity' of her husband, and appeased David. She showed wonderful faith in recognising the counsels of God as resting upon David, and called him 'lord' whilst in rejection and being hunted by Saul. 1 Sam. 25:14-42. By Abigail David had a son named Chileab 2 Sam. 3:3; but called Daniel in 1 Chr. 3:1.

The contrast between Nabal and his wife is told us in verse 3. Her name Abigail means "father of joy," and her beautiful face also reflected a beautiful character. Nabal, however, was a harsh man whose actions were evil, a self-centered hedonist, in spite of the fact that he had descended from Caleb, a man of unusual godliness and devotion.

Interwoven in the story of David's chequered life, there are many fine characters, of whom, Jonathan, the three mighty men that drew water from the well, Mephibosheth, and Ittai, are bright examples. Among these friends of David, there is not one, perhaps, that wears a more beautiful character than Abigail, the Carmelitess. Very significantly her name means "source" or "cause of delight;" and surely her story proves that she was a source of delight to the heart of David.

This brings Abigail to the front. She is described as a woman of a beautiful countenance, and, moreover, "of good understanding." She had evidently considered the people and events of her day, and the Lord had given her understanding according to that word of an Apostle, uttered so long after, "Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding." She hears from one of the young men of her husband's folly, and immediately acts in faith, and hence, without consulting her husband. Nature could only see in David a runaway servant: faith, not looking at mere outward circumstances, sees, in the hunted and needy David, the coming king. Thus she takes her place as a subject of the king, and acts with the deference that is becoming in the presence of a king. She prepares her present and, having met David, she fell at his feet, bowed herself to the ground, and owned David as her lord. She takes sides with David against both her husband and king Saul. She owns that Nabal, though her husband, and a great man in the world, is acting in an impious and foolish way; and that Saul, though the reigning king, is but "a man" that is opposing God's anointed. She sees that David, though hunted and in poverty, is "bound up in the bundle of the living," and coming into a glorious inheritance.

But what of Abigail? Death separated her and Nabal. She then became David's wife, casting in her lot with him, whilst he was still persecuted by Saul. Were her convictions about David's future erroneous, or correct? Correct, indeed, they were, and she witnessed that; for when Nabal's body was slumbering in the tomb, she accompanied David as king over Judah to Hebron (2 Sam. 2:2), whither seven years subsequently, all the elders of Israel repaired to anoint him king over Israel. A partaker of his sufferings, she witnessed the day of his exaltation and power.

From all of this experience with Nabal David also receives another wife. He sends messengers to Abigail, the widow of Nabal to ask that she be willing to marry him (v.40). There was no hesitation on Abigail's part. She was willing to leave her former wealth and identify herself with David in exile and danger. We know the reason for this: she had already expressed her unquestioning faith in God's promise to David that he would reign over Israel (vs.29-30). In view of this she feels herself worthy only of the most lowly service in David's household, "a maid to wash the feet of my lord's servants" (v.41). True faith and humility always go together. Bringing with her five maidens who attended her, she rides on a donkey to go to David (v.42), and became his wife.

Having obtained her freedom by death, Abigail becomes the wife of David. She leaves her high position, and the ease and comfort, that was naturally the lot of a woman of substance, to associate herself with David in his sufferings and wanderings. In this new path she will indeed know suffering and privation, even to being taken captive by David's enemies in the day of Ziklag; but she will also share his throne in the day of his reign at Hebron (1 Sam. 30:5; 2 Samuel 2:2).

And now David's position changes, and Abigail is brought in. Jonathan never separated from the system in which he stood, never united himself to David, although loving him, and never shared his sufferings. But Abigail identifies herself with him; existing relationships do not prevent her acknowledging David; and she is united to him after her husband's death. Jonathan prefigures the remnant in the character of the remnant of Israel, who acknowledge the future king, and adhere to him, but go no farther. As regards old Israel they come to nothing with it; they will be blessed as reigned over in the kingdom, but not be associated with Christ on the throne. Jonathan does not suffer with David, and does not reign with him. He remains with Saul, and, as to that position, his career ends with Saul. Abigail, and even the malcontents who joined David, shared his sufferings. Abigail separates herself completely from the spirit of her husband; and it is on account of her faith and wisdom that David spares Nabal's life. God judges the latter, and then Abigail becomes the wife of David.

Abigail comes next. She was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance." She sees in David God's anointed king, and, set free by death from the churl Nabal, becomes the wife of David's wilderness wanderings. And believers are set free from sin and the law, by death, to be married to another, even to Christ, whose rejection they for the present share, and who, when they have suffered awhile, shall also "reign with Him."

Perhaps the first intimation that something was wrong in David's family life was when he began to multiply wives. You will recall that he bought his first wife, Michal, Saul's daughter with the lives of two hundred of the king's enemies. But in 1 Samuel 25 we find that David took to wife both Abigail (formerly wife of Nabal the Carmelite, of the family of Caleb), and Ahinoam the Jezreelite.