Four hundred armed men were marching in the hills with murder in their hearts, but none could stand against the determined will of one woman. Under the leadership of a future king – and future president of the United States – they sought to kill all the men in one household by morning, over a perceived slight. Standing alone in their path was a woman with a procession of donkeys and nothing but her own wits to stop a blood feud. Abigail calms the enraged David and shows him mercy, making one of the most remarkable speeches in Scripture. It is a model of peace-making that sees the potential for change and good in others, even those who have made terrible mistakes and find themselves in difficult positions.
A Rash Man and his Wise Wife
During this period of David's life, he was not the popular king that he would eventually grow to be. He was on the run from his jealous and tyrannical predecessor King Saul. He spent much of his time in the wilderness with his company of six hundred faithful followers. There was a very wealthy man living in the region who owned vast numbers of sheep and goats. Nabal, the rich man, was gruff and rude to those who came to him for assistance, but his wife Abigail was beautiful and wise. In fact, Nabal's name means 'fool' in Hebrew. Despite the inhospitable reputation of the man, David and his six hundred followers had protected the rich man's flocks and employees while out in the wilderness. When the time for the shearing festival arrived, David knew it was only fair to ask for some of the bounty as payment for the services rendered. The request was, at the very least, justified.
Nabal's Insult and David's Rage
David sent ten of his young men to Nabal to ask for what he owed them in a polite, well-worded message. However, Nabal responded with nothing but disdain. "Who is this David?" he scoffed to his servants. "There are many servants who have left their masters to run free. Why should I give to this runaway any of the food I prepare or the wine I drink?" Nabal not only refused David's request, but he insulted it. He claimed David and his men to be no better than the servants who ran away from their masters. When the messengers returned to David with their humiliating report, he was overcome with righteous anger. "Put on your swords," he growled to his men as he strapped on his own belt. He set off with four hundred of his soldiers to enact his revenge. David vowed to kill every man in Nabal's household by morning.
Here we see the rash, impulsive nature of David shining through. David was a man destined to be king, but he still had moments of weakness. He had spared the life of King Saul, but Nabal's servants and his wife had taunted him and insulted him, and now he was ready to spill innocent blood in vengeance. What would he have done if he had killed them? How would he have slept at night knowing that he had gone on a murderous rampage in response to an insult?
David's messengers came back empty-handed and mocked. He strapped on his sword, armed four hundred men, and vowed not one male in Nabal's household would be alive by morning.
Stopping the Butcher with Bread and Blessings
It was fortunate that one of Nabal's servants had enough sense to warn Abigail. "The man has a company of four hundred armed men, and he means to kill every man in our household," said the servant. "He and his men were a protection to us and our flocks, but we were treated as cur dogs when we came to him for help." She wasted no time preparing a feast to appease the man's wrath. Abigail sent word to David's camp that she would meet him on the road and stopped just short of his company of armed men on a narrow ravine. She came to him fully prepared to face his wrath and stop it. Abigail rode boldly up to the line of Israelite soldiers, and without hesitation or fear, she faced down David and his men.
With no time to waste, Abigail loaded donkeys with bread, wine, meat, and grain and rode out alone to intercept four hundred armed men marching toward her home — without telling her husband a word.
Words That Stopped the March
Abigail dismounted from her saddle and fell at David's feet, speaking to him of the wrong that had been done. "Let no one be held responsible for this," she begged. "Let them know you are not the son of Jesse," she prayed. Abigail gave him a great gift of her food that she was carrying on donkeys and offered the rest to his men. However, there was something deeper in what Abigail had to say. "Do not let that fool's evil words stay on your heart and lead you to commit murder," she gently pleaded. "The Lord God has chosen you to be his anointed king over Israel. Do not let him rob you of this blessing that has been promised to you." Abigail pointed out that when the day came for David to take the throne, he would not want this on his conscience. She had the wisdom and selflessness to understand where David was at and to appeal to the best parts of his nature. Abigail recognized the man that David was destined to become, and she reminded him of it.
It was one of the most remarkable displays of humility and cleverness that the Bible has to offer. Abigail saved David from himself and prevented a slaughter that would have cost many lives. Her words reached the best parts of his heart and turned him from his evil intentions. "Blessed be your God," replied David. "Who sent you to bring me his wisdom. Praise be to the Lord of Israel who sent you to meet me and keep me from shedding blood and taking vengeance in my anger." She had done her job, and David saw it. He commended her for it and promised to let her go in peace. He told his men to turn back and abandon the slaughter when they saw the woman coming.
Abigail bowed at David's feet before an army of armed men and spoke directly to his conscience, his calling, and his future. David listened — and turned his four hundred men around.
A Happy Ending
When Abigail returned home to the news of what had nearly happened, she found her drunken husband holding a feast. "Wait till morning to tell me," she said to him when she heard the news. When she told him in the morning, his heart turned to stone, and he died ten days later. When the news of this reached David, he knew God had sent him the woman and married Abigail to be his wife. Abigail was not just beautiful; she was wise. This woman who had stood alone against David's company of four hundred armed men had done something heroic. She saved the future king of Israel from making a huge mistake, and she played a big part in shaping his character. It was a remarkable display of faith, wisdom, and mercy that showed the good and holy parts of David's heart.
Wise Words Fit to Stop a Murderer
This is one of the great love stories in Scripture. It is a parable of the foolish and the wise in which the Bible extolls the virtues of a prudent young woman and admonishes the stupidity and ungodly nature of another. It is a lesson about the necessity and importance of true wisdom in our lives and in the lives of others who must also deal with the consequences that their actions can bring. Nabal is presented as a wealthy but foolish man who treats others unfairly and then finds himself in a position where he is threatened by the man he has insulted. Abigail's wisdom and bravery shine through in a time when she needs it most. Her words to David are some of the most remarkable delivered by any woman in the Bible, and we should consider them closely. First of all, she clearly has an intuitive grasp of the situation and knows it is best to stop the man from doing something that he will later regret. She takes control of the moment and stops him in his tracks. Secondly, Abigail makes it clear that it is not the fault of David himself that this confrontation is happening. She takes responsibility for the mistake that was made. Finally, Abigail tells David what he should do rather than what he must do, recognizing the best parts of his nature.
What Abigail Taught Us All
Abigail is a great example of someone who shows remarkable courage, wisdom, and faith under pressure. She is a good role model who made a big difference in the life of a good man. During a tense moment when many things could have gone wrong, Abigail made the right decision. She demonstrated her bravery by riding out alone to meet David's soldiers. She demonstrated humility by offering to make amends and take responsibility for the wrong that had been done. Most importantly of all, she helped David to do the right thing and turn around the path that he was on. She pointed out to David what the right thing to do was and what the wrong thing to do was. Abigail did the right thing and helped David to do the right thing as well.
