Qualities of Abigail

Read 1 Samuel 25

Abigail was the wife of Nabal, the wealthy man of Carmel, whom David almost murdered in anger for his ingratitude.
She was a wise woman, learned and literate – vs 3 “Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.”

Beautiful – vs 3 “Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.”

She loved her husband, saved him from sudden destruction, though Nabal, the husband, was greedy, evil, churlish, and wicked. (vs 3 “Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.”) and a drunkard (vs 36 “And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.”) unapproachable, son of Balial (vs 17 “Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.”).

She married the wrong man, Nabal, as her husband was opposite of her virtuous character – vs 3 “Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.”

She was a problem solver. She was quick in deciding to approach David for appeasement – vs 18 “Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.”

She was a great giver, unlike her husband, she approached David with precious gifts for appeasement – vs 18 “Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.”

She had a humble spirit, unlike her arrogant husband. She knelt before David on meeting him – vs 24 “And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.”

She was an excellent negotiator and communicator. She gave several reasons why David should not avenge Nabal’s ingratitude and succeeded in persuading David to turn back from his mission of wipping off Nabal’s household.

She was godly, a fact recognised by David – vs 32 “And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LordGod of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me:”

She was tactful and knew when to disclose information. Waited until her husband recovered from drunkenness before disclosing information – vs 37 “But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.”

She was grateful, knew when to take action even without her husband’s approval – vs 19 “And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal.”

She eventually became the wife of David after her husband’s death -vs 42 “And Abigail hasted, and arose and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.”