Abigail – A Woman Of Faith Who Became King David’s Wife
Feature 3 – May 2025 – Grace & Truth Magazine
Abigail – A Woman Of Faith Who Became King David’s Wife
Someone To Rule The People
We cannot get a thorough understanding about Abigail without considering David and the person God desired to rule His people. Therefore, let’s take a few moments to consider some historical accounts about David and his ancestors as well as his greater Son before we get to Abigail.
David was God’s choice for His people as the king after His heart, following Saul’s disobedience and God’s rejection of Saul as king (1 Sam. 13:14). The Lord had His eye on David even as a youth, and He taught him in His school through an extended period of testing and training. When the right time had come, David was publicly acknowledged as God’s chosen king.
Looking further back, Ruth, who would become David’s great-grandmother, was a Moabitess (Ruth 4:10). Through her marriage with Mahlon, a son of Elimelech and Naomi, she came to know something about the God of Israel. How did this happen?
Naomi’s husband Elimelech, a name meaning “my God is King,” was of the tribe of Judah. Because of a severe famine the LORD had allowed in their country, Elimelech and his wife Naomi, meaning “my lovely one,” decided to leave their God-given land with their two then unmarried sons to dwell in the land of Moab (1:1). The famine should have rung an alarm bell in their minds as to wisdom and obedience (consider Prov. 1:20-27; Dt. 28; 1 Ki. 17), but they thought their plan was good since they intended to return to the land of Israel once the conditions improved. While in Moab, Elimelech died (Ruth 1:3). Mahlon and Chilion, the two sons of Elimelch and Naomi, married Moabite women, but then the two sons also died (vv.4-5). Suddenly there were three widows together – one from the tribe of Judah and two from the land of the Moabites, a people closely related to Israel but not exactly good friends. In fact, according to the law of Moses, marriage between one from Israel and one from Moab was not even an option (Dt. 23:3-6).
When Naomi heard that the LORD had visited His people, giving them bread again, she wanted to go back to the land of Judah (Ruth 1:6-7). Her daughter-in-law Ruth, insistent that “your people shall be my people, and your God my God” (v.16 ESV), accompanied Naomi. Interestingly, the town where Naomi came from and returned to was Bethlehem, meaning “house of bread.”
Why is Bethlehem important? That is the place where David later was going to be born (4:13-22; see 1 Sam. 16:1-4, 17:12) and, much later, David’s greater Son, Jesus the Messiah (Mt. 1–2; Lk. 2). According to prophecies, the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem as the King of the Jews (see Mt. 2:1-6; Mic. 5:2). Usually, when a baby is born into a royal family he is born a prince, and one day he might become king. However, when the Lord Jesus was born He was the King of God’s choosing (Jer. 23:5) right away, even as the Baby.
The wise men from the East were led by God to Israel because they had seen the “star” of the “King of the Jews” (Mt. 2:2). Their conviction of faith brought them the great distance to Jerusalem (v.1), and the star then went before them until this special God-given phenomenon of light stood over the place where the Child was (v.9).
Notice what we read next, “they rejoiced exceedingly1 with great joy. And going into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh” (vv.10-11). Every word in this summary is rich in meaning and much could be said about each one: opening, their, treasures, they, offered, Him, gifts, gold, and, frankincense, and, myrrh.
Who were these men? It has been suggested that they probably came a very long way with the purpose to honor the newborn King with their gifts. These men were a preview or a type of how faraway nations in the coming millennium of peace will send delegations to worship in Jerusalem, when Israel will dwell in security (Zech. 14:11,16). This worship will take place during the Feast of Booths, or Tabernacles (v.16). All will be subject to the Lord of hosts, respond to Him in worship, and be sanctified for His service (vv.20-21). What a day that will be!
Someone To Be With The Ruler Of God’s People
Now let’s go back to Abigail. Her name means “my father is mighty” or “my father is joyful.” We do not know much about her background because we only have the report in 1 Samuel 25, when Abigail met David during a rather turbulent time for him.
After David had defeated Goliath (1 Sam. 17), we read that Jonathan, Saul’s son – the crown prince who was supposed to be Saul’s successor – made a special covenant with David. David had effectively spared Jonathan’s life by killing Goliath. According to promise, David was to marry Saul’s oldest daughter, but she was given to someone else instead. Ultimately, David married her younger sister, but she was taken away from him by her father when he began persecuting David. During a few years of ups and downs, Saul repeatedly tried to kill David, his own son-in-law and best army officer, despite the fact that David had rescued Saul a number of times.
Eventually David and his men fled to the wilderness of Paran (1 Sam. 25:1). There they protected the servants of Nabal, a rich farmer who descended from Caleb. They also cared for Nabal’s large flock of sheep. After some time David sent a few of his servants to ask for some support from Nabal. David had heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep, which was usually a good time to ask for a favor. Instead, Nabal humiliated David’s men and sent them back empty-handed, whereas Nabal himself had a feast like a king. But, David wanted vengeance!
When David and 400 of his men, with their swords ready, were on their way to Nabal, Abigail, Nabal’s wife, met them. She had been informed about the situation by one of Nabal’s young men who had been protected by David. Abigail quickly went to bring to David, whom she called many times “my lord,” what he should have received from her husband. It was just in time, for otherwise everyone associated with Nabal would have been killed, and David would have been guilty of shedding innocent blood. Abigail’s wise understanding and quick action had prevented this from happening. With her good discernment, Abigail fully understood David’s situation and honored him, whereas her husband had despised him. The Lord judged Nabal about ten days later, taking his life.
After some time David asked the young widow, who was “beautiful” (25:3), to marry him. We read that she “hurried” (25:42). Her devotion and love for David were exemplary. She had the right discernment during the time when King Saul was reigning, and she understood that God had someone else in mind to rule over His people. She knew that God had chosen David, and she was not afraid to confess this even though her first husband had despised him.
With her faith and in her faithfulness to David, Abigail was ready to share with him the difficult days while he was being persecuted. May we follow Abigail’s example and be similarly committed to our Lord Jesus … until He comes!2
We don’t know much about the other woman David already had as his wife, Ahinoam of Jezreel, but she too was faithful to him during the time Saul persecuted him. Both Ahinoam and Abigail are examples for us of faithfulness and love to the LORD. May we thus cling to the Lord Jesus during the time He is rejected by His earthly people – the Jews – as well as by many professing Christians.
Saul continued to persecute David, but the Lord had rescued him time after time. One day, however, David thought that Saul would get him (1 Sam. 27:1), so David decided to go over to the Philistines and find refuge, knowing that Saul would not be able to hurt him there (v.2).
During those days, while David and his men were raiding people of another nation, Amalekites invaded the town of Ziklag, where David had found shelter. They took all the women and children (30:1-5), including Ahinoam and Abigail. In his distress, David asked and received direction and help from the Lord. While in pursuit, a servant of an Amalekite was found. He had gotten sick and was abandoned by his master. David showed kindness to the servant and, through a great miracle and with the help of this young man whom God recovered through David’s care, David was able to rescue all of the captives. The LORD had watched over them. Amazing grace!
Saul continued his decline. But God helped David, Abigail’s new husband, in various ways as David asked for His help. King Saul, facing a battle with the Philistines, consulted a medium, and then he committed suicide while in battle. What a difference between the two men! Like David, may we put our trust in the Lord. Let us cry to Him, and to Him alone, in our distress.
ENDNOTES
1. This specific word “exceedingly” – sphódra in the Greek transliterated text – occurs seven times in Matthew (2:10, 17:6,23, 18:31, 19:25, 26:22, 27:54)
2. I encourage all readers to read the whole chapter of 1 Samuel 25.
By Alfred Bouter