Abigail and David

DO YOU know the pretty woman who is coming to meet David? Her name is Abʹi·gail. She has good sense, and she keeps David from doing a bad thing. But before learning about that, let’s see what has been happening to David.

After David runs away from Saul, he hides in a cave. His brothers and the rest of his family join him there. About 400 men in all come to him, and David becomes their leader. David then goes to the king of Moʹab and says: ‘Please let my father and mother stay with you until I see what happens to me.’ Later David and his men begin hiding in the hills.

It is after this that David meets Abʹi·gail. Her husband Naʹbal is a rich landowner. He has 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats. Naʹbal is a mean man. But his wife Abʹi·gail is very beautiful. Also, she knows how to do what is right. Once she even saves her family. Let’s see how.

David and his men have been kind to Naʹbal. They have helped to protect his sheep. So one day David sends some of his men to ask Naʹbal for a favor. David’s men come to Naʹbal while he and his helpers are cutting the wool off the sheep. It is a feast day, and Naʹbal has many good things to eat. So this is what David’s men say: ‘We have been kind to you. We have not stolen any of your sheep, but have helped to look after them. Now, please, give us some food.’

‘I won’t give my food to men like you,’ Naʹbal says. He speaks in a very mean way, and says bad things about David. When the men return and tell David about it, David is very angry. ‘Put on your swords!’ he tells his men. And they start on their way to kill Naʹbal and his men.

One of Naʹbal’s men, who heard the mean words that Naʹbal spoke, tells Abʹi·gail what happened. Right away Abʹi·gail gets some food ready. She loads it on some donkeys and starts on her way. When she meets David, she gets off her donkey, bows down and says: ‘Please, sir, pay no attention to my husband Naʹbal. He is a fool, and he does foolish things. Here is a gift. Please take it, and forgive us for what happened.’

‘You are a wise woman,’ David answers. ‘You have kept me from killing Naʹbal to pay him back for his meanness. Go home now in peace.’ Later, when Naʹbal dies, Abʹi·gail becomes one of David’s wives.