According to 1 Samuel 25:4-12, David, in need of supplies, sends 10 men to seek provisions from Nabal. WebKing Davids third wife was Ahinoam of Jezreel. For centuries, this "bond of blood" concept -- the idea that rulers feel bound to the kingdoms ruled by their wives' relatives -- was often employed, and just as often violated. Clarify She was both wise[c] and beautiful, but the man was harsh and his deeds were evil. Clarify This characterization explains why Nabal responds so rudely to Davids request for sustenance, likening him to a runaway servant (vv. We first encounter Ahinoam in Scripture in 1 Samuel 25:43 immediately after David marries Abigail. VesuviusAugust 24, 79 AD. Far more polite and diplomatic than a woman of her standing needed to be with an outlaw like David, Abigail assured him that he has God's favor, which will keep him from harm and give him both the throne of Israel and a noble house of many descendants. Her omission from the genealogy may be linked to 2 Samuel 6:23, which says, "to her dying day Michal, daughter of Saul, had no children.". One of the servants told Abigail, Nabals wife, David sent messengers from the wilderness to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them. Enraged, David swears on oath: May God do thus and more to David, if by morning, I leave a single pisser against the wall! (v. 22). (BJ) 44But Saul had given his daughter Michal, Davids wife, to Paltiel[d](BK) son of Laish, who was from Gallim.(BL). 25Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. In Brief Abigail, the intelligent and beautiful Does Psalms 90:10 indicate that the lifespan of man should only be 70-80 years? When Davids men arrived, they gave Nabal this message in Davids name. In her paper published online, "David and Abigail: A Non-Traditional View," Williams argues that Abigail actually betrayed her husband Nabal by siding with the outlaw David. She is of good sense and beautiful in looks, while he is hard and evil in his deeds (v. 3). Jewish Women's Archive. Her birthdate has also been reported as November 2, 1647. iii. Carmel (2 Samuel 3:2). 0 responses The Number, Location, and Mothers of David's Children. Based on the common practices in David's time, he was committing no sin to take Abigail as his wife, even though he was already married. In fact, we read that he took literally hundreds of wives during his lifetime. Abigail was the wife of Nabal, a rich man from Carmel who refused to help David by providing food for David and his men. A certain man in Maon, who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is. Minister, Mother, Grandmother, Teacher, Musician. She ends her speech with a hint: when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, then remember your handmaid (2 Sam 25:31). 1 Samuel 25:9-13 states that King Davids servants heard Nabal, Abigails husband, foolishly make negative comments about David. Then David rose and went down to the wilderness of Paran. In the city of Jerusalem, Davids eighth wife, Bathsheba, gave him four sons after the death of her first son. Davids father, Jesse, lived in Bethlehem and was from the tribe of Judah. Please give your servants and your son David whatever(L) you can find for them.. Cynthia B. Astle is an award-winning journalist who covered religion for 25 years. She has authored a number of books on faith and religion. Bodi, Daniel, ed. Riding a donkey, Abigail was just coming into view of David when she heard him cursing Nabal for his stinginess, and swearing vengeance against all of Nabal's extended family. (Judges 7:7). Early Christian CommunionWine or Mingled Wine? NET Bible copyright 1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. Web~Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament. Other wives gave birth to nine more sons. (2021, September 8). Davids fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh wives are Maacah, Haggith, Abital and Eglah. 11Why should I take my bread(N) and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?, 12Davids men turned around and went back. The foregoing are only some opinions related to 2 Sam. Could Ancient Sparta Defeat Ancient Rome? WebDavid Marries Abigail the Widow of Nabal 2 There was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. 1 Chronicles 3:9 (NASB). King Davids eighth wife is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, and the widow of Uriah the Hittite (2 Samuel 11:3). (Viewed on May 1, 2023) . She quickly assembles an elaborate feast, which is loaded up on donkeys and sent in advance. When Nabal heard the news, it affected his heart. We first encounter Ahinoam in Scripture in 1 Samuel 25:43 immediately after David marries Abigail. When your shepherds were with us, we did not mistreat them, and the whole time they were at Carmel nothing of theirs was missing. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2000. Each of his first six wives bore David a son, while Bathsheba bore him four sons. David, hearing that she has been widowed, sends for her. 37Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone. 2 Samuel 6:16 (NASB). (J), 7Now I hear that it is sheep-shearing time. Pr 20:1; Ecc 10:17; Isa 5:11, 22; 22:13; 28:7; 56:12; Hos 4:11, Dt 32:35; 1Sa 24:12; 26:10; 2Sa 6:7; 12:15, NIV, Biblical Theology Study Bible, Comfort Print: Follow Gods Redemptive Plan as It Unfolds throughout Scripture, NIV, The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People, NIV, Story of Jesus: Experience the Life of Jesus as One Seamless Story, NIV, Lucado Encouraging Word Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV, The Woman's Study Bible, Full-Color, Red Letter: Receiving God's Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation, NIV, Beautiful Word Bible Journal, Revelation, Paperback, Comfort Print. Share "Who is this David?" https://www.britannica.com/biography/Abigail. Sextus Julius AfricanusWhy Did The Magi Come ? The rabbis assert that when Merab died, Michal raised her sister's five children as if they were her own, so that Michal was acknowledged as their mother, though she was not married to Adriel, their father. Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. His heart then strangely turns to stone and he dies ten days later, struck by the Lord (God) (v. 38). T/F, 4. 3The mans name was Nabal,[b] and his wifes name was Abigail. Were they the best fighters? 4When David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. He was a Calebite. 1. 17:25. David repented and Psalm 51 records his repentance. All rights reserved worldwide. All the names for our week days come from Roman and Norse/Anglo-Saxon gods. David married Abigail shortly after marrying Ahinoam. How can we know God's thoughts? As soon as David heard that Nabal had died, he shouted praises to God and immediately sent a proposal of marriage to the wise, beautiful and rich Abigail. These were born to David at Hebron. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs[b] of roasted grain,(W) a hundred cakes of raisins(X) and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys. Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife. David didn't take the bait because in verse 19 Merab is married to Adriel the Meholathite, with whom she had 5 children. This source names seven wives: David was married to Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacha, Haggith, Abital, and Eglah during the 7-1/2 years he reigned in Hebron as king of Judah. Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. 6Say to him: Long life to you! Then they waited. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabals wrongdoing down on his own head., Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife. Astle, Cynthia. WebAbigail quickly got on a donkey and, attended by her five female servants, went with Davids messengers and became his wife. And good health to all that is yours! David was the youngest of eight brothers ( 1 Samuel 17:1214 ). The chapter is set during the sheep-shearing festival, a time renowned for feasting and revelry. Asked February 12 2015 The most authoritative source for David's wives is 1 Chronicles 3, which lists David's descendants for 30 generations. Night and day they were a wall around us the whole time we were herding our sheep near them. These are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Beeliada and Eliphelet. A boor he might be, but Nabal was no fool; he realized that his wife's intervention saved him and their family from slaughter. "Abigail: Bible." She got down off her high horse, threw herself to the ground, fell at his feet and pleaded with David. The name Abigail was also borne by Davids sister (1 Chronicles 2:16), who was the mother of Amasa, commander of the army of Absalom. Then David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might become the kings son-in-law. Christian missionaries have taught people in Papua, New Guinea who had many gods before their conversion to recite the Hebrew Shema announcing only ONE GOD. How can we know God's thoughts? 17 terms. These wives are Michal, Abigail, and Bathsheba, and their stories greatly influenced the history of Israel. After Nabal died, David married Abigail (1 Samuel 25:39-42). Astle, Cynthia. Why did Jesus walk on the water? 23 June 2021. Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. It was there the conflict began. Share Please ensure your answer MEETS all our guidelines. Abigail, Wife of David, and Other Ancient Oriental Women. Rachel Adelman Michal and David: Michal Was King David's First Wife, Bathsheba, Mother of Solomon, Wife of King David, Biography of King Solomon: The Wisest Man Who Ever Lived, Abigail and David - Abigail Was King David's Wisest Wife. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/abigail-and-david-116669. 3 And David dwelleth with Achish in Gath, he and his men, each one with his household, [even] David and his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelitess. The meaning in Hebrew of the word day always means a 24 hour period of time. 2 Samuel 6:23 (NASB). "Abigail and David - Abigail Was King David's Wisest Wife." We are told in 1 Samuel 18:20 that Michal loved David. He was in high spirits and very drunk. Updates? Astle, Cynthia. (AB) He has paid(AC) me back evil(AD) for good. After enumerating Nabals enormous wealth in flocks (1 Sam 25:2), the narrative introduces her in contrast to him. He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel. In her long, eloquent speech (vv. Since in ancient Israel widows had no financial support, it may be that King David married Abigail to provide for her financial support. Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel, is the only woman in the Hebrew Bible who is described as both intelligent and beautiful. Saul demanded that David give him one hundred foreskins as proof that he had killed so many Philistines. Saul did this because he knew Michal loved David and she betrayed him. Why did Jesus call people fools and yet condemn others for doing the same thing? Nabal got so drunk that Abigail didn't tell him what she had done until the next morning when he sobered up. Michal heard about the plot, informed David and he fled (1 Samuel 19:11-12). 2 Samuel 3:2-5 (NASB). Cynthia B. Astle is an award-winning journalist who covered religion for 25 years. The implication of scripture is that David recognized what an asset Abigail would be to him as a wife since she was clearly someone who managed well, protected her husband's interests, and could recognize dangers in time to avert disaster. Why do we pray when God already knows what we need? Arthur Niswar. (Q), 14One of the servants told Abigail, Nabals wife, David sent messengers from the wilderness to give our master his greetings,(R) but he hurled insults at them. Marys Perpetual Virginity & Jesus Brothers, Why Pollen on the Shroud of Turin Proves it is Real, Christian Inscriptions in Roman Catacombs, Eruption Of Mt. WebAbigail was married at the time to Nabal - a wealthy but cruel man & distant cousin of David's. Is polygamy supported by 1 Corinthians 7:2. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). We are told that she was extremely beautiful. What does it mean, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave his life for it"? Abigail prostrated herself before David and begged him to take his anger at Nabal out on her instead because she didn't see the messengers he sent and therefore didn't know of his needs. Abigail Wolcott married Oliver Ellsworth on December 10, 1772, providing him with the strength and stability to continue his highly productive life. However, if Ahinoams son Amnon was Davids firstborn son (as both lists of sons affirm), then the order of their names might indicate Ahinoams status as the crown princes mother. David and Abigail, by Frans Pourbus the Elder, c. 1570/80, oil on canvas, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria. The child eventually died (2 Samuel 12:15-23). Based on the common practices in David's time, he was committing no sin to take Abigail as his wife, even though he was already married. In an attempt to save her husband, she hurried to meet David, urging him to halt his plans. (E) He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing(F) in Carmel. BEST VALUE in digital Bible study. When they arrived, they reported every word. 2 And there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. The most well-known mention of Nahash is in reference to the king of the Ammonites. After David moved his capital to Jerusalem, he married Bathsheba. Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2015. WebDavid Marries Abigail the Widow of Nabal 2 There was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. 1011), the young warrior and four hundred of his men gird themselves for bloodshed. YLT - Abigail. In Women in Scripture: A Dictionary of Named and Unnamed Women in the Hebrew Bible, the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books and the New Testament, edited by Carol Meyers, Toni Craven, and Ross S. Kraemer, 4344. The story of Abigail and David ranks almost as exciting and deceitful as that of David and his most famous wife, Bathsheba. Ten days later God caused him to die (v. 37-38). She was considered by our sages to be among the 4 most beautiful women of Merab's absence from the Davidic chronology in 1 Chronicles 3 could be explained by the fact that scripture doesn't record any children born to Merab and David. Considering her name always precedes Abigails name, this strongly suggest David married Ahinoam before he married Abigail. Why was Abigail still called "Nabal's wife" even after she married David? However, according to the encyclopedia Jewish Women, there are rabbinic traditions within Judaism that pose three claims about Michal: The end result of this rabbinic logic is that the reference to Eglah in 1 Chronicles 3 is taken as a reference to Michal. Abigail was the mother of Chileab (2 Samuel 3:3). 18Abigail acted quickly. 1 Samuel 25:39-42 (NASB). 29Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life,(AS) the life of my lord will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God, but the lives of your enemies he will hurl(AT) away as from the pocket of a sling. Why do we pray when God already knows what we need? Wit, Words and a Woman: I Samuel 25. In On Humour and the Comic in the Hebrew Bible, edited by Yehuda Radday and Athalya Brenner, 16368. Then it happened as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart. Help us elevate the voices of Jewish women. T/F, 2. 2 Samuel 5:13-16 and 1 Chronicles 14:3-5 reveal that King David took other wives and concubines. Try Bible Gateway Plus free today. Abigail, in the Old Testament, the wife of Nabal of southern Judah, on whose death she became one of the first wives of David (1 Samuel 25) and the mother of his son Chileab. Learn Religions. David's story also includes many marriages that influenced his rise and fall. Then 1 Chronicles 3:9 adds this, All these were the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines; and Tamar was their sister. Ask your own servants and they will tell you. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is. This may have been divine punishment for despising her husband, since David was the servant of the Lord. So, how did King David and Abigail meet? Citing YHWHs words (via the prophet Nathan) to David, I gave you your masters wives (2 Sam 12:8), Levenson and Halpern argue that Davids marriage to Ahinoam constituted a claim to Sauls throne (see Absaloms actions in 2 Sam 16:22). He learns her name and the name of her husband, Uriah, a general in his army. He was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 41-42). And when the Lord your God has brought my lord success, remember your servant., David said to Abigail, Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. When they told Saul, the thing was agreeable to him. [1] Some Septuagint manuscripts; Hebrew Paran Learn what the Bible teaches about each of his wives. Episode 91: Israel at 75: Voices of Protest. 2 Samuel 5:13-16 (NASB). New York: Houghton Mifflin 2000. But Scripture tells us that he had other wives plus a number of unknown concubines. Nahash, a name that means serpent, is shared by possibly as many as four Ammonite individuals.However, it could also be the name of only one king. Later after Saul died (1 Samuel 31:6), David was reunited with his wife Michal (2 Samuel 3:14-16). 5. Nabal then accuses David of disloyalty to Saul by saying, "There are many slaves nowadays who run away from their masters. Yet it's Nabal's rude and intemperate actions that bring Abigail and David together. What does it mean "the arm of flesh" and why will it fail (2 Chronicles 32:8)? Why did God tell Hosea to marry a prostitute? A good answer provides new insight and perspective. Overhearing the dialogue, one of the servants runs to Abigail, begging her to intervene. 3 The mans name was Nabal,[ b] and his wifes name was Abigail. And good health to all that is yours! Yet, the penalty for his sin was that the sword will never depart from your house and the child would die (2 Samuel 12:10-15). (Judges 7:7). What does the Bible say? About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal and he died" (1 Samuel 25: 37-38). His name was Nabal and his wifes name was Abigail. The last statement made at the end of Michals life is that she had no children. As Adele Berlin points out: The Abigail story contains no illicit sex, though the opportunity was present; the Bathsheba story revolves around an illicit relationship. It is important to notice that in this passage the numbers refer to the sons born to David. Abigails story is told in 1 Samuel 25, at the time when Saul was king. Nabal appears to think David's request falls into the latter category, for he sneers at their message. Davids men turned around and went back. Before we are struck by the full force of the oath, we anticipate its undoing. (BD) So she told(BE) him nothing at all until daybreak. lthorton01. As a result, David decided to engage in sexual activity with her and made her pregnant. How Many Women Married David in the Bible? Asked December 26 2014 Yet, there is no hint of illicit behavior on her part. When King David heard that Nabal was dead, he sent a proposal to Abigail to become his wife and she agreed. David had also taken Ahinoam 58, corroborated by the report of Nabals own servant in vv. Carol Meyers, in her book Discovering Eve: Ancient Israelite Women in Context, writes this of gender relationships in pre-state Israel: "When a household occupies the preeminent place in society, women have a strong role in decision making and consequently exercise considerable power in the household. How can it be said that my loved one is now with our Father in heaven when the Bible tells no one sees heaven until the rapture? (David has not yet been publicly anointed king).