1 Samuel 25:38-44

38 About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal and he died.

39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise be to the LORD, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal’s wrongdoing down on his own head.” Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife.

40 His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, “David has sent us to you to take you to become his wife.”

41 She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, “I am your servant and am ready to serve you and wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”

42 Abigail quickly got on a donkey and, attended by her five female servants, went with David’s messengers and became his wife.

43 David had also married Ahinoam of Jezreel, and they both were his wives.

44 But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Paltiel^[a] son of Laish, who was from Gallim.

1 Samuel 25:38-44 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 25

This chapter gives an account of the death of Samuel, and of the ill treatment David met with from Nabal; it begins with the death of Samuel, which was greatly lamented in Israel, 1Sa 25:1; it draws the character of Nabal, and his wife, 1Sa 25:2,3; records a message of David to him, by his young men, desiring he would send him some of his provisions made for his sheep shearers, 1Sa 25:4-9; and Nabal's ill-natured answer to him reported by the young men, which provoked David to arm against him, 1Sa 25:10-13,21,22; and this being told Abigail, the wife of Nabal, and a good character given of David and his men, and of the advantage Nabal's shepherds had received from them, and the danger his family was in through his ingratitude, 1Sa 25:14-17; she prepared a present to pacify David, went with it herself, and addressed him in a very handsome, affectionate, and prudent manner, 1Sa 25:18-31; and met with a kind reception, 1Sa 25:32-35; and the chapter is closed with an account of the death of Nabal, and of the marriage of Abigail to David, 1Sa 25:32-44.

Cross References

• 1. Deuteronomy 32:35; 1 Samuel 24:12; 1 Samuel 26:10; 2 Samuel 6:7; 2 Samuel 12:15
• 2. 2 Samuel 2:2; 2 Samuel 3:3; 1 Chronicles 3:1; Genesis 24:61-67
• 3. Joshua 15:56; 2 Samuel 3:2; 1 Chronicles 3:1
• 4. 1 Samuel 27:3; 1 Samuel 30:5; 2 Samuel 2:2
• 5. 2 Samuel 3:15
• 6. Isaiah 10:30

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew "Palti" , a variant of "Paltiel"