1 Samuel 25:42

42 Then Abigail {quickly got up} and rode on the donkey, [along with] five of her maidservants who {attended her}, and she went after the messengers of David and became his wife.

1 Samuel 25:42 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 25:42

And Abigail hasted and arose
She had no objection nor hesitation in her mind about marrying David but at once consented, and immediately prepared for her journey, having as high an opinion, and as great an esteem of David, as he of her; and though she was rich and he peer this was no obstacle in the way, she knew and believed he would be king of Israel, ( 1 Samuel 25:30 1 Samuel 25:31 ) ; and though he could not support her, she had enough to support herself, and supply him, till he came to the throne: and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her;
whom she took with her, partly to wait upon her, and partly for her honour, and the honour of David, whom she was going to marry: and she went after the messengers of David:
not following them directly, but some time after they were gone; partly for the sake of decency, and partly that they going before might acquaint David with the success of their message, and he might prepare to receive Abigail when she came: and became his wife;
he espoused and married her according to the custom of the times.

1 Samuel 25:42 In-Context

40 So the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, and they spoke to her, saying, "David has sent us to you to take you for his wife."

41 She got up and bowed down [with] her face to the ground and said, "Here is your female servant, as a slave to wash the feet of my lord's servants."

42 Then Abigail {quickly got up} and rode on the donkey, [along with] five of her maidservants who {attended her}, and she went after the messengers of David and became his wife.

43 David had also taken Ahinoam from Jezreel, and both of them became his wives.

44 (Now Saul had given his daughter Michal, David's wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who [was] from Gallim.)

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "hastened and got up"
• [b]. Literally "the [ones] going about at her feet"