Abigail

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

("father of joy".)

 1. The churl Nabal's beautiful wife, of Carmel. Taking on herself the blame of Nabal's insult to David's messengers, she promptly, and with a discreet woman's tact, averted David's just anger by liberally supplying the wants of his forces, and by deprecating in person at his feet the shedding of blood in vengeance. He hearkened to her prayer and accepted her person; and rejoiced at being "kept back" by her counsel from taking into his own hand God's prerogative of vengeance ( 1 Samuel 25:26;  1 Samuel 25:34;  1 Samuel 25:39; compare  Romans 12:19). God did "plead His cause" against Nabal: compare the undesigned coincidence of phrase between the history and the independent psalm, a proof of genuineness:  Psalms 35:1;  Psalms 7:16;  Psalms 17:4;  Psalms 14:1 with  1 Samuel 25:25;  1 Samuel 25:36-38 with  Luke 12:19-21;  1 Samuel 25:29; the image of a "sling, slinging out the souls of the enemy" with  1 Samuel 17:49. At Nabal's death by God's visitation David made her his wife, and by her David had a son, Chileab ( 2 Samuel 3:3), or Daniel ( 1 Chronicles 3:1), i.e. God is my judge, a name which apparently alludes to the divine judgment on Nabal.

 2. A sister of David, daughter of Nahash; wife of Jether or Ithra, an Ishmaelite, rather seduced by him (See  ITHRA); mother of Amasa ( 1 Chronicles 2:15-17). David was probably her and Zeruiah's half brother, born of the same mother, but he having Jesse, she and Zeruiah Nahash, for their father. This accounts for the phrase "Abigail, daughter of Nahash, and sister of Zeruiah," not of David. Zeruiah and she were only his step-sisters.

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

A memorable name in Scripture, whom the Lord, in his providence made instrumental to save David from blood-shedding. (See the history,   1 Samuel 25:2-35.) Her name is as remarkable, for the event the Lord enabled her to accomplish; for it means, the joy of the Father; from Gul, to rejoice, and Ab, father. I have often admired the sweet and gracious conclusion, which David made, on occasion of the sin-preventing providence, the Lord accomplished on the patriarch's mind, through the instrumentality of this woman. He saw the hand of the Lord in the appointment; and, first, he blessed God; and next, he blessed her advice; and next, he blessed her: for all come in for a blessing, since the Lord had wrought deliverance by such means from sin. "Blessed (said he) be the Lord; and blessed be thy advice; and blessed be thou that hast kept me this day from shedding blood." (  1 Samuel 15:32-33.)

People's Dictionary of the Bible

 Abigail ( ăb'i- gâil or  gĕl),  father, i.e., source, of joy. 1. The beautiful wife of Nabal, a wealthy owner of goats and sheep in Carmel. When David's messengers were slighted by Nabal, Abigail supplied David and his followers with provisions, and succeeded in appeasing his anger. Ten days after this Nabal died, and David sent for Abigail and made her his wife.  1 Samuel 25:14, etc. By her he had a son, called Chileab in  2 Samuel 3:3, but Daniel in  1 Chronicles 3:1. 2. A sister of David, married to Jether the  Ishmaelite, and mother, by him, of Amasa.  1 Chronicles 2:17. In  2 Samuel 17:25, for  Israelite read  Ishmaelite.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

ABIGAIL , or ABIGAL . 1 . Wife of Nabal (  1 Samuel 25:14 ). She dissuaded David from avenging himself on the surly farmer, and soon after the latter’s death married David (  1 Samuel 25:39-42 ), and accompanied him to Gath and Ziklag ( 1Sa 27:3;   1 Samuel 30:5;   1 Samuel 30:18 ). At Hebron she bore him a son, whose name may have been Chileab (  2 Samuel 3:3 ), or Daniel (  1 Chronicles 3:1 ), or Dodiel (the LXX [Note: Septuagint.] at   2 Samuel 3:3 has Daluya). 2 . Step-sister of David, mother of Amasa (  2 Samuel 17:25 ,   1 Chronicles 2:16 f.).

J. Taylor.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

 Ab'igail.  (father, that is,  source, of joy).

1. The beautiful wife of Nabal, a wealthy owner of goats and sheep in Carmel. (B.C. 1060). When David's messengers were slighted by Nabal, Abigail supplies David and his followers with provisions, and succeeded in appeasing his anger. The days after this Nabal died, and David sent for Abigail and made her his wife.  1 Samuel 25:14, etc. By her, he had a son, called Chileab in  2 Samuel 3:3, but Daniel in  1 Chronicles 3:1.

2. A sister of David, married to Jether, the  Ishmaelite, and mother, by him, of Amasa.  1 Chronicles 2:17. In  2 Samuel 17:25, for  Israelite read  Ishmaelite. (B.C. 1068).

Morrish Bible Dictionary

1. The Carmelitess who became the wife of David after the death of her churlish husband Nabal. This gracious woman humbled herself, confessed the 'iniquity' of her husband, and appeased David. She showed wonderful faith in recognising the counsels of God as resting upon David, and called him 'lord' whilst in rejection and being hunted by Saul.  1 Samuel 25:14-42 . By Abigail David had a son named Chileab  2 Samuel 3:3; but called Daniel in  1 Chronicles 3:1 .

 2. A sister or half sister of David: she was the mother of Amasa by a man named Ithra or Jether, described both as an Israelite and an Ishmeelite.  2 Samuel 17:25;  1 Chronicles 2:16,17 . See JETHER

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. Formerly the wife of Nabal of Carmel, and afterwards of David. Upon receiving information of Nabal's ingratitude to David,  1 Samuel 25:14 , she loaded several asses with provisions, and attended by some of here domestics went out to meet him. Her manners and conversation gained for her his esteem, and as soon as the days of mourning for Nabal's death, which happened soon afterwards, were over, he made her his wife. The issue of the marriage was, as some critics suppose, two sons, Chileab and Daniel,  2 Samuel 3:3;  1 Chronicles 3:1; but it is most probable that these names were borne by one person.

2. A sister of David, and mother of Amasa,  1 Chronicles 2:16,17 .

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

Two women named Abigail are mentioned in the Bible ( 1 Samuel 25:3;  2 Samuel 17:25). The better known of the two is the wife of the foolish farmer, Nabal. Nabal almost brought disaster upon his household by his insulting refusal to supply David and his men with food in return for their service in protecting his farmlands against the raiding Philistines. Only quick thinking and wise words from Abigail saved the situation ( 1 Samuel 25:2-35).

When Nabal unexpectedly died, David married Abigail ( 1 Samuel 25:39-42). She became the mother of David’s second son, Chileab ( 2 Samuel 3:3).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

• The sister of David, and wife of Jether an Ishmaelite (1Chronicles 2:16,17). She was the mother of Amasa (2Samuel 17:25).
• The wife of the churlish Nabal, who dwelt in the district of Carmel (1Samuel 25:3). She showed great prudence and delicate management at a critical period of her husband's life. She was "a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance." After Nabal's death she became the wife of David (1Samuel 25:14-42), and was his companion in all his future fortunes (1Samuel 27:3; 30:5;  2 Samuel 2:2 ). By her David had a son called Chileab (2Samuel 3:3), elsewhere called Daniel (1Chronicles 3:1).

Holman Bible Dictionary

 1 Samuel 25:32-33 1 Samuel 30:1-18 2 1 Chronicles 2:16-17 2 Samuel 17:25David

Donald R. Potts

Webster's Dictionary

(n.) A lady's waiting-maid.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Abiga'yil,  אֲבַיגִיִל  , father [i.e.  source]  of joy, or perh. i. q.  leader of the dance, once contracted Abigal',  אֲבַיגִל,  2 Samuel 17:25; Sept.  ‘Αβιγάϊλ v. r.  ‘Αβιγαία, Josephus  ‘Αβιγαία ), the name of two women.

 1. The daughter of Nahash (? Jesse), sister of David, and wife of Jether or Ithra (q.v.), an Ishmaelite, by whom she had Amasa ( 1 Chronicles 2:16-17;  2 Samuel 17:25). B.C. 1068.

 2. The wife of Nabal, a prosperous but churlish sheep-master in the district of Carmel, west of the Dead Sea ( 1 Samuel 25:3). B.C. 1060. Her promptitude and discretion averted the wrath of David, which, as she justly apprehended, had been violently excited by the insulting treatment which his messengers had received from her husband (comp. Josephus, Ant. 6:13, 6-8). See NABAL. She hastily prepared a liberal supply of provisions, of which David's troop stood in much need, and went forth to meet him, attended by only one servant, without the knowledge of her husband. When they met, he was marching to exterminate Nabal and all that belonged to him; and not only was his rage mollified by her prudent remonstrances and delicate management, but he became sensible that the vengeance which he had purposed was not warranted by the circumstances, and was thankful that he had been prevented from shedding innocent blood ( 1 Samuel 25:14-35). The beauty and prudence of Abigail (see H. Hughes,  Female Characters, 2:250 sq.) made such an impression upon David on this occasion, that when, not long after, he heard of Nabal's death, he sent for her, and she became his wife ( 1 Samuel 25:39-42). She accompanied him in all his future fortunes ( 1 Samuel 27:3;  1 Samuel 30:5;  2 Samuel 2:2). (See David). By her he had one son, Chileab (2 Samuel 3:3), who is probably the same elsewhere called Daniel ( 1 Chronicles 3:1).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Ab´igail (father of joy), the wife of a prosperous sheep-master, called Nabal, who dwelt in the district of Carmel, west of the Dead Sea. She is known chiefly for the promptitude and discretion of her conduct in taking measures to avert the wrath of David, which had been violently excited by the insulting treatment which his messengers had received from her husband [NABAL]. She hastily prepared a liberal supply of provisions, of which David's troop stood in much need, and went forth to meet him. Her beauty and prudence made such an impression upon David on this occasion, that when, not long after, he heard of Nabal's death, he sent for her, and she became his wife ( 1 Samuel 25:14-42). It is usually stated that he had by her two sons, Chileab and Daniel; but it is more likely that the Chileab of  2 Samuel 3:3, is the same as the Daniel of  1 Chronicles 3:1; the son of Abigail being known by both these names.

The Nuttall Encyclopedia

The widow of Nabal, espoused by David.