1 Samuel 25:42 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Abigail hurried and rose and mounted a donkey, and her five young women attended her. She followed the messengers of David and became his wife.

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

NASB: Then Abigail got up quickly, and rode on a donkey, with her five female attendants who accompanied her; and she followed the messengers of David and became his wife.

CSB: Then Abigail got up quickly, and with her five female servants accompanying her, rode on the donkey following David’s messengers. And so she became his wife.

NLT: Quickly getting ready, she took along five of her servant girls as attendants, mounted her donkey, and went with David’s messengers. And so she became his wife.

KJV: And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.

NKJV: So Abigail rose in haste and rode on a donkey, attended by five of her maidens; and she followed the messengers of David, and became his wife.

First Samuel 25:39–42 summarizes how Abigail marries David. David had been marching to take revenge on Nabal, Abigail's foolish husband. Abigail stopped David, reminding him he should not have the blood of the innocent servants on his hands when he becomes king. Days later, God struck Nabal dead (1 Samuel 25:2–38). David praises God for avenging him and preventing him from making a bloody mistake. David sends servants to bring Abigail to be his wife.

David learns to give grace to people other than King Saul. Samuel dies, and Saul temporarily leaves David alone. David and his men protect the shepherds of the foolish Nabal. When Nabal refuses to reward David, David vows revenge on him and all his male servants. Nabal's wife, Abigail, rushes to David with food and a warning that David shouldn't carry the shame of killing Nabal and the servants when he becomes king. David listens, Nabal dies, and David marries Abigail. Soon the truce will end, and David will meet Saul one last time (1 Samuel 26).

David spared Saul's life, and the grateful king gives David some peace (1 Samuel 24). God has protected David numerous times from having to fight Saul. When a wealthy fool insults David, only the fool's wife, Abigail, keeps David from destroying the entire estate. Once again, God has kept David from needless bloodshed. Saul will later break the truce, but David still refuses to kill his enemy (1 Samuel 26). When David is ready to battle Saul, God prevents it (1 Samuel 29).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.