Hugely popular English name, versioned from the Hebrew name (אביגיל) means - "her Father's (Abi) joy" or means - "fountain of joy". Arabic form - Jariah.
Abigal was the wife of Nabal; she became a wife of David after Nabal's death.
In the passage, Nabal demonstrates ingratitude towards David, and Abigail attempts to placate David in order to stop him taking revenge. She gives him food, and speaks to him, urging him not to "have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed" (verse 31, NIV) and reminding him that God will make him a "lasting dynasty" (verse 28). Jon Levenson calls this an "undeniable adumbration" of Nathan's prophecy in 2 Samuel 7. Alice Bach notes that Abigail pronounces a "crucial prophecy" and the Talmud regards her as one of the Tanakh's seven female prophets.
The text explicitly describes Abigail as "intelligent and beautiful". Indeed, the Talmud mentions her as being one of the "four women of surpassing beauty in the world." Abraham Kuyper argues, moreover, that Abigail's conduct indicates "a most appealing character and unwavering faith." Yet Alice Bach regards her as subversive, while Sandra Williams suggests that Abigail is deceptive and disloyal to her husband and even that she was "sexually turned on by an outlaw and a criminal."
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