Painterly portrait of a poised young Hebrew woman with dark hair under a simple woven head covering, in sage and cream robes. — Painterly interpretation — not a historical likeness.

Old Testament

Abigail

A wise woman who stopped a future king from sin.

Widely acceptedc. 1010s BC, late in Saul's reign

Their story, briefly

Married to Nabal, a wealthy but harsh man in the Carmel hill country.
Heard that Nabal had insulted David's men, who were now riding to kill every male in the household.
Rode out alone with provisions and met David with humble, wise words.
Talked David out of avenging himself in blood: 'My lord will have no cause for grief.'
Widowed when Nabal died ten days later; became one of David's wives.

Key passages

1 Samuel 25:3
1 Samuel 25:23-31
1 Samuel 25:32-35

How their life points to Christ

Abigail steps between an angry king and the people he's about to destroy, taking the blame and pleading for mercy. It is a small, sharp picture of Christ — the mediator who steps between a holy God and a guilty people and says, 'Let the blame fall on me.'

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More from Scripture

Painterly portrait of a young first-century Judean woman with a soft blue head covering and folded hands, robed in cream and blue.

Mary, mother of Jesus

Young Judean woman who said yes to God and bore the Savior.

Painterly portrait of a young woman with warm olive skin and a head scarf, holding sheaves of golden barley in a field at sunset.

Ruth

Moabite outsider whose loyalty made her great-grandmother to King David.

Painterly portrait of a young Persian-Jewish queen with dark braided hair, modest jeweled headdress, and rich burgundy and gold robes.

Esther

A Jewish exile made queen of Persia — 'for such a time as this.'