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"Abigail carved her own place in my life. If you’d known her, then you’d know that it couldn’t have been otherwise. “When I escaped from the murderous King Saul’s house, four hundred soldiers who were loyal to me followed me into hiding. We took shelter in the forest. It wasn’t an ordinary forest, but one full of murderers and thieves. I caught some of the thieves killing sheep one day. I knew the sheep belonged to a man named Nabal, so I chased the thieves away.
"I sent a couple of my men to tell Nabal the story and ask for his hospitality for the rest of my men, who were hungry and thirsty. But he yelled at my messengers, beat them and turned them away in disgrace." Abishag had heard that Nabal refused because of his politics—he was a staunch supporter of Saul and didn’t intend to support David, the upstart general who had lead a coup against Saul. She’d heard this, but she remained silent. “When I heard about what Nabal had done, I drew forth my sword, which was the legendary weapon first forged for Goliath, the giant that I vanquished as a boy.” “'They’ll pay for this,' I said. “My men rallied around, their weapons raised. Imagine the scene if you will: four hundred men spread out like a river across the valley, our swords glinting in the morning sun. We were a fearsome sight! "'Look! Up on that hill!' one of my eager youths called. 'Nabal's men are coming to meet us in battle!' We looked, and behold, a company of dozens was moving toward us. But my man mistook their purpose. They carried neither swords nor bows. They weren't soldiers, but servants with donkeys who carried baskets of food on their backs. "The donkey at the head of column was a noble old beast, taller and more striking than the rest. An imposing figure perched on the donkey's back, swathed in fine robes, sitting straight and tall. "I still hadn’t decided whether they would live or die. "The man on the leading donkey dismounted and drew near the points of our swords. His headpiece covered part of his face like a veil. Behind the veil was a fine, heart-shaped face and icy turquoise eyes. "A woman!?! "'I'm Abigail. And you must be my lord, David,” she said, bowing. “You must forgive my husband, Nabal. He’s silly and mean when he drinks—which is often. After you and your men have eaten and drunk your fill, I hope you will take this into consideration and show mercy as befits the rightful King of Israel.’ "What kind of coward would send his wife to face an army and certain death? “'I’ll show him the mercy of a quick death,' I said. "‘If you must have blood to satisfy your anger, then why don’t you spill mine, here, now? I’d rather die than live to see my brothers and my husband suffer at your hands.' "Seeing the uncertainty in my eyes, she brushed away my sword as if it was a child’s toy. "I agreed to spare all of their lives." “What about Nabal?” Abishag asked. “He died a few days later,” David said simply. “What strange coincidence,” Abishag murmured. "It was by the hand of God--not mine or my men's, as some people say." He caught the question in her eyes. "No, it wasn’t Abigail's doing, either. She was courageous but not a killer." “She came with me and I married her. She was at my side when I came out of hiding and was crowned King of the House of Judah before all of Israel.”
Author's Note: Abigail is the second important woman in David's life. When they meet, she's married to Nabal, a rich man who is also a mean drunk. Nabal won't work with David so David decides to kill all the men (he uses a turn of phrase that’s one of my favorites from the Bible: he says he’s going to kill “all those that pisseth against the wall.”) Despite David’s militaristic intent, Abigail bravely goes out to meet him and his army with a peace offering. I told this story in my own words, but for those who may not be too familiar with the Bible, I didn't make too many changes to its substance. David met Abigail while on the run from Saul. He and his men holed up in a cave. Nabel was supposedly cruel; rereading the story all these years later, it seems a little bit too coincidental that Nabal happened to die just a few days after he mistreated David and his men. Abishag, who is comforting David and talking to him as he lies on his deathbed, is expressing my own doubts. As you will learn in the next story about David and Bathsheba, David was willing to go to great lengths -- and sometimes lows-- to get what he wanted in love as well as in war.
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