Daily Tanach Shmuel 1 Chapter 25 Part 4: Avigayil appeases Dovid and his men

1.      Avigayil returns home and informs her husband of the news:

• The feast of Naval and the delayed message from Avigayil: Avigayil returned home to her husband Naval while he was in the midst of feasting with his household with a feast fit for a king. Naval was in a very good mood and was very drunk. His wife, Avigayil, did not relay to him anything about what had happened until the next morning.
• Naval reacts stoneheartedly: In the morning, when Naval had recovered from his intoxication and became sober, his wife informed him of all the previous day’s events with Dovid. Naval reacted emotionlessly [to the good news that his life and those of his household were saved], as if his heart had died and turned to stone [as he was so wicked that he could think of nothing else but to grieve over the fact that his wife gave from his food to Dovid and his men, and due to this he felt very distressed[1]].

2.      G-d arranges Naval’s death:

• Approximately 10 days after the above events, Naval fell ill with a disease brought to him by G-d, and he died. [Naval was sick for three days and then died on the 10^th day from the start of the above events. G-d did not kill him right away as he waited for the Shiva for the death of the prophet Shmuel to conclude. Some say that the above occurred during the 10 days of repentance and G-d waited until after Yom Kippur to exact retribution against Naval.[2]]
• Dovid’s reaction to Naval’s death: When Dovid heard that Naval had died he blessed G-d saying, blessed be G-d who fights my battles and took vengeance for my shame in the hands of Naval. And that he has saved his servants from any evil, and that the evil of Naval, G-d returned onto his own head.

3.      Dovid marries Avigayil and other women:

• After Naval’s death, Dovid sent a messenger to speak with Avigayil and ask her if she will consent to become his wife. The servants of Dovid came to Avigayil in the Carmel region and spoke to her saying that Dovid had sent them to her, to take her for him as a wife. Avigayil stood up and prostrated her face to the ground [out of sheer joy and excitement of the preposition] and [humbly] said, “I [am not befitting to become his wife[3] but rather] will become a maidservant and bathe the feet of the servants of my master.” Avigayil hurried and left her area, riding on a donkey. She had five of her maidservants travel with her. She traveled after the messengers of Dovid, and when she arrived, she became Dovid’s wife.
• Dovid’s second wife: Dovid married a second wife by the name of Achinoam from the region of Yizrael. She and Avigayil both became the wives of Dovid [in addition to his first wife Michal[4]].
• What happened with his wife Michal: Dovid’s original wife Michal who was the daughter of Shaul was given by her father Shaul to Palti Ben Layish from the town of Megalim. [However, knowing that she was married to Dovid, he refused to touch her, and a sword was placed between him and her throughout all of their days.[5]]

[1] Rashi 25:37

[2] Rashi 25:38

[3] See Metzudos Dovid 25:41

[4] Metzudos Dovid 25:43

[5] Radak 25:43; Ralbag ibid