“Father’s Joy"
"Source of Joy"..........these are some of the literal translations of the Hebrew name 'Abigail’.
Abigail was described by the first book of Samuel as intelligent and beautiful, someone who contemporary writers would succinctly peg as "Beauty with Brains".
And just as society, duty and sometimes love in those times would have it, Abigail was married to a Fool (no, this isn't a description). His name was Nabal, a name of Hebrew origin which literally means "Foolish, Senseless, Wicked" , a name he unequivocally lived up to.
Nabal was a rich (surprised?) Carmelite, he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats (I don't know how Forbes would rate him now though). One day Nabal was shearing his sheep in Carmel (this was considered a big deal, they even threw feasts) and news travelled to the wilderness where David (This particular 'Hot Kek' will feature in a number of our stories as the series progresses. I really can't go into details but he is the young lad that defeated Goliath. Ring any bells? Yes, that same one).
David being in the wilderness, sent out ten of his men to Nabal in Carmel , he instructed them to call in a favour, appeal to Nabal to share of his feast and extend an helping hand. But Nabal who must 'nabal' turned down David's men saying "Who is David?, Who is the son of Jesse?" (in our language, who do you think you are?, Who is your daddy?)
David was enflamed on receiving this report (well, who wouldn't be?) so he set out with 400 men and their swords (ghen ghen), ready to wipe out a lineage completely.
Now there was one of Nabal's men who witnessed the preceding event, realized the consequences but also knew he couldn't save them from what is to come so he sought out an advocate, the best 'defense attorney' in all of Carmel, one who knew her client, had done her homework on the opposition and knew exactly how to settle.
He sought Abigail.
After been told what had transpired between Nabal and David's men, Abigail set out with supplies enough to extinguish the fire her 'client' had began to fan. Just as David was descending the mountains ready to in his words "not leave alive even one male of any who belong to Nabal" , he crossed path with Abigail.
There and then she laid the case bare to the tiniest fact(Nabal is a fool), told him of how he could use his resources more profitably, she reminded him of who he was and why he shouldn't let the foolishness of another rob him of what is to be his, then she offered a settlement which he accepted.
Abigail went back to Nabal after closing a deal that saved his life and all he had, she met him still feasting and very drunk so she mentioned nothing about what had happened to him. The next morning when he was sober she told him what had happened and somehow this fool having realized his folly could have caused him posterity had a heart attack and ten days later he died.
Just as word of his feast travelled, word of his death found its way to David. Realizing the Nabal ship had gone down, he remembered one on board who didn't deserve to go down with it, one who knew what to do at the right time, one whose wisdom and tact in dire situations shouldn't be forgotten, the one whose words were as an honeycomb so he sent his men to Abigail proposing to take her as his wife.
Accepting that the 'Nabal' she gave her all to hold together had gone under, she decided it was time to move to another. One she built for herself indirectly through her bravery, her proactiveness, her fortitude and so she sailed.
"This is the tale of Abigail and the King"
