David meets Abigail

The mountainous landscape is reminiscent of the work of Joos de Momper II. The story of David and Abigail is based on the writings of Samuel (25, 1-15). After Samuel’s death, David withdrew to the Desert of Maon, where a very wealthy man, Nabal, lived with his wife Abigail. Nabal, though, was surly and bad-tempered. David sent ten young men to greet him, wish him peace and to request hospitality. Nabal rejected them brutally, which angered David who thereupon set out with about 400 soldiers on a punitive expedition against Nabal. Abigail, being apprised of this, betook herself with her servants and a great quantity of bread, meat and figs to David without her husband’s knowledge. She prostrated herself before David, offered him her gifts and with great eloquence persuaded him to abandon his revenge. In the meantime, Nabal had been giving a great feast at which he had fallen into a drunken stupor. When he had sobered up, abigail told him the truth of what she had done; dismayed, he expired. David then took Abigail to wife, to which she readily agreed.