Without consulting her husband or telling him of her intention, Abigail made up an ample supply of provisions, which, laded upon asses, she sent forward in the charge of servants, and herself started out to meet the band of David. She met them in a covert of a hill. "And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience." Abigail addressed David with as much reverence as though speaking to a crowned monarch. Nabal had scornfully exclaimed, "Who is David?" but Abigail called him, "my lord." With kind words she sought to sooth his irritated feelings, and she pleaded with him in behalf of her husband. With nothing of ostentation or pride, but full of the wisdom and love of God, Abigail revealed the strength of her devotion to her household; and she made it plain to David that the unkind course of her husband was in no wise premeditated against him as a personal affront, but was simply the outburst of an unhappy and selfish nature.

Uden at sige noget til sin mand hentede Abigajil en rigelig forsyning fødevarer, lagde dem på æslerne og overdrog dem til sine karle, hvorefter hun selv red Davids folk i møde. Hun mødte dem på vejen i skjul af bjerget. "Da Abigajil fik øje på David, sprang hun straks af æslet og kastede sig ned for David på sit ansigt, bøjede sig til jorden, faldt ned for hans fødder og sagde: "Skylden er min, herre! Lad din trælkvinde tale til dig og hør din trælkvindes ord!" Abigajil tiltalte David med samme ærbødighed, som hun ville have vist en kronet konge. Nabal havde foragteligt sagt: "Hvem er David?" men Abigajil kaldte ham "herre". Hun talte venligt til ham for at få hans vrede til at lægge sig og bad ham indtrængende om at redde hendes mand. Besjælet af visdom og kærlighed fra Gud skildrede Abigajil stille og beskedent sin store kærlighed til sin husstand. Hun lod David forstå, at hendes mand ikke havde optrådt uvenligt over for ham for at krænke ham personligt, men at hans optræden var et udslag af hans egenkærlighed.