Abigail was a very smart and beautiful woman--who had enough sense to avert a slaughter.  She was married to a man named Nabal who was "churlish, stubborn and ill-tempered."  He was also very wealthy.  He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats.

David--who was running from King Saul--had taken up residence (with the men who followed him) in the fields near where Nabal lived and where Nabal's sheepherders were tending his flocks.  David's men protected the sheepherders from theft, and harm.

So when the sheepherders returned to the fold at shearing time, David sent messengers to ask Nabal to give a gift, a present, to his men--a friendly recompense for the protection they had afforded. If Nabal had had a brain, he would have been showering David with thanks, presents and praise.  But he was a rude, uncouth, stupid and ignorant man.  He "dissed" David in a public in an unnecessary way.  He said, "Who does this son of Jesse think he is?" This made David furious, so he saddled up his army, drew swords, and started towards Nabal's house to kill him and all of those who served him.

But Abigail, hearing that David was coming to kill her husband for what Nabal had done, found bread, fruits, and a group of loyal men to accompany her, and intercepted David.  She knelt and asked permission to speak.  She basically told David that Nabal was a boorish nincompoop, and to put the blame on her.  She begged David not to take vengeance into his own hands, because he would have to live with the guilt of murder for the rest of his life.  And she asked David to remember her when he came into his kingdom.  (David had already been anointed by Samuel to be the next king.)  David was calmed down by Abigail's gracious words and her kindness in providing his men food.

The next day, Nabal got drunk and died of a stroke.  (God takes care of things.)  Abigail was brave.  She spoke to a man who was not family--which was not allowed back then.  She took sides against her husband in a peaceful way to avert a disaster.  She was smart, and she used her intelligence.  She flattered David.  She fed him.  (Always a good plan where men are concerned.) And she sized up her husband as an idiot--which he was.  Later, David had the good sense to send for her and marry her when he heard that Nabal was dead.  Smart move.