John Gill Commentary 1 Samuel 25:39

"And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be Jehovah, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept back his servant from evil: and the evil-doing of Nabal hath Jehovah returned upon his own head. And David sent and spake concerning Abigail, to take her to him to wife." — 1 Samuel 25:39 (ASV)

And when David heard that Nabal was dead As he soon might, Maon and Carmel not being far from the wilderness where David was: he said, blessed [be] the Lord, that has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal ; not that he rejoiced at the death of Nabal, simply considered, or from a private spirit of revenge; but because of the glory of divine justice, which he had shown to him in vindicating him from the reproach Nabal had cast upon him, and particularly was thankful for what follows; and has kept his servant from evil ; from slaying Nabal with his own hand, and doing hurt to his family: for the Lord has returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head ; and upon no other, none of his family suffered but himself, and which was another cause of thankfulness to David; had he been suffered to have done as he in his wrath determined, not only Nabal, but all the males in his house, had been cut off; but now, through the righteous judgment of God, only Nabal suffered, and not any of his family:

and David sent and communed with Abigail ; by his messengers to her; or "concerning" her ^F8 , about marrying her: to take her to him to wife ; for being both a beautiful and wise woman, he thought her a proper person to be his wife; which she might lawfully become, Nabal being dead, and Michal, David's wife, being taken from him, and given to another man, with whom she lived in adultery; or as divorced by David, as the Jews say, David by the law of God was free from her. These messengers were sent by David at a convenient time, at a proper distance from the death of Nabal; and he chose rather to send messengers than to go himself, lest being denied he should be put to shame, she being a rich widow, and he a poor persecuted man, and that her answer might be entirely free and unawed by him, and that it might appear that she was not taken to him by force; and besides, such a method has been always reckoned most honourable with great personages.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F8: (lygybab) (peri abigaiav) , Sept. "de Abigail", Vatabulus.