And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife.

And David's servants came to Abigail to Carmel, and spoke to her, saying: David hath sent us to thee, to take thee to himself for a wife.

And the servants of David come in unto Abigail at Carmel, and speak unto her, saying, 'David hath sent us unto thee to take thee to him for a wife.'

And when David's servants came to Carmel, to Abigail, they said to her, David has sent us to you to take you to him as his wife.

And David's servants went to Abigail at Carmel, and they spoke to her, saying, "David has sent us to you, so that he might take you to himself as wife."

There is no note of the exact interval that elapsed between Nabal's death and David's hearing of it, or, again, between David's hearing of it and his message to Abigail; nor is there any reason to suppose that the marriage took place with unbecoming haste. The widow of such a husband as Nabal had been could not, however, be expected to revere his memory. After the usual mourning of seven days, she would probably feel herself free to act as custom allowed. (See 2-Samuel 11:26.)

And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel,.... For though Nabal lived in Maon, yet having possessions in Camel, he had no doubt an house there also; and here Abigail was, and perhaps chose to be after his death, rather than at Maon:
they spake unto her; delivered the message to her they were sent with by David:
saying, David sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife; that is, to treat with her about his marriage to her, to propose it to her, and, if they could prevail upon her, to bring her with them, that David might espouse her.