And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

1 SAMUEL 30:5KJV
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1 Samuel 30:5 (KJV)

What does 1 Samuel 30:5 mean?

1 Samuel 30:5 states that both of David’s wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, who had been married to Nabal from Carmel, were taken captive. This verse records the personal loss David suffered when his family was seized during a raid.

This moment is part of a larger story where David and his men return to their town of Ziklag to find it destroyed and their families taken by raiders. The verse specifically names Ahinoam and Abigail, highlighting the depth of David’s distress and connecting the event to earlier stories about these women in David’s life.

The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 30:5

  • חַיִל (ishah / אִשָּׁה, transliteration: ishah): This word means “wife” or “woman.” The verse uses it twice to make clear that both Ahinoam and Abigail were David’s wives, underscoring the personal nature of the loss.
  • שָׁבָה (shavah): This word means “taken captive.” It emphasizes that the women were not killed but seized and carried off, which sets up the urgency and motivation for David’s actions in the verses that follow.

Why 1 Samuel 30:5 matters

  • The verse clarifies that David’s loss was deeply personal, not just a military or political setback, since his own family was among those taken.
  • By naming both wives and their backgrounds, the verse connects this event to earlier narratives, reminding readers of David’s relationships and the stories of Ahinoam and Abigail.
  • This detail sets the emotional stage for the following verses, where David’s response to the crisis is shaped by the loss of his loved ones.

Where else these words appear

“Jezreelitess” Hebrew H3159 · used in 5 verses

  • 1 Samuel 27:3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.
  • 2 Samuel 2:2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.
  • 2 Samuel 3:2 And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

“Carmelite” Hebrew H3761 · used in 5 verses

  • 2 Samuel 2:2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.
  • 2 Samuel 3:3 And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
  • 2 Samuel 23:35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

“Ahinoam” Hebrew H293 · used in 7 verses

  • 1 Samuel 14:50 And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of the captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.
  • 1 Samuel 27:3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.
  • 2 Samuel 3:2 And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

“Abigail” Hebrew H26 · used in 17 verses

  • 1 Samuel 25:3 Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.
  • 1 Samuel 25:36 And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.
  • 2 Samuel 2:2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.