שמואל א, פרק כ״ה, פסוק מ׳

Following the death of her husband Nabal, Abigail receives a visit from David's messengers, who arrive to propose marriage on his behalf. The specific location of this encounter sheds light on the sequence of recent events. Although the couple's permanent home was in Maon, Nabal fell ill immediately after the feast he hosted and never returned home. As a result, Abigail remained in Carmel after his passing, which is exactly where David's men find her [מלבי״ם].

Upon hearing the marriage proposal, Abigail responds with deep submission. Even though David is not present, she bows down and addresses the messengers as if she is speaking directly to David himself. This reaction is based on the principle that a person's messenger is treated with the same respect as the person they represent. Expressing immense humility, she declares that she is unworthy of becoming a wife to the king, viewing herself at most as a maidservant meant only to wash the feet of his servants [אברבנאל].