Josephus’ Rewriting of 1 Samuel 25

This article seeks to present Josephus’ retelling of the story of David, Nabal and Abigail in 1 Samuel 25. It tries to answer the following questions: what was the text on which Josephus based his story? What are the differences between the biblical version and Josephus’ retelling and how can they be explained? My conclusion is that Josephus’ version is very similar to the MT, while the differences stem from various reasons: he tries to make the difficult text of MT clearer; omits long speeches; and accentuates David’s piousness. As to his view of women as reflected in this story, I rejected the view that it is misogynic. In Josephus’ version, as in the Hebrew Bible, Abigail is depicted as beautiful, wise, assertive and very suitable for King David as a wife. Josephus’ retelling of 1 Samuel 25 is connected to the circumstances in which he lived in Hellenistic society. He appeals to both Jewish and Roman audiences, trying to promote sympathy for the Jewish people and the Roman Empire.