1 Samuel 25:26

1 Samuel 25:26 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the Lord hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.
• New International Version (NIV)And now, my lord, as surely as the Lord your God lives and as you live, since the Lord has kept you from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, may your enemies and all who are intent on harming my lord be like Nabal.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now then, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from saving with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, since the Lord has held you back from coming to bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now then, let your enemies and those who seek harm for my lord be as Nabal.

Context of 1 Samuel 25:26

24Kneeling at his feet she said, “My lord, let the blame and guilt be on me alone. And please let your maidservant speak to you, and listen to the words of your maidservant. 25Please do not let my lord pay attention to this worthless man, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal (fool) is his name and foolishness (stupidity) is with him; but I your maidservant did not see my lord’s young men whom you sent. So now, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, since the Lord has prevented you from shedding blood, and from avenging yourself by your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord, be as [self-destructive as] Nabal. 27Now this gift, which your maidservant has brought my lord, let it be given to the young men who accompany and follow my lord. 28Please forgive the transgression of your maidservant; for the Lord will certainly make my lord a secure and enduring house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil will not be found in you all your days.

1 Samuel 25:26 word by word

וְעַתָּ֣ה אֲדֹנִ֗י חַי־יְהוָ֤ה וְחֵֽי־נַפְשְׁךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר מְנָעֲךָ֤ יְהוָה֙ מִבּ֣וֹא בְדָמִ֔ים וְהוֹשֵׁ֥עַ יָדְךָ֖ לָ֑ךְ וְעַתָּ֗ה יִֽהְי֤וּ כְנָבָל֙ אֹיְבֶ֔יךָ וְהַֽמְבַקְשִׁ֥ים אֶל־אֲדֹנִ֖י רָעָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now therefore, my lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• livethחַיchay · aliveH2416
• thy soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
• hath withholdenמָנַעmâna‛ · to withholdH4513
• thee from comingבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
• and from avengingיָשַׁעyâsha‛ · to saveH3467
• thyself with thine own handיָדyâd · hand: themselvesH3027
• now let thine enemiesאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
• and they that seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451
• be as Nabalנָבָלnâbâl · NabalH5037

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 25:26

• 1 Samuel 25:34Nevertheless, as the Lord the God of Israel lives, who has prevented me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, most certainly by the morning light there would not have been left to Nabal so much as one male.”
• 1 Samuel 22:3And David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother come [out of Judah] and stay with you until I know what God will do for me.”
• 2 Kings 2:2And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha replied, “As the Lord lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
• 2 Kings 4:6When the containers were all full, she said to her son, “Bring me another container.” And he said to her, “There is not a one left.” Then the oil stopped [multiplying].
• 1 Samuel 1:26Hannah said, “Oh, my lord! As [surely as] your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood beside you here, praying to the Lord.
• 1 Samuel 25:33And blessed be your discretion and discernment, and blessed be you, who has kept me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself by my own hand.
• Genesis 20:6Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this in the integrity of your heart, for it was I who kept you back and spared you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not give you an opportunity to touch her.
• Romans 12:19Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for God’s wrath [and His judicial righteousness]; for it is written [in Scripture], “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
• Psalms 18:47The God who avenges me, And subdues peoples (nations) under me.
• Psalms 44:3For our fathers did not possess the land [of Canaan] by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them, But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence, Because You favored and delighted in them.
• 2 Samuel 18:32The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom [my son] safe?” The Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all those who rise against you to do evil, be [dead] like that young man is.”
• Jeremiah 29:22Because of them, this curse shall be taken up and used by all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon, saying, “May the Lord make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire,
• Daniel 4:19“Then Daniel, whose [Babylonian] name was Belteshazzar, was appalled and speechless for a while [because he was deeply concerned about the destiny of the king], and his thoughts alarmed him. The king said, ‘Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation frighten you.’ Belteshazzar answered, ‘My lord, may the dream be [meant] for those who hate you and its message for your enemies!

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 25:26

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26The passage should be rendered as follows: “And now my lord, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth,” it is “the Lord” that “hath withholden thee from coming” into blood-guiltiness (as in 1 Samuel 25:33), “and from saving thyself with thine own hand;” and “now” all “thine enemies” shall be as Nabal (whom she considers as utterly impotent to hurt David, and as already thoroughly humbled before him), and (so shall be) all “that seek evil to my Lord.”Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-31Verses 18-31 By a present Abigail atoned for Nabal's denial of David's request. Her behaviour was very submissive. Yielding pacifies great offences. She puts herself in the place of a penitent, and of a petitioner. She could not excuse her husband's conduct. She depends not upon her own reasonings, but on God's grace, to soften David, and expects that grace would work powerfully. She says that it was below him to take vengeance on so weak and despicable…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26the LORD has held you back from bloodshed and from avenging yourself: Abigail began her plea by saying that God had kept David from murder and revenge, and she ended it the same way (1 Samuel 25:31). She reminded David that he had the power to kill Nabal, just as he had the power to kill Saul, but he chose not to do so.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2626. let thine enemies ... be as Nabal--be as foolish and contemptible as he.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 25:26

• Decision
• Diplomacy
• Fig
• Intercession
• Nabal
• Obsequiousness
• Prudence
• Tact
• Wife

In the dictionaries

• Abigail
• Conversant
• Covert
• David
• Die
• Miss
• Nabal
• Requite
• Sure
• Wall

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 25

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings