1 Samuel 25:39

1 Samuel 25:39 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the Lord, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the Lord hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife.
• New International Version (NIV)When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise be to the Lord, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal’s wrongdoing down on his own head.” Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife.
• English Standard Version (ESV)When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, "Blessed be the Lord who has avenged the insult I received at the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from wrongdoing. The Lord has returned the evil of Nabal on his own head." Then David sent and spoke to Abigail, to take her as his wife.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept His servant from evil! For the Lord has returned the wickedness of Nabal on his own head.” And David sent and proposed to Abigail, to take her as his wife.

Context of 1 Samuel 25:39

37In the morning when Nabal sobered up, his wife told him about these events. His heart died and he became a stone. 38About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal dead. When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord who championed my cause against Nabal’s insults and restrained his servant from doing evil. The Lord brought Nabal’s evil deeds back on his own head.” Then David sent messengers to speak to Abigail about marrying him. 40When David’s servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, “David sent us to bring you to him as a wife.” 41She stood up, paid homage with her face to the ground, and said, “Here I am, your servant, a slave to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”

1 Samuel 25:39 word by word

וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע דָּוִד֮ כִּ֣י מֵ֣ת נָבָל֒ וַיֹּ֡אמֶר בָּר֣וּךְ יְהוָ֡ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָב֩ אֶת־רִ֨יב חֶרְפָּתִ֜י מִיַּ֣ד נָבָ֗ל וְאֶת־עַבְדּוֹ֙ חָשַׂ֣ךְ מֵֽרָעָ֔ה וְאֵת֙ רָעַ֣ת נָבָ֔ל הֵשִׁ֥יב יְהוָ֖ה בְּרֹאשׁ֑וֹ וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח דָּוִד֙ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר בַּאֲבִיגַ֔יִל לְקַחְתָּ֥הּ ל֖וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• that Nabalנָבָלnâbâl · NabalH5037
• was deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Blessedבָּרַךְbârak · to blessH1288
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• that hath pleadedרִיבrîyb rûb · to contendH7378
• the causeרִיבrîyb rib · strifeH7379
• of my reproachחֶרְפָּהcherpâh · reproachH2781
• from the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• and hath keptחָשַׂךְchâώak · to withholdH2820
• his servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• from evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451
• hath returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• upon his own headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
• sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• and communedדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• with Abigailאֲבִיגַ֫יִל, אֲבִיגַ֫ל'ăbîygayil 'ăbîygal · AbigailH26
• to takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: marryH3947
• her to him to wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 25:39

• 1 Samuel 25:32Then David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who sent you to meet me today!
• Judges 5:2When the leaders lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, blessed be the Lord.
• 2 Samuel 22:47The Lord lives — blessed be my rock! God, the rock of my salvation, is exalted.
• Psalms 58:10The righteous one will rejoice when he sees the retribution; he will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
• Revelation 19:1After this I heard something like the loud voice of a vast multitude in heaven, saying, Hallelujah! Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God,
• Proverbs 22:23for the Lord will champion their cause and will plunder those who plunder them.
• Lamentations 3:58You championed my cause, Lord; you redeemed my life.
• Micah 7:9Because I have sinned against him, I must endure the Lord’s fury until he champions my cause and establishes justice for me. He will bring me into the light; I will see his salvation.
• 1 Samuel 25:26Now my lord, as surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live— it is the Lord who kept you from participating in bloodshed and avenging yourself by your own hand—may your enemies and those who intend to harm my lord be like Nabal.
• Hosea 2:6Therefore, this is what I will do: I will block her way with thorns; I will enclose her with a wall, so that she cannot find her paths.
• 2 Corinthians 13:7But we pray to God that you do nothing wrong — not that we may appear to pass the test, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear to fail.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:23Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• 2 Timothy 4:18The Lord will rescue me from every evil work and will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever! Amen.
• 2 Samuel 3:28David heard about it later and said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner.
• 1 Kings 2:44The king also said, “You yourself know all the evil that you did to my father David. Therefore, the Lord has brought back your evil on your head,
• Esther 7:10They hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s anger subsided.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 25:39

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 39To take her to him to wife - It is likely that he had heard before this that Saul, to cut off all his pretensions to the throne, had married Michal to Phalti; and this justified David in taking Abigail or any other woman; and, according to the then custom, it was not unlawful for David to take several wives. By his marriage with Abigail, it is probable he became possessed of all Nabal's property in Carmel and Maon.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 32-39Verses 32-39 David gives God thanks for sending him this happy check in a sinful way. Whoever meet us with counsel, direction, comfort, caution, or seasonable reproof, we must see God sending them. We ought to be very thankful for those happy providences which are the means of keeping us from sinning. Most people think it enough, if they take reproof patiently; but few will take it thankfully, and commend those who give it, and accept it as a favour. The…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 39Nabal’s death was God’s punishment for his sin. David could not be accused of vengeful murder. David quickly asked Abigail to marry him. She had proven herself wise and was also beautiful (1 Samuel 25:3).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 39-4239-42. the Lord hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head--If this was an expression of pleasure, and David's vindictive feelings were gratified by the intelligence of Nabal's death, it was an instance of human infirmity which we may lament; but perhaps he referred to the unmerited reproach (1Sa 25:10, 11), and the contempt of God implied in it. David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to wife--This unceremonious proceeding was…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 25:39

• Polygamy
• Wife

In the dictionaries

• David
• Abigail
• Conversant
• Covert
• 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