1 Samuel 25:21

1 Samuel 25:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good.
• New International Version (NIV)David had just said, “It’s been useless—all my watching over this fellow’s property in the wilderness so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now David had said, "Surely in vain have I guarded all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him, and he has returned me evil for good.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now David had said, “Surely in vain I have protected all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belongs to him. And he has repaid me evil for good.

Context of 1 Samuel 25:21

19She said to her servants, ‘You go first and I will follow you.’ But she did not tell her husband Nabal what she was doing. 20Abigail rode her donkey along the path beside a mountain. Then she saw David and his men as they were coming towards her. So they all met each other. David had just said to his men, ‘I kept Nabal's people and all his things safe in the desert. We did not take anything from him. But that has not helped us. I was kind to him, but he has done an evil thing to me in return. 22I pray that God will punish me if I do not kill all the men in Nabal's family by tomorrow morning.’ 23When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey. She bent her body down low on the ground to respect David.

1 Samuel 25:21 word by word

וְדָוִ֣ד אָמַ֗ר אַךְ֩ לַשֶּׁ֨קֶר שָׁמַ֜רְתִּי אֶֽת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֤ר לָזֶה֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר וְלֹא־נִפְקַ֥ד מִכָּל־אֲשֶׁר־ל֖וֹ מְא֑וּמָה וַיָּֽשֶׁב־לִ֥י רָעָ֖ה תַּ֥חַת טוֹבָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• had saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Surely in vainשֶׁ֫קֶרsheqer · deceptionH8267
• have I keptשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
• all that thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• hath in the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• so that nothingמְא֫וּמָהme'ûmâh · anythingH3972
• was missedפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: missingH6485
• unto him: and he hath requitedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• me evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451
• for goodטוֹבָהţôb · welfareH2896

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 25:21

• 1 Samuel 25:13David said to his men, ‘Tie your swords onto your belts.’ So they all did that. David put his sword on his belt too. About 400 men went with David. About 200 men stayed at their camp.
• Job 30:8They were foolish people that nobody respected. People chased them away from their land.
• Psalms 37:8Do not become angry or upset! It will only bring trouble for you.
• Ephesians 4:26When you are angry, do not do anything bad as a result. Once the day comes to an end, do not continue to be angry.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:15If someone does something bad against you, do not do anything bad against them in return. Never do that. Instead, always try to do good things that will help one other and help everyone else.
• 1 Peter 2:21When God chose you to be his servants, he wanted you to be brave like that. Christ had trouble and pain on your behalf. He has shown you how you should live when trouble comes.
• 1 Peter 3:9If people do bad things to you, do not do anything bad to them in return. If people insult you, do not insult them in return. Instead, pray that God will bless those people. That is what God wants you to do. Then you will receive the gift of God's blessing.
• Genesis 44:4They had travelled only a short way from the city. Then Joseph said to his servant, ‘Go now and follow those men. When you find them, say to them, “My master was kind to you. So why have you done this bad thing against us?
• Psalms 35:12When I do good things to help them, they pay me back with evil things! That makes me feel very sad and upset.
• Psalms 38:20When I do good things, they do evil things to me in return! I try to do what is right, but they turn against me.
• Psalms 109:3They are all round me, and they say cruel things. I have done nothing against them, but they still attack me.
• Proverbs 17:13If people are kind to you, do not do evil things in return. Anyone who does that will always have trouble in his home.
• Jeremiah 18:20I have done good things for them, but they are paying me back with evil things. They have already dug a grave for me! Remember that I stood in front of you and I asked you to forgive them. I asked you not to be angry with them.
• Romans 12:21Do not let evil things win against you! Instead, do good things. Then you will win against the evil things that people do.
• 1 Peter 2:20But if you do something wrong, then your master ought to punish you. That is only fair. Even if you are brave when he is cruel to you, nobody should praise you for that. But your master may punish you even when you have done good things. Then God will be happy if you are patient and brave.
• 1 Peter 2:17Respect all people. Love the believers as you would love your family. Obey God as your master. Respect the king.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 25:21

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21In vain - i. e., under false expectation.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. 21he has paid me back evil for good: See also 1 Samuel 24:17.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 25:21

• Decision
• Evil for Good
• Fig
• Ingratitude
• Nabal
• Prudence
• Tact
• 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