English Standard Version
1 Samuel 25:17
17Now therefore know this and consider what you should do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his house, and he is such a worthless man that one cannot speak to him."
1 Samuel 25:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.
- New International Version (NIV)Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now therefore, know and consider what you will do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his household. For he is such a scoundrel that one cannot speak to him.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)You need to know this and figure out what to do, for there is going to be trouble for our master and his whole family. He’s so ill-tempered that no one can even talk to him!”
Context of 1 Samuel 25:17
15Yet the men were very good to us, and we suffered no harm, and we did not miss anything when we were in the fields, as long as we went with them. 16They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. Now therefore know this and consider what you should do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his house, and he is such a worthless man that one cannot speak to him." 18Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves and two skins of wine and five sheep already prepared and five seahs of parched grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys. 19And she said to her young men, "Go on before me; behold, I come after you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
Read all of 1 Samuel 251 Samuel 25:17 word by word
וְעַתָּ֗ה דְּעִ֤י וּרְאִי֙ מַֽה־תַּעֲשִׂ֔י כִּֽי־כָלְתָ֧ה הָרָעָ֛ה אֶל־אֲדֹנֵ֖ינוּ וְעַ֣ל כָּל־בֵּית֑וֹ וְהוּא֙ בֶּן־בְּלִיַּ֔עַל מִדַּבֵּ֖ר אֵלָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Now therefore knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- and considerרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: examineH7200
- what thou wilt doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- for evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: harmH7451
- is determinedכָּלָהkâlâh · to end: decidesH3615
- against our masterאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
- and against all his householdבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- a sonבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Belialבְּלִיַּ֫עַלbelîya‛al · BelialH1100
- cannot speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 25:17
- 1 Samuel 20:7If he says, 'Good!' it will be well with your servant, but if he is angry, then know that harm is determined by him.
- 2 Chronicles 25:16But as he was speaking, the king said to him, "Have we made you a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be struck down?" So the prophet stopped, but said, "I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel."
- Esther 7:7And the king arose in his wrath from the wine-drinking and went into the palace garden, but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm was determined against him by the king.
- 1 Samuel 25:25Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent.
- 1 Samuel 2:12Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord.
- Deuteronomy 13:13that certain worthless fellows have gone out among you and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, 'Let us go and serve other gods,' which you have not known,
- Judges 19:22As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, worthless fellows, surrounded the house, beating on the door. And they said to the old man, the master of the house, "Bring out the man who came into your house, that we may know him."
- 2 Samuel 23:6But worthless men are all like thorns that are thrown away, for they cannot be taken with the hand;
- 1 Kings 21:10And set two worthless men opposite him, and let them bring a charge against him, saying, 'You have cursed God and the king.' Then take him out and stone him to death."
- 2 Chronicles 13:7and certain worthless scoundrels gathered about him and defied Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and irresolute and could not withstand them.
- 1 Samuel 20:32Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?"
- 2 Kings 5:13But his servants came near and said to him, "My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, 'Wash, and be clean'?"
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 25:17
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-17Verses 12-17 God is kind to the evil and unthankful, and why may not we be so? David determined to destroy Nabal, and all that belonged to him. Is this thy voice, O David? Has he been so long in the school of affliction, where he should have learned patience, and yet is so passionate? He at other times was calm and considerate, but is put into such a heat by a few hard words, that he seeks to destroy a whole family. What are the best of men, when God…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-44This story about Nabal falls between two accounts in which Saul pursued David and David spared Saul’s life. Nabal was similar to Saul.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-1814-18. Then Abigail made haste--The prudence and address of Nabal's wife were the means of saving him and family from utter destruction. She acknowledged the demand of her formidable neighbors; but justly considering, that to atone for the insolence of her husband, a greater degree of liberality had become necessary, she collected a large amount of food, accompanying it with the most valued products of the country. bottles--goatskins, capable of holding a…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 25:17
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries