English Standard Version
1 Samuel 25:39
39When 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise the Lord, who has avenged the insult I received from Nabal and has kept me from doing it myself. Nabal has received the punishment for his sin.” Then David sent messengers to Abigail to ask her to become his wife.
Context of 1 Samuel 25:39
37In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 38And about ten days later the Lord struck Nabal, and he died. 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. 40When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, "David has sent us to you to take you to him as his wife." 41And she rose and bowed with her face to the ground and said, "Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord."
Read all of 1 Samuel 251 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 25:32And David said to Abigail, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me!
- Judges 5:2"That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless the Lord!
- 2 Samuel 22:47"The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation,
- Psalms 58:10The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.
- Revelation 19:1After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
- Proverbs 22:23for the Lord will plead their cause and rob of life those who rob them.
- Lamentations 3:58"You have taken up my cause, O Lord; you have redeemed my life.
- Micah 7:9I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light; I shall look upon his vindication.
- 1 Samuel 25:26Now 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.
- Hosea 2:6Therefore I will hedge up her way with thorns, and I will build a wall against her, so that she cannot find her paths.
- 2 Corinthians 13:7But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- 2 Timothy 4:18The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
- 2 Samuel 3:28Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, "I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the Lord for the blood of Abner the son of Ner.
- 1 Kings 2:44The king also said to Shimei, "You know in your own heart all the harm that you did to David my father. So the Lord will bring back your harm on your own head.
- Esther 7:10So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the wrath of the king abated.
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
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
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