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

19“Go on ahead,” she told her young men, “and I’ll follow you.” But she didn’t tell her husband Nabal about it. 20She was riding on her donkey down a hidden mountain path when she met David and his men coming toward her. David had thought, “I guarded this man’s stuff in the desert for nothing! Not one of his possessions was missing. Yet, he has paid me back with evil when I was good to him. 22May God punish me if I leave even one of his men alive in the morning.” 23When Abigail saw David, she quickly got down from her donkey. She immediately bowed down in front of David with her face touching the ground.

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 25:13“Each of you put on your swords!” David told his men. And everyone, including David, put on his sword. About four hundred men went with David, while two hundred men stayed with the supplies.
• Job 30:8Godless fools and worthless people are forced out of the land with whips.
• Psalms 37:8Let go of anger, and leave rage behind. Do not be preoccupied. It only leads to evil.
• Ephesians 4:26Be angry without sinning. Don’t go to bed angry.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:15Make sure that no one ever pays back one wrong with another wrong. Instead, always try to do what is good for each other and everyone else.
• 1 Peter 2:21God called you to endure suffering because Christ suffered for you. He left you an example so that you could follow in his footsteps.
• 1 Peter 3:9Don’t pay people back with evil for the evil they do to you, or ridicule those who ridicule you. Instead, bless them, because you were called to inherit a blessing.
• Genesis 44:4They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to the man in charge of his house, “Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you paid me back with evil when I was good to you?
• Psalms 35:12I am devastated because they pay me back with evil instead of good.
• Psalms 38:20They pay me back with evil instead of good, and they accuse me because I try to do what is good.
• Psalms 109:3They surround me with hateful words. They fight against me for no reason.
• Proverbs 17:13Whoever pays back evil for good— evil will never leave his home.
• Jeremiah 18:20Good should not be paid back with evil. They dig a pit to take my life. Remember how I stood in your presence and pleaded for them in order to turn your anger away from them.
• Romans 12:21Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil with good.
• 1 Peter 2:20What credit do you deserve if you endure a beating for doing something wrong? But if you endure suffering for doing something good, God is pleased with you.
• 1 Peter 2:17Honor everyone. Love your brothers and sisters in the faith. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

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