God’s Word Translation
1 Samuel 25:26
26“The Lord has kept you from spilling innocent blood and from getting a victory by your own efforts. Now, sir, I solemnly swear, as the Lord and you live, may your enemies and those who are trying to harm you end up like Nabal.
1 Samuel 25:26 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the Lord hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.
- New International Version (NIV)And now, my lord, as surely as the Lord your God lives and as you live, since the Lord has kept you from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, may your enemies and all who are intent on harming my lord be like Nabal.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, since the Lord has held you back from coming to bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now then, let your enemies and those who seek harm for my lord be as Nabal.
Context of 1 Samuel 25:26
24After she bowed at his feet, she said, “Sir, let me be held responsible for this wrong. Please let me speak with you. Please listen to my words. 25You shouldn’t take this worthless person Nabal seriously. He is like his name. His name is Nabal [Godless Fool], and he’s foolish. But I didn’t see the young men you sent. “The Lord has kept you from spilling innocent blood and from getting a victory by your own efforts. Now, sir, I solemnly swear, as the Lord and you live, may your enemies and those who are trying to harm you end up like Nabal. 27Here is a gift I am bringing to you. May it be given to the young men who are in your service. 28Please forgive my offense. The Lord will certainly give you, sir, a lasting dynasty, because you are fighting the Lord’s battles. May evil never be found in you as long as you live.
Read all of 1 Samuel 251 Samuel 25:26 word by word
וְעַתָּ֣ה אֲדֹנִ֗י חַי־יְהוָ֤ה וְחֵֽי־נַפְשְׁךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר מְנָעֲךָ֤ יְהוָה֙ מִבּ֣וֹא בְדָמִ֔ים וְהוֹשֵׁ֥עַ יָדְךָ֖ לָ֑ךְ וְעַתָּ֗ה יִֽהְי֤וּ כְנָבָל֙ אֹיְבֶ֔יךָ וְהַֽמְבַקְשִׁ֥ים אֶל־אֲדֹנִ֖י רָעָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Now therefore, my lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- livethחַיchay · aliveH2416
- thy soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
- hath withholdenמָנַעmâna‛ · to withholdH4513
- thee from comingבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
- and from avengingיָשַׁעyâsha‛ · to saveH3467
- thyself with thine own handיָדyâd · hand: themselvesH3027
- now let thine enemiesאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
- and they that seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451
- be as Nabalנָבָלnâbâl · NabalH5037
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 25:26
- 1 Samuel 25:34But I solemnly swear—as the Lord God of Israel, who has kept me from harming you, lives—if you hadn’t come to meet me quickly, Nabal certainly wouldn’t have had one of his men left at dawn.”
- 1 Samuel 22:3From there David went to Mizpah in Moab. He asked the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother stay with you until I know what God is going to do for me.”
- 2 Kings 2:2Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here because the Lord is sending me to Bethel.” Elisha answered, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not abandon you.” So they went to Bethel.
- 2 Kings 4:6When the containers were full, she told her son, “Bring me another container.” He told her, “There are no more containers.” So the olive oil stopped flowing.
- 1 Samuel 1:26“Sir,” Hannah said, “as sure as you live, I’m the woman who stood here next to you and prayed to the Lord.
- 1 Samuel 25:33May your good judgment be blessed. Also, may you be blessed for keeping me from slaughtering people today and from getting a victory by my own efforts.
- Genesis 20:6“Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience,” God said to him in the dream. “In fact, I kept you from sinning against me. That’s why I didn’t let you touch her.
- Romans 12:19Don’t take revenge, dear friends. Instead, let God’s anger take care of it. After all, Scripture says, “I alone have the right to take revenge. I will pay back, says the Lord.”
- Psalms 18:47God gives me vengeance! He brings people under my authority.
- Psalms 44:3It was not with their swords that they took possession of the land. They did not gain victory with their own strength. It was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your presence ⌞that did it⌟, because you were pleased with them.
- 2 Samuel 18:32“Is the young man Absalom alright?” the king asked. The Sudanese messenger answered, “May your enemies and all who turned against you be like that young man!”
- Jeremiah 29:22Because of them, all the captives from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: May the Lord curse you as he cursed Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned to death.
- Daniel 4:19Then Daniel (who had been renamed Belteshazzar) was momentarily stunned. What he was thinking frightened him. I told him, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream and its meaning frighten you.” Belteshazzar answered, “Sir, I wish that the dream were about those who hate you and its meaning were about your enemies.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 25:26
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26The passage should be rendered as follows: “And now my lord, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth,” it is “the Lord” that “hath withholden thee from coming” into blood-guiltiness (as in 1 Samuel 25:33), “and from saving thyself with thine own hand;” and “now” all “thine enemies” shall be as Nabal (whom she considers as utterly impotent to hurt David, and as already thoroughly humbled before him), and (so shall be) all “that seek evil to my Lord.”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. 26the LORD has held you back from bloodshed and from avenging yourself: Abigail began her plea by saying that God had kept David from murder and revenge, and she ended it the same way (1 Samuel 25:31). She reminded David that he had the power to kill Nabal, just as he had the power to kill Saul, but he chose not to do so.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2626. let thine enemies ... be as Nabal--be as foolish and contemptible as he.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 25:26
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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