1 Samuel 25:39

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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• 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.

Context of 1 Samuel 25:39

37But in the morning, when the effects of the wine had worn off, his wife told him what had happened. Nabal’s heart failed, and he could not move. 38About ten days later the Lord made him even more sick, and Nabal died. When David heard Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord, who defended me against the insults of Nabal and kept me from doing wrong. The Lord has turned Nabal’s own wickedness back on him.” Then David sent men ⌞on his behalf⌟ to propose marriage to Abigail. 40When David’s servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they told her, “David has sent us to you so that we can take you to him to be his wife.” 41She bowed down with her face touching the ground. “I am ready to serve,” she said. “I am ready to wash the feet of my master’s servants.”

1 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 25:32David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who sent you today to meet me.
• Judges 5:2Praise the Lord! Men in Israel vowed to fight, and people volunteered for service.
• 2 Samuel 22:47The Lord lives! Thanks be to my rock! May God, the rock of my salvation, be glorified.
• Psalms 58:10Righteous people will rejoice when they see ⌞God⌟ take revenge. They will wash their feet in the blood of wicked people.
• Revelation 19:1After these things I heard what sounded like the loud noise from a large crowd in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God.
• Proverbs 22:23because the Lord will plead their case and will take the lives of those who rob them.
• Lamentations 3:58Plead my case for me, O Lord. Reclaim my life.
• Micah 7:9I have sinned against the Lord. So I will endure his fury until he takes up my cause and wins my case. He will bring me into the light, and I will see his victory.
• 1 Samuel 25:26“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.
• Hosea 2:6“That is why I will block her way with thornbushes and build a wall so that she can’t get through.
• 2 Corinthians 13:7We pray to God that you won’t do anything wrong. It’s not that we want to prove that we’ve passed the test. Rather, we want you to do whatever is right, even if we seem to have failed.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:23May the God who gives peace make you holy in every way. May he keep your whole being—spirit, soul, and body—blameless when our Lord Jesus Christ comes.
• 2 Timothy 4:18The Lord will rescue me from all harm and will take me safely to his heavenly kingdom. Glory belongs to him forever! Amen.
• 2 Samuel 3:28Later when David heard about it, he said, “As far as the Lord is concerned, my kingdom and I are forever innocent of spilling the blood of Ner’s son Abner.
• 1 Kings 2:44Shimei, you know in your heart all the evil that you did to my father David. The Lord is going to pay you back for the evil you have done.
• Esther 7:10So servants hung Haman’s ⌞dead body⌟ on the very pole he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king got over his raging anger.

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

• Polygamy
• 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