New English Translation
1 Samuel 25:39
39When David heard that Nabal had died, he said, “Praised be the Lord who has vindicated me and avenged the insult that I suffered from Nabal! The Lord has kept his servant from doing evil, and he has repaid Nabal for his evil deeds.” Then David sent word to Abigail and asked her to become 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.
- 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
37In the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him about these matters. He had a stroke and was paralyzed. 38After about ten days the Lord struck Nabal down and he died. When David heard that Nabal had died, he said, “Praised be the Lord who has vindicated me and avenged the insult that I suffered from Nabal! The Lord has kept his servant from doing evil, and he has repaid Nabal for his evil deeds.” Then David sent word to Abigail and asked her to become his wife. 40So the servants of David went to Abigail at Carmel and said to her, “David has sent us to you to bring you back to be his wife.” 41She arose, bowed her face toward the ground, and said, “Your female servant, like a lowly servant, will 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 25:32Then David said to Abigail, “Praised be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you this day to meet me!
- Judges 5:2“When the leaders took the lead in Israel, When the people answered the call to war – Praise the Lord!
- 2 Samuel 22:47The Lord is alive! My protector is praiseworthy! The God who delivers me is exalted as king!
- Psalms 58:10The godly will rejoice when they see vengeance carried out; they will bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.
- Revelation 19:1After these things I heard what sounded like the loud voice of a vast throng in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
- Proverbs 22:23for the Lord will plead their case and will rob those who are robbing them.
- Lamentations 3:58O Lord, you championed my cause, you redeemed my life.
- Micah 7:9I must endure the Lord’s anger, for I have sinned against him. But then he will defend my cause, and accomplish justice on my behalf. He will lead me out into the light; I will experience firsthand his deliverance.
- 1 Samuel 25:26“Now, my lord, as surely as the Lord lives and as surely as you live, it is the Lord who has kept you from shedding blood and taking matters into your own hands. Now may your enemies and those who seek to harm my lord be like Nabal.
- Hosea 2:6Therefore, I will soon fence her in with thorns; I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way.
- 2 Corinthians 13:7Now we pray to God that you may not do anything wrong, not so that we may appear to have passed the test, but so that you may do what is right even if we may appear to have failed the test.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23Now may the God of peace himself make you completely holy and may your spirit and soul and body be kept entirely blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- 2 Timothy 4:18The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed and will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever! Amen.
- 2 Samuel 3:28When David later heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord of the shed blood of Abner son of Ner!
- 1 Kings 2:44Then the king said to Shimei, “You are well aware of the way you mistreated my father David. The Lord will punish you for what you did.
- Esther 7:10So they hanged Haman on the very gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. The king’s rage then 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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