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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)David had just been saying, “A lot of good it did to help this fellow. We protected his flocks in the wilderness, and nothing he owned was lost or stolen. But he has repaid me evil for good.

Context of 1 Samuel 25:21

19Then she told her servants, “Go on ahead; I’ll follow you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal. 20As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them. 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. 22May God deal with David, be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!” 23When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to 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 25:13David said to his men, “Each of you strap on your sword!” So they did, and David strapped his on as well. About four hundred men went up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.
• Job 30:8A base and nameless brood, they were driven out of the land.
• Psalms 37:8Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.
• Ephesians 4:26“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
• 1 Thessalonians 5:15Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
• 1 Peter 2:21To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
• 1 Peter 3:9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
• Genesis 44:4They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward, “Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?
• Psalms 35:12They repay me evil for good and leave me like one bereaved.
• Psalms 38:20Those who repay my good with evil lodge accusations against me, though I seek only to do what is good.
• Psalms 109:3With words of hatred they surround me; they attack me without cause.
• Proverbs 17:13Evil will never leave the house of one who pays back evil for good.
• Jeremiah 18:20Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember that I stood before you and spoke in their behalf to turn your wrath away from them.
• Romans 12:21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
• 1 Peter 2:20But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
• 1 Peter 2:17Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, 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