New International Version
1 Samuel 25:39
39When 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise the Lord, who has avenged the insult I received from Nabal and has kept me from doing it myself. Nabal has received the punishment for his sin.” Then David sent messengers to Abigail to ask her to become his wife.
Context of 1 Samuel 25:39
37Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone. 38About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal and he died. 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. 40His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, “David has sent us to you to take you to become his wife.” 41She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, “I am your servant and am ready to serve you and wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”
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 25:32David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me.
- Judges 5:2“When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer themselves— praise the Lord!
- 2 Samuel 22:47“The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be my God, the Rock, my Savior!
- Psalms 58:10The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.
- Revelation 19:1After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
- Proverbs 22:23for the Lord will take up their case and will exact life for life.
- Lamentations 3:58You, Lord, took up my case; you redeemed my life.
- Micah 7:9Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the Lord’s wrath, until he pleads my case and upholds my cause. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness.
- 1 Samuel 25:26And 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.
- Hosea 2:6Therefore I will block her path with thornbushes; I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way.
- 2 Corinthians 13:7Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- 2 Timothy 4:18The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
- 2 Samuel 3:28Later, when David heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner.
- 1 Kings 2:44The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wrong you did to my father David. Now the Lord will repay you for your wrongdoing.
- Esther 7:10So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided.
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
New International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries