New King James Version
1 Samuel 25:39
39So 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.
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 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
37So it was, in the morning, when the wine had gone from Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became like a stone. 38Then it happened, after about ten days, that the Lord struck Nabal, and he died. 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. 40When the servants of David had come to Abigail at Carmel, they spoke to her saying, “David sent us to you, to ask you to become his wife.” 41Then she arose, bowed her face to the earth, and said, “Here is your maidservant, a servant to 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: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me!
- Judges 5:2“When leaders lead in Israel, When the people willingly offer themselves, Bless the Lord!
- 2 Samuel 22:47“The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let God be exalted, The Rock of my salvation!
- Psalms 58:10The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance; He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked,
- Revelation 19:1After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!
- Proverbs 22:23For the Lord will plead their cause, And plunder the soul of those who plunder them.
- Lamentations 3:58O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul; You have redeemed my life.
- Micah 7:9I will bear the indignation of the Lord, Because I have sinned against Him, Until He pleads my case And executes justice for me. He will bring me forth to the light; I will see His righteousness.
- 1 Samuel 25:26Now 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.
- Hosea 2:6“Therefore, behold, I will hedge up your way with thorns, And wall her in, So that she cannot find her paths.
- 2 Corinthians 13:7Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- 2 Timothy 4:18And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!
- 2 Samuel 3:28Afterward, when David heard it, he said, “My kingdom and I are guiltless before the Lord forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.
- 1 Kings 2:44The king said moreover to Shimei, “You know, as your heart acknowledges, all the wickedness that you did to my father David; therefore the Lord will return your wickedness on your own head.
- Esther 7:10So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s wrath 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 King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries