1 Samuel 25 Darby Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 And Samuel died; and all Israel were gathered together, and lamented him; and they buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran.
1 Samuel died; and all Israel gathered themselves together and mourned for him, and buried him at his house at Ramah. Then David arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran.
2 And there was a man at Maon, whose business was at Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats; and he was shearing his sheep at Carmel.
2 There was a man in Maon whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great. He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats; and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.
3 And the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail; and the woman was of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance; but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was a Calebite.
3 Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail. This woman was intelligent and had a beautiful face; but the man was surly and evil in his doings. He was of the house of Caleb.
4 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.
4 David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.
5 Then David sent out ten young men; and David said to the young men, Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name.
5 David sent ten young men; and David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name.
6 And thus shall ye say: Long life [to thee]! and peace be to thee, and peace be to thy house, and peace be to all that thou hast!
6 Tell him, ‘Long life to you! Peace be to you! Peace be to your house! Peace be to all that you have!
7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers; now thy shepherds who were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there aught missed by them, all the while they were in Carmel.
7 Now I have heard that you have shearers. Your shepherds have now been with us, and we didn’t harm them. Nothing was missing from them all the time they were in Carmel.
8 Ask thy young men, and they will tell thee. Therefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes; for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, what thy hand may find to thy servants, and to thy son David.
8 Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let the young men find favor in your eyes, for we come on a good day. Please give whatever comes to your hand to your servants and to your son David.’”
9 And David's young men came, and spoke to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.
9 When David’s young men came, they spoke to Nabal all those words in the name of David, and waited.
10 And Nabal answered David's servants and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there are many servants now-a-days that break away every man from his master.
10 Nabal answered David’s servants and said, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants who break away from their masters these days.
11 And shall I take my bread, and my water, and my flesh which I have killed for my shearers, and give [it] to men whom I know not whence they are?
11 Shall I then take my bread, my water, and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men who I don’t know where they come from?”
12 And David's young men turned their way, and went back, and came and reported to him according to all those words.
12 So David’s young men turned on their way and went back, and came and told him all these words.
13 And David said to his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword; and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the baggage.
13 David said to his men, “Every man put on his sword!” Every man put on his sword. David also put on his sword. About four hundred men followed David, and two hundred stayed by the baggage.
14 And one of [Nabal's] young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to bless our master; and he has insulted them.
14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, “Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master; and he insulted them.
15 And the men were very good to us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we anything, as long as we companied with them, when we were in the fields.
15 But the men were very good to us, and we were not harmed, and we didn’t miss anything as long as we went with them, when we were in the fields.
16 They were a wall to us both by night and day, all the while we were with them feeding the sheep.
16 They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
17 And now know and consider what thou wilt do, for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household; and he is such a son of Belial, that one cannot speak to him.
17 Now therefore know and consider what you will do; for evil is determined against our master and against all his house, for he is such a worthless fellow that one can’t speak to him.”
18 And Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two skin-bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched [corn], and a hundred raisin-cakes, and two hundred fig-cakes, and laid them on asses.
18 Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread, two containers of wine, five sheep ready dressed, five seahs of parched grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys.
19 And she said to her young men, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
19 She said to her young men, “Go on before me. Behold, I am coming after you.” But she didn’t tell her husband, Nabal.
20 And as she was riding on the ass, and coming down by the covert of the hill, behold, David and his men came down opposite to her; and she met them.
20 As she rode on her donkey, and came down hidden by the mountain, behold, David and his men came down toward her, and she met them.
21 Now David had said, Surely, in vain have I kept all that this [man] had in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that was his; and he has requited me evil for good.
21 Now David had said, “Surely in vain I have kept all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained to him. He has returned me evil for good.
22 So and more also do God to the enemies of David, if I leave of all that is his by the morning light any male.
22 God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that belongs to him by the morning light so much as one who urinates on a wall.”
23 And when Abigail saw David, she hasted and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,
23 When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got off her donkey, and fell before David on her face and bowed herself to the ground.
24 and fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, [upon] me let the iniquity be; but let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine ears, and hear the words of thy handmaid.
24 She fell at his feet and said, “On me, my lord, on me be the blame! Please let your servant speak in your ears. Hear the words of your servant.
25 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, Nabal; for as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and folly is with him; and I thy handmaid did not see the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.
25 Please don’t let my lord pay attention to this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him; but I, your servant, didn’t see my lord’s young men whom you sent.
26 And now, my lord, [as] Jehovah liveth, and [as] thy soul liveth, seeing Jehovah has restrained thee from coming with bloodshed, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.
26 Now therefore, my lord, as Yahweh lives and as your soul lives, since Yahweh has withheld you from blood guiltiness and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now therefore let your enemies and those who seek evil to my lord be as Nabal.
27 And now this blessing which thy bondmaid has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men that follow my lord.
27 Now this present which your servant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord.
28 I pray thee, forgive the transgression of thy handmaid: for Jehovah will certainly make my lord a lasting house; because my lord fights the battles of Jehovah, and evil has not been found in thee all thy days.
28 Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For Yahweh will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fights Yahweh’s battles. Evil will not be found in you all your days.
29 And if a man is risen up to pursue thee and to seek thy life, the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with Jehovah thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out from the hollow of the sling.
29 Though men may rise up to pursue you and to seek your soul, yet the soul of my lord will be bound in the bundle of life with Yahweh your God. He will sling out the souls of your enemies as from a sling’s pocket.
30 And it shall come to pass, when Jehovah shall do to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning thee, and shall appoint thee ruler over Israel,
30 It will come to pass, when Yahweh has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you prince over Israel,
31 that this shall be no stumbling-block to thee, nor offence of heart for my lord, either that thou hast shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. And when Jehovah shall deal well with my lord, then remember thy handmaid.
31 that this shall be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. When Yahweh has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.”
32 And David said to Abigail, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who sent thee this day to meet me.
32 David said to Abigail, “Blessed is Yahweh, the God of Israel, who sent you today to meet me!
33 And blessed be thy discernment, and blessed be thou, who hast kept me this day from coming with bloodshed, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.
33 Blessed is your discretion, and blessed are you, who have kept me today from blood guiltiness, and from avenging myself with my own hand.
34 But indeed, as Jehovah the God of Israel liveth, who has restrained me from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, there had not been left to Nabal by the morning light any male.
34 For indeed, as Yahweh the God of Israel lives, who has withheld me from harming you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, surely there wouldn’t have been left to Nabal by the morning light so much as one who urinates on a wall.”
35 So David received of her hand what she had brought him, and said to her, Go up in peace to thy house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.
35 So David received from her hand that which she had brought him. Then he said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. Behold, I have listened to your voice and have granted your request.”
36 And Abigail came to Nabal; and behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was drunken to excess; so she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.
36 Abigail came to Nabal; and behold, he held a feast in his house like the feast of a king. Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. Therefore she told him nothing until the morning light.
37 And it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, that his wife told him these things; and his heart died within him, and he became [as] a stone.
37 In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things; and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.
38 And it came to pass in about ten days that Jehovah smote Nabal, and he died.
38 About ten days later, Yahweh struck Nabal, so that he died.
39 And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be Jehovah, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from evil; but Jehovah has returned Nabal's evil upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her as his wife.
39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed is Yahweh, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from evil. Yahweh has returned the evildoing of Nabal on his own head.” David sent and spoke concerning Abigail, to take her to himself as wife.
40 And the servants of David came to Abigail to Carmel, and spoke to her, saying, David has sent us to thee, to take thee as his wife.
40 When David’s servants had come to Abigail to Carmel, they spoke to her, saying, “David has sent us to you, to take you to him as wife.”
41 And she arose and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thy handmaid be a bondwoman to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.
41 She arose and bowed herself with her face to the earth, and said, “Behold, your servant is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.”
42 And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that followed her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.
42 Abigail hurriedly arose and rode on a donkey with her five maids who followed her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.
43 David had also taken Ahinoam of Jizreel; and they became, even both of them, his wives.
43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they both became his wives.
44 But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.
44 Now Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Abigail
The intelligent and beautiful wife of Nabal, who met David with provisions and turned aside his vengeance, then became his wife after Nabal's death and bore Chileab.
Cited in the guide: 1 Samuel 25:3; 1 Samuel 25:18; 1 Samuel 25:42
Ahinoam
A woman of Jezreel whom David married; she went with him to Gath, was captured by the Amalekites at Ziklag and rescued, and bore his firstborn Amnon in Hebron.
Cited in the guide: 1 Samuel 25:43; 1 Samuel 27:3; 1 Samuel 30:5
David
The shepherd who became Israel's greatest king and a man after God's own heart.
Cited in the guide: 1 Sam. 16 - 1 Kings 2; 2 Sam. 7; 1 Chron. 2:15; Matt. 1:6
Laish
Named as the father of Palti (Paltiel), to whom Saul gave Michal; Palti is described as being from Gallim.
Cited in the guide: 1 Samuel 25:44; 2 Samuel 3:15
Nabal
A very wealthy Calebite of Maon with a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, who insulted David's men and died about ten days after the LORD struck him.
Cited in the guide: 1 Samuel 25:3; 1 Samuel 25:10; 1 Samuel 25:38
Cross references (44)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Samuel 28:3; Numbers 20:29; Deuteronomy 34:8; 2 Chronicles 33:20; Acts 8:2
- 2 Joshua 15:55; 1 Samuel 23:24; Genesis 38:13; Luke 16:19–25; Job 42:12
- 3 Proverbs 14:1; Proverbs 31:10; Isaiah 32:5–7; Psalm 10:3; Proverbs 31:30–31
- 4 2 Samuel 13:23; Genesis 38:13
- 5 Genesis 43:23; 1 Samuel 17:22
- 6 1 Chronicles 12:18; Psalm 122:7; 1 Timothy 5:6; Luke 10:5; 2 Thessalonians 3:16
- 7 1 Samuel 25:21; 1 Samuel 25:15–16; Isaiah 11:6–9; Philippians 2:15; Luke 3:14
- 8 Esther 9:19; Nehemiah 8:10–12; Ecclesiastes 11:2; 1 Samuel 24:11; 1 Samuel 3:6
- 9 2 Chronicles 14:7; Genesis 8:4; 2 Kings 2:15
- 10 Judges 9:28; Psalm 73:7–8; 2 Samuel 20:1; Isaiah 32:7; Isaiah 32:5
- 11 Judges 8:6; Galatians 6:10; Deuteronomy 8:17; 1 Samuel 24:13; 1 Samuel 25:14–15
- 12 2 Samuel 24:13; Hebrews 13:17; Isaiah 36:21–22
- 13 1 Samuel 23:13; Proverbs 19:2; 1 Samuel 30:21–24; Romans 12:19–21; Proverbs 19:11
- 14 1 Samuel 13:10; Mark 15:29
- 15 1 Samuel 25:7; 1 Samuel 25:21; Philippians 2:15
- 16 Job 1:10; Exodus 14:22; Zechariah 2:5; Jeremiah 15:20
- 17 Deuteronomy 13:13; 1 Samuel 20:7; 1 Samuel 25:25; 1 Samuel 20:9; 1 Samuel 2:12
- 18 2 Samuel 16:1; Proverbs 18:16; Proverbs 6:4–5; Matthew 5:25; Genesis 43:11–14
- 19 Genesis 32:20; Genesis 32:16; Proverbs 31:11–12; Proverbs 31:27
- 20 2 Kings 4:24
- 21 Proverbs 17:13; Ephesians 4:26; Romans 12:21; Ephesians 4:31; 1 Peter 2:20–23
- 22 1 Kings 14:10; 1 Samuel 20:13; 1 Samuel 3:17; 1 Kings 21:21; 2 Kings 9:8
- 23 1 Samuel 20:41; Joshua 15:18; Judges 1:14; 1 Samuel 24:8
- 24 2 Samuel 14:9; Esther 8:3; 1 Samuel 25:28; Philemon 18–19; 2 Kings 4:37
- 25 1 Samuel 25:17; Malachi 2:2; 2 Samuel 13:33; Isaiah 42:25; 1 Samuel 25:26
- 26 2 Samuel 18:32; Romans 12:19–20; Genesis 20:6; Psalm 18:47–48; Hebrews 10:30
- 27 1 Samuel 30:26; Genesis 33:11; 2 Kings 5:15; 2 Samuel 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:5
- 28 1 Samuel 18:17; 2 Samuel 7:11; 1 Chronicles 17:25; 1 Samuel 24:11; 1 Chronicles 17:10
- 29 John 17:21; Malachi 3:17; Matthew 10:29–30; Jeremiah 10:18; Psalm 116:15
- 30 1 Samuel 13:14; 1 Samuel 23:17; Psalm 89:20; 1 Samuel 15:28
- 31 Genesis 40:14; 1 Samuel 25:33; Romans 12:19; Luke 23:42; Psalm 94:1
- 32 Luke 1:68; Psalm 72:18; Genesis 24:27; Exodus 18:10; Ezra 7:27
- 33 1 Samuel 25:26; Proverbs 28:23; Proverbs 27:21; Proverbs 9:9; Proverbs 17:10
- 34 Joshua 10:6; 1 Samuel 11:11; 1 Samuel 25:18; 1 Samuel 25:26; Joshua 10:9
- 35 1 Samuel 20:42; 2 Kings 5:19; Genesis 19:21; Luke 8:48; Job 34:19
- 36 2 Samuel 13:23; 1 Thessalonians 5:7–8; 2 Samuel 13:28; Proverbs 20:1; 1 Samuel 25:19
- 37 Job 15:21–22; Proverbs 23:29–35; 1 Samuel 25:34; 1 Samuel 25:22; Deuteronomy 28:28
- 38 1 Samuel 25:33; 2 Samuel 6:7; 1 Samuel 26:10; 2 Chronicles 10:15; 2 Kings 19:35
- 39 1 Samuel 25:34; Proverbs 22:23; 1 Samuel 25:26; Psalm 7:16; 1 Samuel 25:32
- 40 Genesis 24:51; Genesis 24:37–38
- 41 1 Timothy 5:10; Ruth 2:10; John 13:3–5; Genesis 18:4; Proverbs 18:12
- 42 Genesis 24:61–67; Psalm 45:10–11
- 43 1 Samuel 27:3; 1 Samuel 30:5; Joshua 15:56; 2 Samuel 3:2; Matthew 19:8
- 44 1 Samuel 18:27; 2 Samuel 3:14; Isaiah 10:30; 1 Samuel 18:20
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences