1 Samuel 25:25 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Let not my lord regard 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 did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent.

NIV: Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name means Fool, and folly goes with him. And as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my lord sent.

NASB: Please do not let my lord pay attention to this worthless man, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and stupidity is with him; but I your slave did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent.

CSB: My lord should pay no attention to this worthless fool Nabal, for he lives up to his name: His name means ‘stupid,’ and stupidity is all he knows. I, your servant, didn’t see my lord’s young men whom you sent.

NLT: I know Nabal is a wicked and ill-tempered man; please don’t pay any attention to him. He is a fool, just as his name suggests. But I never even saw the young men you sent.

KJV: Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.

NKJV: Please, let not my lord regard this scoundrel Nabal. For as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and folly is with him! But I, your maidservant, did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent.

First Samuel 25:23–31 describes a wise appeal which averts bloodshed. David is on his way to kill Abigail's foolish husband, Nabal, and all their male servants because Nabal insulted David. But Abigail meets David with the reward his men deserve as well as sensible advice (1 Samuel 25:9–22). The servants are innocent, and Nabal isn't worth the effort. David mustn't take the throne carrying the shame of their murders. David will bless God and Abigail for saving him from such a sin and leave Abigail in peace. God will strike Nabal dead. In thanks, David will ask Abigail to marry him (1 Samuel 25:32–42).

David learns to give grace to people other than King Saul. Samuel dies, and Saul temporarily leaves David alone. David and his men protect the shepherds of the foolish Nabal. When Nabal refuses to reward David, David vows revenge on him and all his male servants. Nabal's wife, Abigail, rushes to David with food and a warning that David shouldn't carry the shame of killing Nabal and the servants when he becomes king. David listens, Nabal dies, and David marries Abigail. Soon the truce will end, and David will meet Saul one last time (1 Samuel 26).

David spared Saul's life, and the grateful king gives David some peace (1 Samuel 24). God has protected David numerous times from having to fight Saul. When a wealthy fool insults David, only the fool's wife, Abigail, keeps David from destroying the entire estate. Once again, God has kept David from needless bloodshed. Saul will later break the truce, but David still refuses to kill his enemy (1 Samuel 26). When David is ready to battle Saul, God prevents it (1 Samuel 29).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.