1 Samuel 25:34 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there had not been left to Nabal so much as one male."

NIV: Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak."

NASB: Nevertheless, as the Lord God of Israel lives, who has restrained me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, there certainly would not have been left to Nabal until the morning light as much as one male.'

CSB: Otherwise, as surely as the Lord God of Israel lives, who prevented me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, Nabal wouldn’t have had any males left by morning light."

NLT: For I swear by the Lord, the God of Israel, who has kept me from hurting you, that if you had not hurried out to meet me, not one of Nabal’s men would still be alive tomorrow morning.'

KJV: For in very deed, as the Lord God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

NKJV: For indeed, as the Lord God of Israel lives, who has kept me back from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, surely by morning light no males would have been left to Nabal!”

First Samuel 25:32–38 shows the right way to respond to good advice. David listens to Abigail, the wife of a foolish husband who severely dishonored David. In return, David vowed to kill every male on the estate. Abigail quickly sent David a feast and gently rebuked him: he must not become king with innocent blood on his hands (1 Samuel 25:2–31). David praises her and God for stopping him. He takes his men and leaves. Abigail tells Nabal, who suffers a debilitating reaction and is struck dead by God ten days later. When David's men return, they will ask Abigail to marry the future king (1 Samuel 25:39–42).

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.