1 Samuel 25:21
in 1 Samuel 25Now David had just finished saying, “In vain I have protected all that belonged to this man in the wilderness. Nothing that belongs to him has gone missing, yet he has paid me back evil for good.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath returned me evil for good.
KJV
Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 25
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
came down by the covert of the hill
on 1 Samuel 25:20-22
Abigail comes down one path as David comes down another, and the two meet by what providence alone timed. David's own words in verse 21 show the size of what he intends, an oath sworn in the coarse idiom of the day, cursing himself if he leaves alive by morning any male of Nabal's household, a formula used elsewhere in Samuel when a man binds himself to an act. The chapter records David's grievance honestly, that he had kept Nabal's flocks safe for nothing and been repaid evil for good, but the oath itself goes further than the grievance justifies.
This site's exposition
he has paid me back evil for good
Albert Barnes explains in vain as care given in the wilderness in the false hope of a return. Augustine of Hippo grants that Nabal paid David back evil for good, and still faults the anger that led David to swear to kill every male. Saul had confessed the same wrong toward David at 24:17.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Indeed, because David swore that he would kill Nabal and then in more considerate forbearance did not, shall we say that we should imitate him by swearing rashly that we are going to do what we see later ought not to be done? But, just as fear confounded the one [Lot] so that he was willing to prostitute his daughters, so did anger confound the other [David] so as to swear rashly. In short, if it were permitted us to make inquiry and ask them both why they did these things, the one could reply, "Fear and trembling are come upon me: and darkness has covered me," and the other also could say, "My eye is troubled through indignation." And so we would not be surprised that the one in the darkness of fear and the other in the indignation of his eye did not see what ought to have been seen so as not to do what ought not to have been done.Indeed, to the righteous David we might with reasonable justice say that he ought not to have become angry, not even with an ingrate who returned evil for good. Even if anger crept upon him, as it does upon a man, at least it ought not to have prevailed so far that he swore to do what he would either do in rage or not do and be forsworn.
The Medieval Church2 voices
And David said: Truly, in vain have I kept, etc. The Lord said, detesting the long foolishness of the proud Jews: Truly in vain for so long a time have I offered the gifts of my grace to those out of their minds compared to …
If it should perhaps happen that we swear carelessly to something which, if carried out, would have most unfortunate consequences, we should know that we should willingly change it [in accord with] more salutary counsel. There is an urgent necessity for us to break our …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
I thought to oblige him and make him my friend, but I see it is to no purpose. He has no sense of gratitude, nor is he capable of receiving the impressions of a good turn, else he could not have used me thus. He hath requited me evil for good. " But, when we are thus requited, we should not repent of the good we have done, nor be backward to do good another time.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
Now David had said,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
In vain - i. e., under false expectation.
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְדָוִ֣ד | vedavid | and David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| אָמַ֗ר | ʾamar | he had said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אַךְ֩ | ʾakh | surely | H389 → | 161 times |
| לַשֶּׁ֨קֶר | lasheker | to <the> deception | H8267 → | |
| שָׁמַ֜רְתִּי | shamarti | I have guarded | H8104 → | 468 times |
| אֶֽת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֤ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לָזֶה֙ | lazeh | [belongs] to this [man] | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר | bamidbar | in the wilderness | H4057 → | 270 times |
| וְלֹא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| נִפְקַ֥ד | nifkad | it has been missing | H6485 → | 303 times |
| מִכָּל־ | mikol | any of all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| ל֖וֹ | lo | [belongs] to <the> him | ||
| מְא֑וּמָה | meumah | anything | H3972 → | 32 times |
| וַיָּֽשֶׁב־ | vaiyashev- | and he has returned | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| לִ֥י | li | to <the> me | ||
| רָעָ֖ה | raah | evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
| תַּ֥חַת | tachat | in place of | H8478 → | 505 times |
| טוֹבָֽה׃ | tovah | good | H2896 → | 538 times |
וְדָוִ֣דand David
vedavidH1732 →999 times
אָמַ֗רhe had said
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
אַךְ֩surely
ʾakhH389 →161 times
לַשֶּׁ֨קֶרto <the> deception
lashekerH8267 →
שָׁמַ֜רְתִּיI have guarded
shamartiH8104 →468 times
אֶֽת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁ֤רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לָזֶה֙[belongs] to this [man]
lazehH2088 →1180 times
בַּמִּדְבָּ֔רin the wilderness
bamidbarH4057 →270 times
וְלֹא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
נִפְקַ֥דit has been missing
nifkadH6485 →303 times
מִכָּל־any of all
mikolH3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁר־that
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
ל֖וֹ[belongs] to <the> him
lo
מְא֑וּמָהanything
meumahH3972 →32 times
וַיָּֽשֶׁב־and he has returned
vaiyashev-H7725 →1056 times
לִ֥יto <the> me
li
רָעָ֖הevil
raahH7451 →662 times
תַּ֥חַתin place of
tachatH8478 →505 times
טוֹבָֽה׃good
tovahH2896 →538 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 12:21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 3:9
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 6:27–30
But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
- Proverbs 16:32
He who is slow to anger is better than a warrior, and he who controls his temper is greater than one who captures a city.
- 1 Peter 3:9
Through
Ephesians 4:26“Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger,
it leads to
- James 1:19
My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ecclesiastes 7:9
Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 4:4
Be angry, yet do not sin; on your bed, search your heart and be still. Selah
- Psalms 37:8
Refrain from anger and abandon wrath; do not fret—it can only bring harm.
- James 1:19
Through
Ephesians 4:31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice.
it leads to
- Colossians 3:8
But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
- Colossians 3:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 1 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Against Lying 9.21-22; Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Bede, Homilies on the Gospels 2; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.