1 Samuel 25:29
in 1 Samuel 25And should someone pursue you and seek your life, then the life of my lord will be bound securely by the LORD your God in the bundle of the living. But He shall fling away the lives of your enemies like stones from a sling.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And though men be risen up to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul, yet the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with Jehovah thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as from the hollow of a sling.
KJV
Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 25
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
In the bundle - Rather, “the bag,” in which anything precious, or important to be preserved, was put, and the bag was then tied up (compare Gen 42:35). The souls ... shall he sling out - The comparison is especially appropriate as addressed to David, whose feat with his sling was so celebrated 1Sa 17:49.
This site's exposition
bound in the bundle of life
Abigail's image comes from an ordinary practice, precious or important things tied into a bag for safekeeping, and she asks that David's soul be kept that way with the Lord his God while his enemies are slung out as from the middle of a sling. The figure is aimed precisely at the man she is speaking to, the shepherd whose feat with a sling against Goliath was already the most famous thing about him. The phrase later became a fixture of Jewish memorial prayer, but here it is Abigail's own words, spoken over a king not yet crowned.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
"For if a man ever rises to pursue you, etc." [1 Samuel 25:29] This Abigail, interceding on behalf of herself and her household, said to David, whom her husband had offended by his foolishness and drunkenness: "For if a man ever rises to pursue you …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul,....
(3.) That God would settle him in wealth and power: " The Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house, and no enemy thou hast can hinder it; therefore forgive this trespass, " that is, "show mercy, as thou hopest to find mercy. God will make thee great, and it is the glory of great men to pass by offences." 9.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Shall be bound in the bundle of life - Thy life shall be precious in the sight of the Lord: it shall be found in the bundle of life; it shall be supported by Him who is the Spring and Fountain of life, and ever be found united to those who are most favored by the Almighty. Them shall he sling out - Far from being bound and kept together in union with the Fountain of life, he will cast them off from himself as a stone is cast out from a sling. This betokens both force and violence.
The words behind it
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּ֤קָם | vaiyakom | and he has arisen | H6965 → | 628 times |
| אָדָם֙ | ʾadam | a man | H120 → | 551 times |
| לִרְדָפְךָ֔ | lirdafekha | to pursue you | H7291 → | 143 times |
| וּלְבַקֵּ֖שׁ | ulevakesh | and to seek | H1245 → | 225 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ | nafshekha | life your | H5315 → | 754 times |
| וְֽהָיְתָה֩ | vehayetah | and it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| נֶ֨פֶשׁ | nefesh | [the] life of | H5315 → | 754 times |
| אֲדֹנִ֜י | ʾadoni | lord my | H113 → | 333 times |
| צְרוּרָ֣ה׀ | tzerurah | bound up | H6887 → | |
| בִּצְר֣וֹר | bitzror | in [the] bundle of | H6872 → | |
| הַחַיִּ֗ים | hachaiyim | the living | H2416 → | 498 times |
| אֵ֚ת | ʾet | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| יְהוָ֣ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ | ʾeloheikha | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
| וְאֵ֨ת | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| נֶ֤פֶשׁ | nefesh | [the] life of | H5315 → | 754 times |
| אֹיְבֶ֙יךָ֙ | ʾoyeveikha | enemies your | H341 → | 282 times |
| יְקַלְּעֶ֔נָּה | yekalleenah | he will sling out it | H7049 → | |
| בְּת֖וֹךְ | betokh | in [the] midst of | H8432 → | 418 times |
| כַּ֥ף | kaf | [the] hollow of | H3709 → | 192 times |
| הַקָּֽלַע׃ | hakala' | <the> sling | H7050 → | 22 times |
וַיָּ֤קָםand he has arisen
vaiyakomH6965 →628 times
אָדָם֙a man
ʾadamH120 →551 times
לִרְדָפְךָ֔to pursue you
lirdafekhaH7291 →143 times
וּלְבַקֵּ֖שׁand to seek
ulevakeshH1245 →225 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָlife your
nafshekhaH5315 →754 times
וְֽהָיְתָה֩and it will be
vehayetahH1961 →3559 times
נֶ֨פֶשׁ[the] life of
nefeshH5315 →754 times
אֲדֹנִ֜יlord my
ʾadoniH113 →333 times
צְרוּרָ֣ה׀bound up
tzerurahH6887 →
בִּצְר֣וֹרin [the] bundle of
bitzrorH6872 →
הַחַיִּ֗יםthe living
hachaiyimH2416 →498 times
אֵ֚תwith
ʾetH854 →929 times
יְהוָ֣הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָGod your
ʾeloheikhaH430 →2601 times
וְאֵ֨תand <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
נֶ֤פֶשׁ[the] life of
nefeshH5315 →754 times
אֹיְבֶ֙יךָ֙enemies your
ʾoyeveikhaH341 →282 times
יְקַלְּעֶ֔נָּהhe will sling out it
yekalleenahH7049 →
בְּת֖וֹךְin [the] midst of
betokhH8432 →418 times
כַּ֥ף[the] hollow of
kafH3709 →192 times
הַקָּֽלַע׃<the> sling
hakala'H7050 →22 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
Psalms 116:15Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.
it leads to
- Psalms 72:14
He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their blood is precious in his sight.
- Psalms 72:14
Through
John 17:21that all of them may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 12:12
The body is a unit, though it is composed of many parts. And although its parts are many, they all form one body. So it is with Christ.
- Colossians 3:11–14
Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.
- John 17:11
I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by Your name, the name You gave Me, so that…
- 1 Corinthians 12:25–27
so that there should be no division in the body, but that its members should have mutual concern for one another.
- Philippians 1:27
Nevertheless, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm…
- 1 Corinthians 12:12
Through
Malachi 3:17“They will be Mine,” says the LORD of Hosts, “on the day when I prepare My treasured possession. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.
it leads to
- Exodus 19:5
Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine.
- Deuteronomy 7:6
For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all peoples on the face of…
- Exodus 19:5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 1 Samuel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Bede, Questions on the Book of Kings #6; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.