1 Samuel 25:39
in 1 Samuel 25On hearing that Nabal was dead, David said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has upheld my cause against the reproach of Nabal and has restrained His servant from evil. For the LORD has brought the wickedness of Nabal down upon his own head.” Then David sent word to Abigail, asking for her in marriage.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be Jehovah, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept back his servant from evil: and the evil-doing of Nabal hath Jehovah returned upon his own head. And David sent and spake concerning Abigail, to take her to him to wife.
KJV
And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the Lord, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the Lord hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 25
Commentary
9 notes on this verseTo take her to him to wife - It is likely that he had heard before this that Saul, to cut off all his pretensions to the throne, had married Michal to Phalti; and this justified David in taking Abigail or any other woman; and, according to the then custom, it was not unlawful for David to take several wives. By his marriage with Abigail, it is probable he became possessed of all Nabal’s property in Carmel and Maon.
This site's exposition
Blessed be the Lord, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach
David's second blessing of the chapter answers his first, crediting the Lord rather than his own restraint with settling the matter, the Lord hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. The same principle will govern how David later reads Saul's death and Abner's, that vengeance belongs to the Lord and a king's hands must stay clean of it even when the provocation is real. The verse closes with David sending to take Abigail to wife, a request the text records without comment on the haste, though Adam Clarke notes David likely already knew Saul had given Michal to another man by this point.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Having proved by Holy Scripture that all things are both watched and ruled by God, it remains now for me to show that most things in this world are judged by his divine power. When the holy David had borne the affronts and insults of …
The Medieval Church1 voice
David therefore sent and spoke to Abigail. The Lord sent preachers, so that, with the Synagogue's perfidious leaders destroyed by the sword of the Romans with their followers, they might invite her, in the remnants that remained, to His spiritual marriage.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
David was so charmed with the beauty of her person, and the uncommon prudence of her conduct and address, that, as soon as was convenient, after he heard she was a widow, he informed her of his attachment to her (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Blessed, &c. - This was another instance of human infirmity in David. David sent - But this doubtless was not done immediately after Nabal's death, but some time after it; though such circumstances be commonly omitted in the sacred history; which gives only the heads, and most important passages of things.
And when David heard that Nabal was dead,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The loss is the more grievous at this juncture when Saul has grown so outrageous and David is driven from his country; never more need of Samuel than now, yet now he is removed. We will hope that the Israelites lamented Samuel's death the more bitterly because they remembered against themselves their own sin and folly in rejecting him and desiring a king.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the Lord hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head--If this was an expression of pleasure, and David's vindictive feelings were gratified by the intelligence of Nabal's death, it was an instance of human infirmity which we may lament; but perhaps he referred to the unmerited reproach (1Sa 25:10, 11), and the contempt of God implied in it.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
32 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע | vaiyishma' | and he heard | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| דָּוִד֮ | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מֵ֣ת | met | he had died | H4191 → | 839 times |
| נָבָל֒ | naval | Nabal | H5037 → | 22 times |
| וַיֹּ֡אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| בָּר֣וּךְ | barukh | [be] blessed | H1288 → | 330 times |
| יְהוָ֡ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| רָב֩ | rav | he has conducted | H7378 → | 67 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| רִ֨יב | riv | [the] case of | H7379 → | |
| חֶרְפָּתִ֜י | cherpati | disgrace my | H2781 → | 73 times |
| מִיַּ֣ד | miyad | from [the] hand of | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| נָבָ֗ל | naval | Nabal | H5037 → | 22 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עַבְדּוֹ֙ | avdo | servant his | H5650 → | 799 times |
| חָשַׂ֣ךְ | chasakh | he has restrained | H2820 → | |
| מֵֽרָעָ֔ה | meraah | from evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
| וְאֵת֙ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| רָעַ֣ת | raat | [the] evil of | H7451 → | 662 times |
| נָבָ֔ל | naval | Nabal | H5037 → | 22 times |
| הֵשִׁ֥יב | heshiv | he has turned back | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| בְּרֹאשׁ֑וֹ | berosho | on own head his | H7218 → | 599 times |
| וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח | vaiyishlach | and he sent | H7971 → | 845 times |
| דָּוִד֙ | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר | vaydaber | and he spoke | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| בַּאֲבִיגַ֔יִל | baavigayil | with Abigail | H26 → | 17 times |
| לְקַחְתָּ֥הּ | lekachtah | to take her | H3947 → | 966 times |
| ל֖וֹ | lo | for <the> himself | ||
| לְאִשָּֽׁה׃ | leishah | to a wife | H802 → | 781 times |
וַיִּשְׁמַ֣עand he heard
vaiyishma'H8085 →1159 times
דָּוִד֮David
davidH1732 →999 times
כִּ֣יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
מֵ֣תhe had died
metH4191 →839 times
נָבָל֒Nabal
navalH5037 →22 times
וַיֹּ֡אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
בָּר֣וּךְ[be] blessed
barukhH1288 →330 times
יְהוָ֡הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
רָב֩he has conducted
ravH7378 →67 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
רִ֨יב[the] case of
rivH7379 →
חֶרְפָּתִ֜יdisgrace my
cherpatiH2781 →73 times
מִיַּ֣דfrom [the] hand of
miyadH3027 →1618 times
נָבָ֗לNabal
navalH5037 →22 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
עַבְדּוֹ֙servant his
avdoH5650 →799 times
חָשַׂ֣ךְhe has restrained
chasakhH2820 →
מֵֽרָעָ֔הfrom evil
meraahH7451 →662 times
וְאֵת֙and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
רָעַ֣ת[the] evil of
raatH7451 →662 times
נָבָ֔לNabal
navalH5037 →22 times
הֵשִׁ֥יבhe has turned back
heshivH7725 →1056 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
בְּרֹאשׁ֑וֹon own head his
beroshoH7218 →599 times
וַיִּשְׁלַ֤חand he sent
vaiyishlachH7971 →845 times
דָּוִד֙David
davidH1732 →999 times
וַיְדַבֵּ֣רand he spoke
vaydaberH1696 →1141 times
בַּאֲבִיגַ֔יִלwith Abigail
baavigayilH26 →17 times
לְקַחְתָּ֥הּto take her
lekachtahH3947 →966 times
ל֖וֹfor <the> himself
lo
לְאִשָּֽׁה׃to a wife
leishahH802 →781 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
Proverbs 22:23for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who rob them.
it leads to
- Psalms 140:12
I know that the LORD upholds justice for the poor and defends the cause of the needy.
- Psalms 12:5
“For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.”
- Proverbs 23:11
for their Redeemer is strong; He will take up their case against you.
- Jeremiah 51:36
Therefore this is what the LORD says: “Behold, I will plead your case and take vengeance on your behalf; I will dry up her sea and make her springs run dry.
- Psalms 140:12
Through
Psalms 7:16His trouble recoils on himself, and his violence falls on his own head.
it leads to
- Esther 9:25
But when it came before the king, he commanded by letter that the wicked scheme which Haman had devised against the Jews should come back upon his own head, and that he and his…
- Psalms 37:12–13
The wicked scheme against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them,
- Esther 9:25
Through
1 Samuel 24:15May the LORD be our judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver me from your hand.”
it leads to
- Psalms 43:1
Vindicate me, O God, and plead my case against an ungodly nation; deliver me from deceitful and unjust men.
- Psalms 43:1
Through
1 Samuel 25:26Now, my lord, as surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, the LORD has held you back from coming to bloodshed and avenging yourself with your own hand. May your enemies and…
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 18:32
The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And the Cushite replied, “May what has become of the young man happen to the enemies of my lord the king and…
- 2 Samuel 18:32
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 1 Samuel
Who and where
3 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonUnited MonarchyDavidSecond king of united Israel, shepherd-turned-monarch, ancestor of the Messiah, and traditional author of many Psalms.
- PersonEarly monarchyNabalThe wealthy fool of Carmel — "as his name is, so is he" — who repaid David's protection with insult; his heart died within him whe…
- PersonEarly monarchyAbigailNabal's wife, a woman of good understanding whose swift intercession kept David from avenging himself with his own hand — and who…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Salvian the Presbyter, THE GOVERNANCE OF GOD 2.3.