1 Samuel 25:6
in 1 Samuel 25and say to him, ‘Long life to you, and peace to you and your house and to all that belongs to you.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be unto thee, and peace be to thy house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.
KJV
And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 25
Commentary
6 notes on this versePeace be both to thee - This is the ancient form of sending greetings to a friend: Peace to Thee, peace to thy Household, and peace to all that Thou Hast. That is, May both thyself, thy family, and all that pertain unto thee, be in continual prosperity! Perhaps David, by this salutation, wished Nabal to understand that he had acted so towards him and his property that nothing had been destroyed, and that all had been protected; see 1Sa 25:15-17.
This site's exposition
heard in the wilderness that Nabal
on 1 Samuel 25:4-6
David sends ten young men up to Carmel with a customary greeting for shearing season, wishing peace to Nabal, his house, and all that he has, the ordinary form for approaching a flockmaster at the one time of year hospitality was expected. The greeting is also a quiet reminder, for David's men had protected Nabal's shepherds in the fields, so the peace wished on Nabal's house answers the peace David's men had already kept for it.
This site's exposition
Long life to you, and peace to you
The Hebrew behind Long life to you is obscure, and Albert Barnes renders it as a greeting about Nabal's life and health. Matthew Henry thinks the wish too high a compliment for such a man. Nabal answers it within four verses with contempt.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
This was, methinks too high a compliment to pass upon Nabal, to call him the man that liveth. David knew better things, that in God's favour is life, not in the world's smiles; and by the rough answer he was well enough served, for this too smooth address to such a muck-worm. Yet his good wishes were very commendable. " Peace be to thee, all good both to soul and body.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
That liveth in prosperity - The Hebrew is obscure, and is variously interpreted. The simplest rendering is, “And ye shall say thus about (his) life,” i. e., with reference to his life, health, circumstances, etc.
The words behind it
11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֥ם | vaamartem | and you will say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| כֹּ֖ה | koh | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| לֶחָ֑י | lechai | to the living [one] | H2416 → | 498 times |
| וְאַתָּ֤ה | veatah | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| שָׁלוֹם֙ | shalom | peace | H7965 → | 236 times |
| וּבֵיתְךָ֣ | uveitekha | and house your | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| שָׁל֔וֹם | shalom | peace | H7965 → | 236 times |
| וְכֹ֥ל | vekhol | and all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לְךָ֖ | lekha | [belongs] to <the> you | ||
| שָׁלֽוֹם׃ | shalom | peace | H7965 → | 236 times |
וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֥םand you will say
vaamartemH559 →5305 times
כֹּ֖הthus
kohH3541 →577 times
לֶחָ֑יto the living [one]
lechaiH2416 →498 times
וְאַתָּ֤הand you
veatahH859 →1094 times
שָׁלוֹם֙peace
shalomH7965 →236 times
וּבֵיתְךָ֣and house your
uveitekhaH1004 →2046 times
שָׁל֔וֹםpeace
shalomH7965 →236 times
וְכֹ֥לand all
vekholH3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁר־that
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
לְךָ֖[belongs] to <the> you
lekha
שָׁלֽוֹם׃peace
shalomH7965 →236 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
1 Timothy 5:6But she who lives for pleasure is dead even while she is still alive.
it leads to
- James 5:5
You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in the day of slaughter.
- Luke 15:24
For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.
- Revelation 3:1
“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of the One who holds the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a…
- Revelation 18:7
As much as she has glorified herself and lived in luxury, give her the same measure of torment and grief. In her heart she says, ‘I sit as queen; I am not a widow…
- James 5:5
Through
1 Chronicles 12:18Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, the chief of the Thirty, and he said: “We are yours, O David! We are with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to…
it leads to
- Judges 6:34
So the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, who blew the ram’s horn and rallied the Abiezrites behind him.
- Judges 3:10
The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he became Israel’s judge and went out to war. And the LORD delivered Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram into the hand of Othniel, who prevailed against…
- Judges 6:34
Through
Luke 10:5Whatever house you enter, begin by saying, ‘Peace to this house.’
it leads to
- Matthew 10:12–13
As you enter the home, greet its occupants.
- Isaiah 57:19
bringing praise to their lips. Peace, peace to those far and near,” says the LORD, “and I will heal them.”
- Matthew 10:12–13
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); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.