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1 Samuel 25

And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.

And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.

And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name:

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.

And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.

Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.

And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.

And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.

Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?

So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings.

And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.

But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them.

But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields:

They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.

Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.

Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.

And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal.

And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert of the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met them.

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.

So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,

And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.

Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.

Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the LORD hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.

And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord, let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord.

I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days.

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.

And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel;

That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.

And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me:

And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.

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.

So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.

And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.

But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.

And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died.

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.

And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee to take thee to him to wife.

And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.

And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.

David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives.

But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of Gallim.

What does 1 Samuel 25:6 mean?

1 Samuel 25:6

"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."

Explanation

In 1 Samuel 25:6, the message instructed to be relayed is one of peace and blessing.

It conveys a greeting typical of the time, wishing not only individual peace to Nabal (the recipient) but also to his entire household and all his possessions.

This expression of goodwill is comprehensive, extending to every aspect of the person's life and livelihood.

The repetitive use of the word "peace" emphasizes the importance and depth of this desire for well-being.

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Historical Context

1 Samuel 25 is set during the time when David, who would later become the king of Israel, was fleeing from King Saul.

David and his men had been in the Wilderness of Paran and had protected the shepherds and flocks of a wealthy man named Nabal.

During the sheep-shearing time, a festive and prosperous period, David sent messengers to Nabal to ask for provisions in return for the protection they had provided.

The verse reflects the customary greeting and communication of the time, embedded in a narrative of social customs and expectations of hospitality and gratitude.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse encapsulates several key themes:

Peace as a blessing: In Hebrew, the word for peace is "shalom," which carries a sense of completeness, welfare, and tranquility. It is often used as a blessing, indicating the high value placed on peace in Jewish thought.
Stewardship: By extending peace to "all that thou hast," there is an acknowledgment of Nabal's possessions and the prosperity that God has entrusted to his care.
Interpersonal responsibility: The greeting implies a recognition of the interdependence between individuals and the importance of maintaining harmonious relationships.

Different theological viewpoints might emphasize the social contract of ancient times, the expectation of reciprocation for good deeds, or the generosity that should emanate from those who are blessed with abundance.

Practical Applications

In contemporary application:

Stewardship and generosity: The verse could be used to encourage individuals to be generous with their blessings and to always seek peaceful relationships.
Approaching others with respect: The greeting models a respectful and benevolent approach to others, especially when one is about to request something from someone else.
Promoting peace: It serves as a reminder for people to aspire to live in peace with others and to prioritize the well-being of the entire community.

Cross-References

"Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it." (Psalm 34:14)
"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:" (Hebrews 12:14)

Language Study

In the original Hebrew text:

Peace: The Hebrew word "Shalom" (שלום) conveys not only the absence of conflict but a sense of wholeness, completeness, and well-being.
Liveth in prosperity: This phrase indicates someone who is successful or living well. The Hebrew word "chay" (חי) can mean "lives" or "is alive," underscoring the vitality and energy of the person in question.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The concept of peace as a fundamental blessing is not unique to the Hebrew Bible.

In many ancient Near Eastern cultures, peace was associated with divine favor and was a common feature in greetings.

In ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian literature, for instance, peace and wellness are often invoked as blessings from the gods.

Scientific Perspectives

While there may not be direct scientific discourse related to this specific verse, the broad pursuit of peace and well-being aligns with modern psychological and sociological findings that emphasize the importance of social harmony, community ties, and emotional well-being in human development and societal progress.

Commentaries

Biblical commentaries note that David's message through his servants to Nabal was customary and aligned with the social etiquettes of the time.

It was a diplomatic move meant to invoke a sense of obligation and communal solidarity.

Commentators point out that David's approach was measured and intended to remind Nabal of the protection that had been provided, hoping for a positive response. The repetition of peace also indicates the sincere goodwill that David's men had toward Nabal and his household.

1 Samuel 25

1 Samuel 25

What does 1 Samuel 25:6 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated 1 Samuel Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does 1 Samuel 25:6 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated 1 Samuel Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?