1 Samuel 25:19-29

19 dixitque pueris suis praecedite me ecce ego post tergum sequar vos viro autem suo Nabal non indicavit
20 cum ergo ascendisset asinum et descenderet ad radices montis David et viri eius descendebant in occursum eius quibus et illa occurrit
21 et ait David vere frustra servavi omnia quae huius erant in deserto et non periit quicquam de cunctis quae ad eum pertinebant et reddidit mihi malum pro bono
22 haec faciat Deus inimicis David et haec addat si reliquero de omnibus quae ad eum pertinent usque mane mingentem ad parietem
23 cum autem vidisset Abigail David festinavit et descendit de asino et procidit coram David super faciem suam et adoravit super terram
24 et cecidit ad pedes eius et dixit in me sit domine mi haec iniquitas loquatur obsecro ancilla tua in auribus tuis et audi verba famulae tuae
25 ne ponat oro dominus meus rex cor suum super virum istum iniquum Nabal quia secundum nomen suum stultus est et est stultitia cum eo ego autem ancilla tua non vidi pueros tuos domine mi quos misisti
26 nunc ergo domine mi vivit Dominus et vivit anima tua qui prohibuit te ne venires in sanguine et salvavit manum tuam tibi et nunc fiant sicut Nabal inimici tui et qui quaerunt domino meo malum
27 quapropter suscipe benedictionem hanc quam adtulit ancilla tua tibi domino meo et da pueris qui sequuntur te dominum meum
28 aufer iniquitatem famulae tuae faciens enim faciet tibi Dominus domino meo domum fidelem quia proelia Domini domine mi tu proeliaris malitia ergo non inveniatur in te omnibus diebus vitae tuae
29 si enim surrexerit aliquando homo persequens te et quaerens animam tuam erit anima domini mei custodita quasi in fasciculo viventium apud Dominum Deum tuum porro anima inimicorum tuorum rotabitur quasi in impetu et circulo fundae

1 Samuel 25:19-29 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 25

This chapter gives an account of the death of Samuel, and of the ill treatment David met with from Nabal; it begins with the death of Samuel, which was greatly lamented in Israel, 1Sa 25:1; it draws the character of Nabal, and his wife, 1Sa 25:2,3; records a message of David to him, by his young men, desiring he would send him some of his provisions made for his sheep shearers, 1Sa 25:4-9; and Nabal's ill-natured answer to him reported by the young men, which provoked David to arm against him, 1Sa 25:10-13,21,22; and this being told Abigail, the wife of Nabal, and a good character given of David and his men, and of the advantage Nabal's shepherds had received from them, and the danger his family was in through his ingratitude, 1Sa 25:14-17; she prepared a present to pacify David, went with it herself, and addressed him in a very handsome, affectionate, and prudent manner, 1Sa 25:18-31; and met with a kind reception, 1Sa 25:32-35; and the chapter is closed with an account of the death of Nabal, and of the marriage of Abigail to David, 1Sa 25:32-44.

The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.