1 Samuel 25:23-33

23 When Avigayil saw David, she hurried, and alighted from her donkey, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground.

24 She fell at his feet, and said, On me, my lord, on me be the iniquity; and please let your handmaid speak in your ears. Hear the words of your handmaid.

25 Please don't let my lord regard this worthless fellow, even Naval; for as his name is, so is he; Naval is his name, and folly is with him: but I your handmaid didn't see the young men of my lord, whom you did send.

26 Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, seeing the LORD has withheld you from blood guiltiness, and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now therefore let your enemies, and those who seek evil to my lord, be as Naval.

27 Now this present which your servant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord.

28 Please forgive the trespass of your handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fights the battles of the LORD; and evil shall not be found in you all your days.

29 Though men be risen up to pursue you, and to seek your soul, yet the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD your God; and the souls of your enemies, them shall he sling out, as from the hollow of a sling.

30 It shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you, and shall have appointed you prince over Yisra'el,

31 that this shall be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. When the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember your handmaid.

32 David said to Avigayil, Blessed be the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, who sent you this day to meet me:

33 and blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, that have kept me this day from blood guiltiness, and from avenging myself with my own hand.

1 Samuel 25:23-33 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.