1 Samuel 25:7

7 Now I hear that it is time for shearing. When your shepherds were with us, we did not harass them, and nothing of theirs was missing the whole time they were in Carmel.

1 Samuel 25:7 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 25:7

And now I have heard that thou hast shearers
Men employed in shearing his sheep, which was a time of feasting and gladness, and therefore David sent his young men to him at this time with his compliments upon it; and in order to obtain what he intended by this message to him, he observes the favours he and his men had done to his servants, and the advantages which they had received from them:

now thy shepherds which were with us;
feeding their sheep near the wilderness of Paran, which was not far from Carmel and Maon:

we hurt them not;
by taking any of their sheep and lambs from them, or by abusing, beating them, or giving them ill language; or "did not put them to shame" ^F24, by denying them anything they asked of them, which was in their power to grant, nor mocked and scoffed at them, and jeered them on account of their occupation:

neither was there ought missing unto them;
they did not steal a sheep or lamb from them, as was common for soldiers to do; nor did they suffer any of the Arabs, that dwelt in the wilderness of Paran, to rob them, who lived upon plunder, or any of the wild beasts to hurt them, as much as in them lay; so careful were they of them, and were a wall unto them by night and day, as Nabal's servants owned, ( 1 Samuel 25:16 ) ; and this was the case,

all the while they were in Carmel;
or in the fields, ( 1 Samuel 25:15 ) ; which were joining to the wilderness of Paran.

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 (Mwnmlkh al) "non affecimus verccundia eos", Montanus; so some in Vatablus.

1 Samuel 25:7 In-Context

5 So David sent ten young men and instructed them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel. Greet him in my name

6 and say to him, ‘Long life to you, and peace to you and to your house and to all that belongs to you.

7 Now I hear that it is time for shearing. When your shepherds were with us, we did not harass them, and nothing of theirs was missing the whole time they were in Carmel.

8 Ask your young men, and they will tell you. So let my young men find favor with you, for we have come on the day of a feast. Please give whatever you can spare to your servants and to your son David.’”

9 When David’s young men arrived, they relayed all these words to Nabal on behalf of David. Then they waited.