1 Samuel 25:34

34 Otherwise, as surely as the Lord God of Israel lives, who prevented me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, Nabal wouldn't have had any men^[a] left by morning light."

1 Samuel 25:34 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 25:34

For in very deed, [as] the Lord God of Israel liveth
An oath for the confirmation of what he was about to say: which hath kept me back from hurting thee:
from doing any ill to her family, as he intended, though not to her person, his resolution being only to slay the males; but that would have been an hurt, an evil, an affliction to Abigail, from which the Lord in his providence restrained him, and that through her good advice: except thou hadst hasted, and come to meet me:
if she had not made quick dispatch in preparing her present, or had stayed to persuade her husband into her measures; if she had delayed a little longer, David would have been at Nabal's house, executing his vengeance on him and his: surely there had not been left unto Nabal, by the morning light, any
that pisseth against the wall: (See Gill on 1 Samuel 25:22).

1 Samuel 25:34 In-Context

32 Then David said to Abigail, "Praise to the Lord God of Israel, who sent you to meet me today!

33 Blessed is your discernment, and blessed are you. Today you kept me from participating in bloodshed and avenging myself by my own hand.

34 Otherwise, as surely as the Lord God of Israel lives, who prevented me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, Nabal wouldn't have had any men left by morning light."

35 Then David accepted what she had brought him and said, "Go home in peace. See, I have heard what you said and have granted your request."

36 Then Abigail went to Nabal, and there he was in his house, feasting like a king. Nabal was in a good mood and very drunk, so she didn't say anything to him until morning light.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit had anyone urinating against a wall