1 Samuel 25:29

29 If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the LORD your God; and the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling.

1 Samuel 25:29 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 25:29

Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul
His life, to take it away, meaning Saul, whom she chose not to name, because he was king:

but the soul of my lord shall be bound up in the bundle of life with
the Lord thy God;
should be dear unto the Lord, precious in his esteem, and be carefully preserved by him, among other his chosen ones, and should be safe with him, in his hands, and under his care and keeping; the Jews refer this to eternal life in the world to come, and the safety and security of his soul hereafter; so the Targum,

``the soul of my lord shall be treasured up in the treasury of eternal life, before the Lord thy God:''

hence they speak of the souls of the righteous being laid up under the throne of glory F5, in proof of which they produce this text; and so Maimonides F6 understands it of what should be after death, see ( Revelation 6:9 ) ( Colossians 3:3 ) ;

and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, [as out] of
the middle of a sling;
that is, remove them swiftly and suddenly, and with force, out of the world, as a stone is slung out of the middle of a sling; see ( Jeremiah 10:18 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F5 T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 152. 2.
F6 Moreh Nevochim, par. 1. c. 41.

1 Samuel 25:29 In-Context

27 And now let this present which your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord.
28 Pray forgive the trespass of your handmaid; for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the LORD; and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live.
29 If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the LORD your God; and the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling.
30 And when the LORD has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you prince over Israel,
31 my lord shall have no cause of grief, or pangs of conscience, for having shed blood without cause or for my lord taking vengeance himself. And when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, then remember your handmaid."
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.