1 Samuel 25 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

1 Samuel 25 (WEBP)

[1] Samuel died; and all Israel gathered themselves together and mourned for him, and buried him at his house at Ramah. Then David arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran.
[2] There was a man in Maon whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great. He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats; and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.
[3] Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail. This woman was intelligent and had a beautiful face; but the man was surly and evil in his doings. He was of the house of Caleb.
[4] David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.
[5] David sent ten young men; and David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name.
[6] Tell him, ‘Long life to you! Peace be to you! Peace be to your house! Peace be to all that you have!
[7] Now I have heard that you have shearers. Your shepherds have now been with us, and we didn’t harm them. Nothing was missing from them all the time they were in Carmel.
[8] Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let the young men find favor in your eyes, for we come on a good day. Please give whatever comes to your hand to your servants and to your son David.’ ”
[9] When David’s young men came, they spoke to Nabal all those words in the name of David, and waited.
[10] Nabal answered David’s servants and said, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants who break away from their masters these days.
[11] Shall I then take my bread, my water, and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men who I don’t know where they come from?”
[12] So David’s young men turned on their way and went back, and came and told him all these words.
[13] David said to his men, “Every man put on his sword!” Every man put on his sword. David also put on his sword. About four hundred men followed David, and two hundred stayed by the baggage.
[14] But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, “Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master; and he insulted them.
[15] But the men were very good to us, and we were not harmed, and we didn’t miss anything as long as we went with them, when we were in the fields.
[16] They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
[17] Now therefore know and consider what you will do; for evil is determined against our master and against all his house, for he is such a worthless fellow that one can’t speak to him.”
[18] Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread, two containers of wine, five sheep ready dressed, five seahs of parched grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys.
[19] She said to her young men, “Go on before me. Behold, I am coming after you.” But she didn’t tell her husband, Nabal.
[20] As she rode on her donkey, and came down hidden by the mountain, behold, David and his men came down toward her, and she met them.
[21] Now David had said, “Surely in vain I have kept all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained to him. He has returned me evil for good.
[22] God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that belongs to him by the morning light so much as one who urinates on a wall.”
[23] When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got off 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 blame! Please let your servant speak in your ears. Hear the words of your servant.
[25] Please don’t let my lord pay attention to this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him; but I, your servant, didn’t see my lord’s young men whom you sent.
[26] Now therefore, my lord, as Yahweh lives and as your soul lives, since Yahweh 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 Nabal.
[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 servant. For Yahweh will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fights Yahweh’s battles. Evil will not be found in you all your days.
[29] Though men may rise up to pursue you and to seek your soul, yet the soul of my lord will be bound in the bundle of life with Yahweh your God. He will sling out the souls of your enemies as from a sling’s pocket.
[30] It will come to pass, when Yahweh has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you prince over Israel,
[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 Yahweh has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.”
[32] David said to Abigail, “Blessed is Yahweh, the God of Israel, who sent you today to meet me!
[33] Blessed is your discretion, and blessed are you, who have kept me today from blood guiltiness, and from avenging myself with my own hand.
[34] For indeed, as Yahweh the God of Israel lives, who has withheld me from harming you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, surely there wouldn’t have been left to Nabal by the morning light so much as one who urinates on a wall.”
[35] So David received from her hand that which she had brought him. Then he said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. Behold, I have listened to your voice and have granted your request.”
[36] Abigail came to Nabal; and behold, he held a feast in his house like the feast of a king. Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. Therefore she told him nothing until the morning light.
[37] In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things; and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.
[38] About ten days later, Yahweh struck Nabal, so that he died.
[39] When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed is Yahweh, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from evil. Yahweh has returned the evildoing of Nabal on his own head.” David sent and spoke concerning Abigail, to take her to himself as wife.
[40] When David’s servants had come to Abigail to Carmel, they spoke to her, saying, “David has sent us to you, to take you to him as wife.”
[41] She arose and bowed herself with her face to the earth, and said, “Behold, your servant is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.”
[42] Abigail hurriedly arose and rode on a donkey with her five maids who followed her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.
[43] David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they both became his wives.
[44] Now Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.

1 Samuel 25:18 1 seah is about 7 liters or 1.9 gallons or 0.8 pecks
1 Samuel 25:22 or, male.
1 Samuel 25:25 “Nabal” means “foolish”.
1 Samuel 25:34 or, one male.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

1 Samuel 25 (KJVS)

[1] And Samuel died (); and all the Israelites were gathered together (), and lamented () him, and buried () him in his house at Ramah . And David arose (), and went down () to the wilderness of Paran .
[2] And [there was] a man in Maon , whose possessions [were] in Carmel ; and the man [was] very great , and he had three thousand sheep , and a thousand goats : and he was shearing () his sheep in Carmel .
[3] Now the name of the man [was] Nabal ; and the name of his wife Abigail : and [she was] a woman of good understanding , and of a beautiful countenance : but the man [was] churlish and evil in his doings ; and he [was] of the house of Caleb .
[4] And David heard () in the wilderness that Nabal did shear () his sheep .
[5] And David sent out () ten young men , and David said () unto the young men , Get you up () to Carmel , and go () to Nabal , and greet () him in my name :
[6] And thus shall ye say () to him that liveth [in prosperity], Peace [be] both to thee, and peace [be] to thine house , and peace [be] unto all that thou hast.
[7] And now I have heard () that thou hast shearers (): now thy shepherds () which were with us, we hurt () them not, neither was there ought missing () unto them, all the while they were in Carmel .
[8] Ask () thy young men , and they will shew () thee. Wherefore let the young men find () favour in thine eyes : for we come () in a good day : give (), I pray thee, whatsoever cometh () to thine hand unto thy servants , and to thy son David .
[9] And when David’s young men came (), they spake () to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David , and ceased ().
[10] And Nabal answered () David’s servants , and said (), Who [is] David ? and who [is] the son of Jesse ? there be many () servants now a days that break away () every man from his master .
[11] Shall I then take () my bread , and my water , and my flesh that I have killed () for my shearers (), and give () [it] unto men , whom I know () not whence they [be]?
[12] So David’s young men turned () their way , and went again (), and came () and told () him all those sayings .
[13] And David said () unto his men , Gird ye on () every man his sword . And they girded on () every man his sword ; and David also girded on () his sword : and there went up () after David about four hundred men ; and two hundred abode () by the stuff .
[14] But one of the young men told () Abigail , Nabal’s wife , saying (), Behold, David sent () messengers out of the wilderness to salute () our master ; and he railed () on them.
[15] But the men [were] very good unto us, and we were not hurt (), neither missed () we any thing , as long as we were conversant () with them, when we were in the fields :
[16] They were a wall unto us both by night and day , all the while we were with them keeping () the sheep .
[17] Now therefore know () and consider () what thou wilt do (); for evil is determined () against our master , and against all his household : for he [is such] a son of Belial , that [a man] cannot speak () to him.
[18] Then Abigail made haste (), and took () two hundred loaves , and two bottles of wine , and five sheep ready dressed (), and five measures of parched [corn], and an hundred clusters of raisins , and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid () [them] on asses .
[19] And she said () unto her servants , Go on () before me; behold, I come () after you. But she told () not her husband Nabal .
[20] And it was [so, as] she rode () on the ass , that she came down () by the covert of the hill , and, behold, David and his men came down () against () her; and she met () them.
[21] Now David had said (), Surely in vain have I kept () all that this [fellow] hath in the wilderness , so that nothing was missed () of all that [pertained] unto him: and he hath requited () me evil for good .
[22] So and more () also do () God unto the enemies () of David , if I leave () of all that [pertain] to him by the morning light any that pisseth () against the wall .
[23] And when Abigail saw () David , she hasted (), and lighted off () the ass , and fell () before David on her face , and bowed () herself to the ground ,
[24] And fell () at his feet , and said (), Upon me, my lord , [upon] me [let this] iniquity [be]: and let thine handmaid , I pray thee, speak () in thine audience , and hear () the words of thine handmaid .
[25] Let () not my lord , I pray thee, regard this man of Belial , [even] Nabal : for as his name [is], so [is] he; Nabal [is] his name , and folly [is] with him: but I thine handmaid saw () not the young men of my lord , whom thou didst send ().
[26] Now therefore, my lord , [as] the LORD liveth , and [as] thy soul liveth , seeing the LORD hath withholden () thee from coming () to [shed] blood , and from avenging () thyself with thine own hand , now let thine enemies (), and they that seek () evil to my lord , be as Nabal .
[27] And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought () unto my lord , let it even be given () unto the young men that follow () my lord .
[28] I pray thee, forgive () the trespass of thine handmaid : for the LORD will certainly () make () my lord a sure () house ; because my lord fighteth () the battles of the LORD , and evil hath not been found () in thee [all] thy days .
[29] Yet a man is risen () to pursue () thee, and to seek () thy soul : but the soul of my lord shall be bound () in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God ; and the souls of thine enemies (), them shall he sling out (), [as out] of the middle of a sling .
[30] And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done () to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken () concerning thee, and shall have appointed () thee ruler over Israel ;
[31] That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord , either that thou hast shed () blood causeless , or that my lord hath avenged () himself: but when the LORD shall have dealt well () with my lord , then remember () thine handmaid .
[32] And David said () to Abigail , Blessed () [be] the LORD God of Israel , which sent () thee this day to meet () me:
[33] And blessed () [be] thy advice , and blessed () [be] thou, which hast kept () me this day from coming () to [shed] blood , and from avenging () myself with mine own hand .
[34] For in very deed , [as] the LORD God of Israel liveth , which hath kept me back () from hurting () thee, except thou hadst hasted () and come () to meet () me, surely there had not been left () unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth () against the wall .
[35] So David received () of her hand [that] which she had brought () him, and said () unto her, Go up () in peace to thine house ; see (), I have hearkened () to thy voice , and have accepted () thy person .
[36] And Abigail came () to Nabal ; and, behold, he held a feast in his house , like the feast of a king ; and Nabal’s heart [was] merry within him, for he [was] very drunken : wherefore she told () him nothing , less or more , until the morning light .
[37] But it came to pass in the morning , when the wine was gone out () of Nabal , and his wife had told () him these things , that his heart died () within him, and he became [as] a stone .
[38] And it came to pass about ten days [after], that the LORD smote () Nabal , that he died ().
[39] And when David heard () that Nabal was dead (), he said (), Blessed () [be] the LORD , that hath pleaded () the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal , and hath kept () his servant from evil : for the LORD hath returned () the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head . And David sent () and communed () with Abigail , to take () her to him to wife .
[40] And when the servants of David were come () to Abigail to Carmel , they spake () unto her, saying (), David sent () us unto thee, to take () thee to him to wife .
[41] And she arose (), and bowed () herself on [her] face to the earth , and said (), Behold, [let] thine handmaid [be] a servant to wash () the feet of the servants of my lord .
[42] And Abigail hasted (), and arose (), and rode () upon an ass , with five damsels of hers that went () after her; and she went () after the messengers of David , and became his wife .
[43] David also took () Ahinoam of Jezreel ; and they were also both of them his wives .
[44] But Saul had given () Michal his daughter , David’s wife , to Phalti the son of Laish , which [was] of Gallim .

Young’s Literal Translation

1 Samuel 25 (YLT)

[1] And Samuel dieth, and all Israel are gathered, and mourn for him, and bury him in his house, in Ramah; and David riseth and goeth down unto the wilderness of Paran.
[2] And there is a man in Maon, and his work is in Carmel; and the man is very great, and he hath three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats; and he is shearing his flock in Carmel.
[3] And the name of the man is Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail, and the woman is of good understanding, and of fair form, and the man is hard and evil in doings; and he is a Calebite.
[4] And David heareth in the wilderness that Nabal is shearing his flock,
[5] and David sendeth ten young men, and David saith to the young men, ‘Go ye up to Carmel, and ye have come in unto Nabal, and asked of him in my name of welfare,
[6] and said thus: To life! and thou, peace; and thy house, peace; and all that thou hast-peace!
[7] and, now, I have heard that thou hast shearers; now, the shepherds whom thou hast have been with us, we have not put them to shame, nor hath anything been looked after by them, all the days of their being in Carmel.
[8] ‘Ask thy young men, and they declare to thee, and the young men find grace in thine eyes, for on a good day we have come; give, I pray thee, that which thy hand findeth, to thy servants, and to thy son, to David.’
[9] And the young men of David come in, and speak unto Nabal according to all these words, in the name of David-and rest.
[10] And Nabal answereth the servants of David and saith, ‘Who is David, and who the son of Jesse? to-day have servants been multiplied who are breaking away each from his master;
[11] and I have taken my bread, and my water, and my flesh, which I slaughtered for my shearers, and have given it to men whom I have not known whence they are!’
[12] And the young men of David turn on their way, and turn back, and come in, and declare to him according to all these words.
[13] And David saith to his men, ‘Gird ye on each his sword;’ and they gird on each his sword, and David also girdeth on his sword, and there go up after David about four hundred men, and two hundred have remained by the vessels.
[14] And to Abigail wife of Nabal hath one young man of the youths declared, saying, ‘Lo, David hath sent messengers out of the wilderness to bless our lord, and he flieth upon them;
[15] and the men are very good to us, and have not put us to shame, and we have not looked after anything all the days we have gone up and down with them, in our being in the field;
[16] a wall they have been unto us both by night and by day, all the days of our being with them, feeding the flock.
[17] ‘And, now, know and consider what thou dost; for evil hath been determined against our lord, and against all his house, and he is too much a son of worthlessness to be spoken to.’
[18] And Abigail hasteth, and taketh two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep, prepared, and five measures of roasted corn, and a hundred bunches of raisins, and two hundred bunches of figs, and setteth them on the asses.
[19] And she saith to her young men, ‘Pass over before me; lo, after you I am coming;’ and to her husband Nabal she hath not declared it;
[20] and it hath come to pass, she is riding on the ass and is coming down in the secret part of the hill-country, and lo, David and his men are coming down to meet her, and she meeteth them.
[21] And David said, ‘Only, in vain I have kept all that this one hath in the wilderness, and nothing hath been looked after of all that he hath, and he turneth back to me evil for good;
[22] thus doth God do to the enemies of David, and thus He doth add, if I leave of all that he hath till the light of the morning-of those sitting on the wall.’
[23] And Abigail seeth David, and hasteth and cometh down from off the ass, and falleth before David on her face, and boweth herself to the earth,
[24] and falleth at his feet and saith, ‘On me, my lord, the iniquity; and let, I pray thee, thy handmaid speak in thine ear, and hear the words of thy handmaid.
[25] ‘Let not, I pray thee, my lord set his heart to this man of worthlessness, on Nabal, for as his name is so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him; and I, thine handmaid, did not see the young men of my lord whom thou didst send;
[26] and now, my lord, Jehovah liveth, and thy soul liveth, in that Jehovah hath withheld thee from coming in with blood, and to save thy hand to thee-now let thine enemies be as Nabal, even those seeking evil unto my lord.
[27] ‘And, now, this blessing which thy maid-servant hath brought to my lord-it hath been given to the young men who are going up and down at the feet of my lord.
[28] ‘Bear, I pray thee, with the transgression of thy handmaid, for Jehovah doth certainly make to my lord a stedfast house; for the battles of Jehovah hath my lord fought, and evil is not found in thee all thy days.
[29] And man riseth to pursue thee and to seek thy soul, and the soul of my lord hath been bound in the bundle of life with Jehovah thy God; as to the soul of thine enemies, He doth sling them out in the midst of the hollow of the sling.
[30] ‘And it hath been, when Jehovah doth to my lord according to all the good which He hath spoken concerning thee, and appointed thee for leader over Israel,
[31] that this is not to thee for a stumbling-block, and for an offence of heart to my lord-either to shed blood for nought, or my lord’s restraining himself; and Jehovah hath done good to my lord, and thou hast remembered thy handmaid.’
[32] And David saith to Abigail, ‘Blessed is Jehovah, God of Israel, who hath sent thee this day to meet me,
[33] and blessed is thy discretion, and blessed art thou in that thou hast restrained me this day from coming in with blood, and to restrain my hand to myself.
[34] And yet, Jehovah liveth, God of Israel, who hath kept me back from doing evil with thee, for unless thou hadst hasted, and dost come to meet me, surely there had not been left to Nabal till the light of the morning, of those sitting on the wall.’
[35] And David receiveth from her hand that which she hath brought to him, and to her he hath said, ‘Go up in peace to thy house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and accept thy face.’
[36] And Abigail cometh in unto Nabal, and lo, he hath a banquet in his house, like a banquet of the king, and the heart of Nabal is glad within him, and he is drunk unto excess, and she hath not declared to him anything, less or more, till the light of the morning.
[37] And it cometh to pass in the morning, when the wine is gone out from Nabal, that his wife declareth to him these things, and his heart dieth within him, and he hath been as a stone.
[38] And it cometh to pass, in about ten days, that Jehovah smiteth Nabal, and he dieth,
[39] and David heareth that Nabal is dead, and saith, ‘Blessed is Jehovah who hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and His servant hath kept back from evil, and the wickedness of Nabal hath Jehovah turned back on his own head;’ and David sendeth and speaketh with Abigail, to take her to him for a wife.
[40] And the servants of David come in unto Abigail at Carmel, and speak unto her, saying, ‘David hath sent us unto thee to take thee to him for a wife.’
[41] And she riseth and boweth herself-face to the earth-and saith, ‘Lo, thy handmaid is for a maid-servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.’
[42] And Abigail hasteth and riseth, and rideth on the ass; and five of her young women who are going at her feet; and she goeth after the messengers of David, and is to him for a wife.
[43] And Ahinoam hath David taken from Jezreel, and they are-even both of them-to him for wives;
[44] and Saul gave Michal his daughter, wife to David, to Phalti son of Laish, who is of Gallim.