And David said to his men, “Strap on your swords!” So David and all his men put on their swords, and about four hundred men followed David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.
Parallel translations
- WEB 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.
- KJV 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.
- NKJV Then David said to his men, “Every man gird on his sword.” So every man girded on his sword, and David also girded on his sword. And about four hundred men went with David, and two hundred stayed with the supplies.
- NASB Then David said to his men, “Each of you strap on his sword.” So each man strapped on his sword. And David also strapped on his sword, and about four hundred men went up behind David, while two hundred stayed with the baggage.
- NLT “Get your swords!” was David’s reply as he strapped on his own. Then 400 men started off with David, and 200 remained behind to guard their equipment.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David, enraged, arms four hundred men to take revenge on Nabal. The future king is on the verge of shedding blood in personal vengeance.
Overview
Stung by the insult, David musters his fighters and prepares to attack Nabal's household, a rash plan to avenge himself by the sword. This is a dangerous lapse from the restraint he showed toward Saul, revealing that even a man after God's own heart is vulnerable to anger. The episode sets up God's gracious intervention through Abigail to keep David from a grievous sin.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 1 Sam 23:13Then David and his men, about six hundred strong, set out and departed from Keilah, moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he declined to go forth.
- Jas 1:19–20My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
- Josh 9:14Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not seek the counsel of the LORD.
- 1 Sam 30:21–24When David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him from the Brook of Besor, they came out to meet him and the troops with him. As David approached the men, he greeted them,
- Prov 19:2Even zeal is no good without knowledge, and he who hurries his footsteps misses the mark.
- Prov 19:11A man’s insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense.
- Rom 12:19–21Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”
- 1 Sam 30:9–10So David and his six hundred men went to the Brook of Besor, where some stayed behind
- Prov 14:29A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.
- 1 Sam 24:5–6Afterward, David’s conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.
- Prov 25:8do not bring hastily to court. Otherwise, what will you do in the end when your neighbor puts you to shame?
- Prov 16:32He who is slow to anger is better than a warrior, and he who controls his temper is greater than one who captures a city.
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 25:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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