In fact, day and night they were like a wall of protection to us and the sheep.
Parallel translations
- WEB They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
- KJV They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
- BSB They were a wall around us, both day and night, the whole time we were herding our sheep near them.
- NKJV They were a wall to us both by night and day, all the time we were with them keeping the sheep.
- NASB They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the time we were with them tending the sheep.
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's men were a protective wall around the shepherds day and night. They had served as constant guardians during the dangerous work.
Overview
The servant describes David's company as a defensive wall sheltering Nabal's shepherds through every danger of the open fields. The image conveys how thoroughly David had blessed Nabal's interests. Such faithful protection makes Nabal's contempt all the more inexcusable and David's grievance all the more legitimate.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Job 1:10Haven’t you made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
- Exod 14:22The children of Israel went into the middle of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left.
- Zech 2:5For I,’ says Yahweh, ‘will be to her a wall of fire around it, and I will be the glory in the middle of her.
- Jer 15:20I will make you to this people a fortified bronze wall; and they shall fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you; for I am with you to save you and to deliver you,” says Yahweh.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 25:16 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.