Now David had just finished saying, “In vain I have protected all that belonged to this man in the wilderness. Nothing that belongs to him has gone missing, yet he has paid me back evil for good.
Parallel translations
- WEB 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.
- KJV 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.
- NKJV Now David had said, “Surely in vain I have protected all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belongs to him. And he has repaid me evil for good.
- NASB Now David had said, “It is certainly for nothing that I have guarded everything that this man has in the wilderness, so that nothing has gone missing of all that belonged to him! For he has returned me evil for good.
- NLT David had just been saying, “A lot of good it did to help this fellow. We protected his flocks in the wilderness, and nothing he owned was lost or stolen. But he has repaid me evil for good.
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 recalls his unrewarded kindness, complaining that Nabal returned evil for good. His resentment fuels his vengeful intent.
Overview
David rehearses how he guarded Nabal's property in the wilderness only to be repaid with insult. His bitter reasoning justifies, in his own mind, the violent revenge he is set upon. The verse lays bare the wounded pride driving David toward sin and underscores how badly he needs the restraining word Abigail will bring.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Prov 17:13If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
- Rom 12:21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
- Eph 4:31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice.
- Eph 4:26“Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger,
- 1 Pet 2:20–23How is it to your credit if you are beaten for doing wrong and you endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
- 1 Th 5:15Make sure that no one repays evil for evil. Always pursue what is good for one another and for all people.
- 1 Pet 3:17For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
- Ps 37:8Refrain from anger and abandon wrath; do not fret—it can only bring harm.
- 1 Pet 3:9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
- Ps 35:12They repay me evil for good, to the bereavement of my soul.
- 1 Sam 25:13And 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.
- Job 30:8A senseless and nameless brood, they were driven off the land.
- Gen 44:4They had not gone far from the city when Joseph told his steward, “Pursue the men at once, and when you overtake them, ask, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?
- Jer 18:20Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before You to speak good on their behalf, to turn Your wrath from them.
- Ps 38:20Those who repay my good with evil attack me for pursuing the good.
- Ps 109:3–5They surround me with hateful words and attack me without cause.
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 25:21 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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