Now when Abigail saw David, she dismounted quickly from the donkey, fell on her face before David, and bowed down to the ground.
Parallel translations
- WEB When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got off of her donkey, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground.
- KJV 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,
- BSB When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey, fell facedown, and bowed before him.
- NASB When Abigail saw David, she hurried and dismounted from her donkey, and fell on her face in front of David and bowed herself to the ground.
- NLT When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed low before him.
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
Seeing David, Abigail quickly dismounts and bows low before him. Her humble approach begins her appeal for peace.
Overview
Abigail hurries off her donkey and prostrates herself before David in deep humility and respect. Her posture signals submission and earnest intercession on behalf of her household. This act of self-abasement, from a woman of standing toward a fugitive, models the humility that disarms wrath and prepares the way for reconciliation.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- 1 Sam 20:41As soon as the boy was gone, David arose out of the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times. They kissed one another, and wept one with another, and David wept the most.
- Judg 1:14When she came, she got him to ask her father for a field. She dismounted from off of her donkey; and Caleb said to her, “What would you like?”
- Josh 15:18When she came, she had him ask her father for a field. She got off of her donkey, and Caleb said, “What do you want?”
- 1 Sam 24:8David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and showed respect.
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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 25:23 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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