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.
Parallel translations
- WEB 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.
- BSB She fell at his feet and said, “My lord, may the blame be on me alone, but please let your servant speak to you; hear the words of your servant.
- NKJV So she fell at his feet and said: “On me, my lord, on me let this iniquity be! And please let your maidservant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your maidservant.
- NASB She fell at his feet and said, “On me alone, my lord, be the blame. And please let your slave speak to you, and listen to the words of your slave.
- NLT She fell at his feet and said, “I accept all blame in this matter, my lord. Please listen to what I have to say.
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
Abigail takes the blame upon herself and begs David to hear her. She intercedes by bearing guilt she did not personally incur.
Overview
Falling at David's feet, Abigail asks that the blame rest on her and pleads for a hearing. Her willingness to take responsibility for another's offense reflects a mediator's heart, standing between the offender and the avenger. This self-giving intercession faintly foreshadows the greater Mediator who bore the guilt of others to turn away wrath.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Esth 8:3And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.
- 1 Sam 25:28I 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.
- 2 Sam 14:9And the woman of Tekoah said unto the king, My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father’s house: and the king and his throne be guiltless.
- Phlm 1:18–19If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;
- 2 Kgs 4:37Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.
- Matt 18:29And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
- Gen 44:18Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.
- 2 Sam 14:12Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.
- Gen 44:33–34Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.
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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 25:24 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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