then my lord will have no remorse or guilt of conscience over needless bloodshed and revenge. And when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, may you remember your maidservant.”
Parallel translations
- WEB that this shall be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. When Yahweh has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.”
- KJV That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.
- NKJV that this will be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. But when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your maidservant.”
- NASB this will not become an obstacle to you, or a troubled heart to my lord, both by having shed blood without cause and by my lord’s having avenged himself. When the Lord deals well with my lord, then remember your slave.”
- NLT don’t let this be a blemish on your record. Then your conscience won’t have to bear the staggering burden of needless bloodshed and vengeance. And when the Lord has done these great things for you, please remember me, your servant!”
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 warns that needless bloodshed would later trouble David's conscience, and asks him to remember her. She helps him avoid a regret that would stain his reign.
Overview
Abigail wisely foresees that shedding blood without cause and avenging himself would become a grief and stumbling block to David in days to come. She urges him to spare himself that burden and to remember her kindness when God prospers him. Her appeal to David's future peace of conscience reflects deep wisdom about the lasting weight of sin and the blessing of restraint.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Gen 40:14But when it goes well for you, please remember me and show me kindness by mentioning me to Pharaoh, that he might bring me out of this prison.
- Rom 12:19Do 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 25:33Blessed is your discernment, and blessed are you, because today you kept me from bloodshed and from avenging myself by my own hand.
- Luke 23:42Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!”
- 1 Sam 24:15May the LORD be our judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver me from your hand.”
- 1 Sam 25:40When his servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they said, “David has sent us to take you as his wife.”
- Ps 94:1O LORD, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth.
- Prov 5:12–13and you will say, “How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof!
- 2 Sam 22:48the God who avenges me and brings down nations beneath me,
- 1 Sam 26:23May the LORD repay every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. For the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed.
- Rom 14:21It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything to cause your brother to stumble.
- 2 Cor 1:12And this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in relation to you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God—not in worldly wisdom, but in the grace of God.
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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 25:31 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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