And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife.
Parallel translations
- WEB When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed is Yahweh, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from evil. Yahweh has returned the evildoing of Nabal on his own head.” David sent and spoke concerning Abigail, to take her to himself as wife.
- BSB On hearing that Nabal was dead, David said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has upheld my cause against the reproach of Nabal and has restrained His servant from evil. For the LORD has brought the wickedness of Nabal down upon his own head.” Then David sent word to Abigail, asking for her in marriage.
- NKJV So when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept His servant from evil! For the Lord has returned the wickedness of Nabal on his own head.” And David sent and proposed to Abigail, to take her as his wife.
- NASB When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has pleaded the cause of the shame inflicted on me by the hand of Nabal, and has kept back His servant from evil. The Lord has also returned the evildoing of Nabal on his own head.” Then David sent a proposal to Abigail, to take her as his wife.
- NLT When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise the Lord, who has avenged the insult I received from Nabal and has kept me from doing it myself. Nabal has received the punishment for his sin.” Then David sent messengers to Abigail to ask her to become his wife.
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 praises God for judging Nabal and keeping him from sin, then seeks to marry Abigail. He rejoices that the Lord vindicated him without his own vengeance.
Overview
On hearing of Nabal's death, David blesses Yahweh for pleading his cause, returning Nabal's evil on his own head, and restraining David from wrongdoing. His response models gratitude that God repays evil so His people need not. David then sends for Abigail, the wise woman whose intercession saved him, to take her as his wife, joining her wisdom to his household.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 24
- Prov 22:23For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
- 1 Sam 25:26Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the LORD hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.
- 1 Sam 25:34For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.
- Ps 7:16His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.
- 1 Kgs 2:44The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father: therefore the LORD shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head;
- 1 Sam 24:15The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.
- 1 Sam 25:32And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me:
- Judg 5:2Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.
- 2 Tim 4:18And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
- 2 Sam 3:28–29And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner:
- Prov 19:14House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the LORD.
- Song 8:8We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for?
- Prov 18:22Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.
- Hos 2:6–7Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths.
- Prov 31:30Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
- 2 Sam 22:47–49The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.
- Rev 19:1–4And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
- Esth 7:10So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.
- Lam 3:58–60O LORD, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life.
- Ps 58:10–11The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
- Mic 7:9I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.
- 1 Th 5:23And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Prov 31:10Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
- 2 Cor 13:7Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.
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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.
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Original language
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