1 Samuel 25:17

Wisdom Conflict and reconciliation Pride

¹⁵ Yet these men were very good to us. When we were in the field, we were not harassed, and nothing of ours went missing the whole time we lived among them.

¹⁶ They were a wall around us, both day and night, the whole time we were herding our sheep near them.

Now consider carefully what you must do, because disaster looms over our master and all his household. For he is such a scoundrel that nobody can speak to him!”

¹⁸ Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five butchered sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs. She loaded them on donkeys

¹⁹ and said to her young men, “Go ahead of me. I will be right behind you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Now consider carefully what you must do, because disaster looms over our master and all his household. For he is such a scoundrel that nobody can speak to him!”
KJV: Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.
WEB: Now therefore know and consider what you will do; for evil is determined against our master and against all his house, for he is such a worthless fellow that one can’t speak to him.”
ASV: Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his house: for he is such a worthless fellow, that one cannot speak to him.
DARBY: And now know and consider what thou wilt do, for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household; and he is such a son of Belial, that one cannot speak to him.
BLB: And now know and consider what you will do. For harm is determined against our master and against all his house. And he [is] too much a son of worthlessness to speak to him.”

ÅB: Tenk nå etter, så du vet hva du skal gjøre! For ulykken henger over vår herre og hele hans hus, og selv er han et ondt menneske, så ingen kan tale til ham.
OTB: Vær nå klar over og vurder hva du skal gjøre, for skade er bestemt mot vår herre og mot hele hans hus; og han er en slik verdiløs mann at ingen kan snakke til ham."
B1930: Tenk nu efter, så du vet hvad du skal gjøre! For ulykken henger over vår herre og hele hans hus, og selv er han et ondt menneske, så ingen kan tale til ham.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Deuteronomy 13:13
that wicked men have arisen from among you and have led the people of their city astray, saying, “Let us go and serve other gods” (which you have not known),
Read in context
1 Samuel 20:7
If he says, ‘Good,’ then your servant is safe, but if he is enraged, you will know he has evil intentions.
Read in context
1 Samuel 25:25
My lord should pay no attention to this scoundrel Nabal, for he lives up to his name: His name means Fool, and folly accompanies him. I, your servant, did not see my lord’s young men whom you sent.
Read in context
1 Samuel 20:9
“Never!” Jonathan replied. “If I ever found out that my father had evil intentions against you, would I not tell you?”
Read in context
1 Samuel 2:12
Now the sons of Eli were wicked men; they had no regard for the LORD
Read in context
2 Samuel 23:6–7
But the worthless are all like thorns raked aside, for they can never be gathered by hand.
Read in context
Judges 19:22
While they were enjoying themselves, suddenly the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they said to the old man who owned the house, “Bring out the man who came to your house, so we can have relations with him!”
Read in context
2 Chronicles 25:16
While he was still speaking, the king asked, “Have we made you the counselor to the king? Stop! Why be struck down?” So the prophet stopped, but he said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not heeded my advice.”
Read in context