1 Samuel 25

This chapter was originally written in the Hebrew language. It is divided into 22 verses.

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).{{sfn|Würthwein|1995|pp=35-37}} Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls including 4Q51 (4QSam{{sup|a}}; 100–50 BCE) with extant verses 3–12, 20–21, 25–27, 38–40{{sfn|Ulrich|2010|pp=285–286}}[https://thewaytoyahuweh.com/dead-sea-scrolls/general-info/#1_samuel Dead sea scrolls - 1 Samuel]{{sfn|Fitzmyer|2008|p=35}}[https://www.deadseascrolls.org.il/explore-the-archive/manuscript/4Q51-1 4Q51 at the Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library] and 4Q53 (4QSam{{sup|c}}; 100–75 BCE) with extant verses 30–31.{{sfn|Ulrich|2010|pp=285–286}}{{sfn|Fitzmyer|2008|p=35}}[https://www.deadseascrolls.org.il/explore-the-archive/manuscript/4Q53-1 4Q53 at the Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library]

Extant ancient manuscripts of a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint (originally was made in the last few centuries BCE) include Codex Vaticanus (B; $\backslash mathfrak\{G\}$^B; 4th century) and Codex Alexandrinus (A; $\backslash mathfrak\{G\}$^A; 5th century).{{sfn|Würthwein|1995|pp=73-74}}{{efn|The whole book of 1 Samuel is missing from the extant Codex Sinaiticus.{{Catholic Encyclopedia|wstitle=Codex Sinaiticus}}}}

{{Location map+

| Israel

| width=240

| float=right

| label= Ancient Israel

| caption= Places mentioned in this chapter

| places={{Location map~| Israel

|lat=31.703056 |long= 35.195556

|mark=Red_pog.svg

|marksize=6

|label=Bethlehem

|label_size=100

|position=right

}}{{Location map~| Israel

|lat= 31.823333 |long= 35.231111

|mark=Red_pog.svg

|marksize=6

|label=Gibeah

|label_size=100

|position=left

}}{{Location map~| Israel

|lat=31.533333 |long= 35.095

|mark=Red_pog.svg

|marksize=6

|label=Hebron

|label_size=100

|position=left

}}{{Location map~| Israel

|lat=31.409444 |long= 35.133889

|mark=Blue_pog.svg

|marksize=6

|label=Maon

|label_size=100

|position=right

}}{{Location map~| Israel

|lat= 31.4225 |long= 35.131111

|mark=Blue_pog.svg

|marksize=6

|label=Carmel

|label_size=100

|position=left

}}{{Location map~| Israel

|lat=31.85 |long= 35.23167

|mark=Blue_pog.svg

|marksize=6

|label=Ramah

|label_size=100

|position=top

}}{{Location map~| Israel

|lat=31.45 |long=35.383333

|mark=Red_pog.svg

|marksize=6

|label=Engedi

|label_size=100

|position=right

}}

}}

• Carmel
• Maon
• Paran
• Ramah

:And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah.

:And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.{{bibleverse|1 Samuel|25:1|KJV}} KJV

Samuel's death was at a time when Saul had acknowledged the issue of succession (24:20) and that David, the one anointed by Samuel, would come to the throne.{{sfn|Jones|2007|p=212}}

• "The wilderness of Paran" according to Masoretic Text. Septuagint has 'the wilderness of Maon'.{{sfn|Jones|2007|p=212}}

File:Schnorr von Carolsfeld Bibel in Bildern 1860 096.png]]

The accounts in 1 Samuel 24 and 26 report David's refusal to kill Saul as God's anointed, but in this chapter, he was almost guilty of killing many innocent people in the household of Nabal and Abigail who lived in Maon.{{sfn|Coogan|2007|p=437 Hebrew Bible}} Nabal (in Hebrew meaning 'fool') was a 'surly and mean' man, but his wife Abigail was 'clever and beautiful', personifying the fool and the virtuous wife in wisdom literature.{{sfn|Jones|2007|p=212}} The first part of the narrative (verses 2–12) detailed how Nabal foolishly refused David's request for provision, which was carefully structured in verses 5–8:{{sfn|Jones|2007|p=212}}

1. the offer of peace and friendship to Nabal and his house
2. a reminder that Nabal's shepherds were not harmed when they were with David's men (easily verifiable)
3. there is a request for supplies, as a compensation for David's protection to Nabal's shepherds.{{sfn|Jones|2007|p=212}}

Nabal behaved arrogantly with his two questions in verse 10 dismissing David as a nonentity and providing hints that he knew about David's breach with Saul ('men who come from I do not know where').{{sfn|Jones|2007|p=212}} The reference to Nabal as ben blliya'al in verse 17 may classify him with those who despised Saul when he was king-elect (1 Samuel 10:27) and suggest that Nabal also was rejecting a king-elect and refusing to pay him tribute.{{sfn|Jones|2007|p=212}} In anger of the humiliation, David was in danger of taking matters in his own hand and not relying on YHWH, but he was saved from taking foolish action through the interference of Abigail, Nabal's wife, who was informed of the situation by one of Nabal's servants, who liked David and was critical of his own master's rash response (verses 14–18). Abigail intercepted David as he was on his way to annihilate the house of Nabal (verse 22), without consulting her husband, who she counted as a fool (verse 25).{{sfn|Jones|2007|p=212}} She carried provisions to David and his men, among which were bread, wine, clusters of raisins and cakes of figs, which assuaged the wrath of David's men. Without Abigail's intervention David would have become guilty of 'blood-guilt' and would have 'taken vengeance' with his own hand instead of restraining himself and trusting God, as detailed in Abigail's words (verses 26–31) and David's response (verses 32–34).{{sfn|Jones|2007|p=212}} When Nabal died of sickness, David remembered Abigail (verse 30) and decided to take her as his wife, which also gave David another advantage, for the house of Nabal was a prominent member of the Calebite clan and had control over Hebron, so marrying Nabal's widow would give David control of that particular territory (cf. marrying Ahinoam of Jezreel as another wife), that would also be significant when David later was declared king at Hebron (2 Samuel 2:1–4).{{sfn|Jones|2007|p=212}}

:So David sent ten young men. And David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal and greet him in my name.{{bibleref2|1 Samuel |25:5|ESV}} ESV

• "Carmel": was the same place where Saul built a monument for himself (1 Samuel 15:12), so Nabal could actually be a supporter of Saul.{{sfn|Evans|2018|p=257}}

: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.{{bibleref2|1 Samuel |25:39|NKJV}} NKJV

• "Abigail" became David's third wife, after marrying Michal (who has been given to marriage to another man by Saul; 1 Samuel 25:44) and Ahinoam of Jezreel (not the same as Ahinoam, the wife of Saul).{{sfn|Evans|2018|p=257}}{{sfn|Coogan|2007|p=439 Hebrew Bible}}

{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|

• Anointing
• Belial
• Caleb
• Drunkenness
• Israelites
• Jesse
• Israel
• Laish
• Michal
• Phalti
• Philistines
• Sling (weapon)}}
• Related Bible parts: 1 Samuel 24, 1 Samuel 26, 1 Chronicles 3

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

{{Refbegin}}

• {{Cite book|last=Auld|first=Graeme|chapter=1 & 2 Samuel|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&pg=PA213 |editor=James D. G. Dunn and John William Rogerson|title=Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible|publisher=Eerdmans|year=2003|isbn=9780802837110}}
• {{Cite book|last=Bergen|first=David T.|title=1, 2 Samuel|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eGT6fWsajqcC |publisher=B&H Publishing Group|year=1996|isbn=9780805401073}}
• {{Cite book| last=Chapman |first= Stephen B. |title= 1 Samuel as Christian Scripture: A Theological Commentary |publisher= Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company |year= 2016 |isbn= 978-1467445160 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=kS4XDAAAQBAJ }}
• {{Cite book| last=Evans |first= Paul |title= 1-2 Samuel | series = The Story of God Bible Commentary | editor-first= Tremper | editor-last= Longman |publisher= Zondervan Academic |year= 2018 |isbn= 978-0310490944 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Uy8-DwAAQBAJ }}
• {{Cite book|last=Gordon|first=Robert|title=I & II Samuel, A Commentary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JMJ1ZAnswuUC&dq=I+%26+II+Samuel:+a+commentary+Gordon&pg=PA338|publisher=Paternoster Press |year=1986 |isbn=9780310230229}}
• {{Cite book|last=Hertzberg|first=Hans Wilhelm|title=I & II Samuel, A Commentary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=friNN7IdjOIC&q=Saul+appointed+anointed+instituted&pg=PA19|publisher=Westminster John Knox Press|year=1964|edition=trans. from German 2nd edition 1960|isbn=978-0664223182|page=19}}
• {{Cite book|last=Tsumura|first=David Toshio|title=The First Book of Samuel|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iLKAlhLDkMwC |publisher=Eerdmans|year=2007|isbn=9780802823595}}

{{Refend}}

{{Refbegin}}

• {{Cite book|last=Breytenbach|first=Andries|title=Past, Present, Future: the Deuteronomistic History and the Prophets |publisher= Brill| year=2000|chapter=Who Is Behind The Samuel Narrative? |chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=uP22QHpnKq8C&dq=Breytenbach+Who+is+behind+the+Samuel+narrative&pg=PA50|editor=Johannes Cornelis de Moor and H.F. Van Rooy|isbn=9789004118713}}
• {{cite book | last= Coogan| first = Michael David | author-link= Michael D. Coogan | title = The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: New Revised Standard Version, Issue 48 | editor-last1 = Coogan | editor-first1= Michael David | editor-first2 = Marc Zvi | editor-last2 = Brettler | editor-first3 = Carol Ann | editor-last3 = Newsom | editor-first4= Pheme | editor-last4 = Perkins | edition= Augmented 3rd | publisher = Oxford University Press | year = 2007 |isbn = 978-0195288810 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=HmpMPgAACAAJ}}
• {{cite book|last = Fitzmyer|first = Joseph A.|authorlink= Joseph Fitzmyer |title = A Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature|publisher = William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=TILXeWJ2eNAC | year = 2008|isbn = 9780802862419|location = Grand Rapids, MI }}
• {{cite book | last= Halley | first= Henry H. | author-link= Henry Hampton Halley | title= Halley's Bible Handbook: an abbreviated Bible commentary |edition=24th (revised)| publisher= Zondervan Publishing House | date= 1965 | url= https://archive.org/details/halleysbiblehand00henr | url-access= registration| isbn= 0-310-25720-4}}
• {{Cite book | last = Hayes | first = Christine | title = Introduction to the Bible |publisher = Yale University Press | year = 2015 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=SKbkXYHxvlAC |isbn = 978-0300188271}}
• {{cite book|last= Jones | first= Gwilym H. | chapter = 12. 1 and 2 Samuel | title=The Oxford Bible Commentary | editor-first1=John | editor-last1 = Barton | editor1-link = John Barton (theologian) | editor-first2=John | editor-last2= Muddiman | editor2-link = John Muddiman | publisher = Oxford University Press | edition= first (paperback) | year = 2007 | pages = 196–232 | isbn = 978-0199277186 | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ZJdVkgEACAAJ | access-date=February 6, 2019}}
• {{Cite book|last=Klein|first=R.W.|chapter=Samuel, books of|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6OJvO2jMCr8C |editor=Bromiley, Geoffrey W|title=The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia|publisher=Eerdmans|year=2003|isbn=9780802837844}}
• {{Cite book|last=Knight|first=Douglas A|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SNLN1nEEys0C&q=630+BCE&pg=PA62|editor=James Luther Mays, David L. Petersen and Kent Harold Richards|chapter=Chapter 4 Deuteronomy and the Deuteronomists|title=Old Testament Interpretation|publisher=T&T Clark|year=1995|isbn=9780567292896 }}
• {{Cite book | editor-last = Ulrich | editor-first = Eugene | title = The Biblical Qumran Scrolls: Transcriptions and Textual Variants | year = 2010 | publisher = Brill | url = https://archive.org/details/TheBiblicalQumranScrolls }}
• {{cite book | last = Würthwein | first = Ernst | author-link = Ernst Würthwein | title = The Text of the Old Testament | publisher = Wm. B. Eerdmans |location = Grand Rapids, MI | year= 1995 | translator-first1 = Erroll F.| translator-last1 = Rhodes | isbn = 0-8028-0788-7 | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=FSNKSBObCYwC | access-date= January 26, 2019}}

{{Refend}}

• Jewish translations:
• [https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/15854/showrashi/true Shmuel I - I Samuel - Chapter 25 (Judaica Press)]. Hebrew text and English translation [with Rashi's commentary] at Chabad.org
• Christian translations:
• [http://www.gospelhall.org/bible/bible.php?passage=1+Samuel+25 Online Bible at GospelHall.org] (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
• [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=9&chapter=25&version=9 1 Samuel chapter 25. Bible Gateway]

{{First Book of Samuel}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Samuel 1 25}}

25

Category:Samuel

Category:David