1 Samuel 25:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Nabal answered David 's servants, "Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters.

NIV: Nabal answered David’s servants, "Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days.

NASB: But Nabal answered David’s servants and said, 'Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants today who are each breaking away from his master.

CSB: Nabal asked them, "Who is David? Who is Jesse’s son? Many slaves these days are running away from their masters.

NLT: Who is this fellow David?' Nabal sneered to the young men. 'Who does this son of Jesse think he is? There are lots of servants these days who run away from their masters.

KJV: And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.

NKJV: Then Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, “Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants nowadays who break away each one from his master.

First Samuel 25:9–13 proves that Nabal deserves his name, which means "fool." David's men have been protecting Nabal's shepherds, who haven't lost a single lamb. But when David requests a bit of gratitude (1 Samuel 25:2–8), Nabal sneers and calls David a runaway slave. David is furious. He takes 400 armed men to kill Nabal and all his male servants. Fortunately, Nabal's wise wife, Abigail, will intercept David with both food and wise counsel (1 Samuel 25:14–35).

David learns to give grace to people other than King Saul. Samuel dies, and Saul temporarily leaves David alone. David and his men protect the shepherds of the foolish Nabal. When Nabal refuses to reward David, David vows revenge on him and all his male servants. Nabal's wife, Abigail, rushes to David with food and a warning that David shouldn't carry the shame of killing Nabal and the servants when he becomes king. David listens, Nabal dies, and David marries Abigail. Soon the truce will end, and David will meet Saul one last time (1 Samuel 26).

David spared Saul's life, and the grateful king gives David some peace (1 Samuel 24). God has protected David numerous times from having to fight Saul. When a wealthy fool insults David, only the fool's wife, Abigail, keeps David from destroying the entire estate. Once again, God has kept David from needless bloodshed. Saul will later break the truce, but David still refuses to kill his enemy (1 Samuel 26). When David is ready to battle Saul, God prevents it (1 Samuel 29).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.