1 Samuel 25:33 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand!

NIV: May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands.

NASB: and blessed be your discernment, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodshed and from avenging myself by my own hand.

CSB: May your discernment be blessed, and may you be blessed. Today you kept me from participating in bloodshed and avenging myself by my own hand.

NLT: Thank God for your good sense! Bless you for keeping me from murder and from carrying out vengeance with my own hands.

KJV: And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.

NKJV: And blessed is your advice and blessed are you, because you have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand.

First Samuel 25:32–38 shows the right way to respond to good advice. David listens to Abigail, the wife of a foolish husband who severely dishonored David. In return, David vowed to kill every male on the estate. Abigail quickly sent David a feast and gently rebuked him: he must not become king with innocent blood on his hands (1 Samuel 25:2–31). David praises her and God for stopping him. He takes his men and leaves. Abigail tells Nabal, who suffers a debilitating reaction and is struck dead by God ten days later. When David's men return, they will ask Abigail to marry the future king (1 Samuel 25:39–42).

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.

Accessed 9/30/2025 12:15:56 AM