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1 Samuel 25:4
New International Version
While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep.

New Living Translation
When David heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep,

English Standard Version
David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

Berean Standard Bible
While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep.

King James Bible
And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.

New King James Version
When David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep,

New American Standard Bible
that David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

NASB 1995
that David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

NASB 1977
that David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

Legacy Standard Bible
that David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

Amplified Bible
David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

Christian Standard Bible
While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep,

American Standard Version
And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

Contemporary English Version
One day, Nabal was in Carmel where his servants were cutting the wool from his sheep. David was in the desert when he heard about it.

English Revised Version
And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
While David was in the desert, he heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

Good News Translation
and David, who was in the wilderness, heard about it,

International Standard Version
While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

Majority Standard Bible
While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep.

NET Bible
When David heard in the desert that Nabal was shearing his sheep,

New Heart English Bible
David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

Webster's Bible Translation
And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

World English Bible
David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And David hears in the wilderness that Nabal is shearing his flock,

Young's Literal Translation
And David heareth in the wilderness that Nabal is shearing his flock,

Smith's Literal Translation
And David will hear in the desert that Nabal sheared his sheep.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep,

Catholic Public Domain Version
Therefore, when David, in the desert, had heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep,

New American Bible
While in the wilderness, David heard that Nabal was shearing his flock,

New Revised Standard Version
David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal sheared his sheep
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And David heard in the wilderness, that Nabal the Carmelite was shearing his sheep.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David, Nabal, and Abigail
3His name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was harsh and evil in his dealings. 4While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep. 5So David sent ten young men and instructed them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel. Greet him in my name…

Cross References
1 Samuel 16:11
And Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied, “but he is tending the sheep.” “Send for him,” Samuel replied. “For we will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”

1 Samuel 23:15-18
While David was in Horesh in the Wilderness of Ziph, he saw that Saul had come out to take his life. / And Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and strengthened his hand in God, / saying, “Do not be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. And you will be king over Israel, and I will be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows this is true.” ...

1 Samuel 30:26-31
When David arrived in Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the LORD’s enemies.” / He sent gifts to those in Bethel, Ramoth Negev, and Jattir; / to those in Aroer, Siphmoth, and Eshtemoa; ...

2 Samuel 2:1-4
Some time later, David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” “Go up,” the LORD answered. Then David asked, “Where should I go?” “To Hebron,” replied the LORD. / So David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. / David also took the men who were with him, each with his household, and they settled in the towns near Hebron. ...

2 Samuel 16:1-2
When David had gone a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him. He had a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine. / “Why do you have these?” asked the king. Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the wilderness.”

2 Kings 4:8-10
One day Elisha went to Shunem, and a prominent woman who lived there persuaded him to have a meal. So whenever he would pass by, he would stop there to eat. / Then the woman said to her husband, “Behold, now I know that the one who often comes our way is a holy man of God. / Please let us make a small room upstairs and put in it a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp for him. Then when he comes to us, he can stay there.”

2 Kings 4:42-44
Now a man from Baal-shalishah came to the man of God with a sack of twenty loaves of barley bread from the first ripe grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha. / But his servant asked, “How am I to set twenty loaves before a hundred men?” “Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha, “for this is what the LORD says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.’” / So he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.

2 Kings 6:23
So the king prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. And the Aramean raiders did not come into the land of Israel again.

1 Chronicles 12:18
Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, the chief of the Thirty, and he said: “We are yours, O David! We are with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers, for your God helps you.” So David received them and made them leaders of his troops.

Nehemiah 8:10
Then Nehemiah told them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send out portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Job 1:13-15
One day, while Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, / a messenger came and reported to Job: “While the oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, / the Sabeans swooped down and took them away. They put the servants to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

Psalm 23:5
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Proverbs 3:27-28
Do not withhold good from the deserving when it is within your power to act. / Do not tell your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I will provide”—when you already have the means.

Proverbs 25:21-22
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. / For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.

Isaiah 32:8
But a noble man makes honorable plans; he stands up for worthy causes.


Treasury of Scripture

And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.

did shear

Genesis 38:13
And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.

2 Samuel 13:23
And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons.

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Cutting David Desert Heard Heareth Nabal Shear Shearing Sheep Waste Wilderness Wool Word
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Cutting David Desert Heard Heareth Nabal Shear Shearing Sheep Waste Wilderness Wool Word
1 Samuel 25
1. Samuel dies
2. David in Paran sends to Nabal
10. Provoked by Nabal's rudeness, he minds to destroy him
14. Abigail understanding thereof
18. takes a present
23. and by her wisdom
32. pacifies David
36. Nabal hearing thereof, dies
39. David takes Abigail and Ahinoam to be his wives
44. Michal is given to Phalti














While David was in the wilderness
The phrase "while David was in the wilderness" situates us in a period of David's life marked by exile and survival. The Hebrew word for "wilderness" is "midbar," which often refers to a desolate, uninhabited land. This setting is significant as it reflects David's status as a fugitive, fleeing from King Saul's pursuit. The wilderness is not just a physical location but also a spiritual metaphor for trials and testing. In biblical history, the wilderness is where God often meets His people, providing sustenance and revelation. For David, this time in the wilderness is a period of preparation and reliance on God's provision and guidance.

he heard
The phrase "he heard" indicates the transmission of information, which in ancient times relied heavily on word of mouth. The Hebrew root "shama" implies not just hearing but understanding and discerning. David's ability to hear about Nabal's activities suggests his network of informants and his strategic awareness. In a spiritual sense, hearing is often associated with obedience and responsiveness to God's voice. David's attentiveness to his surroundings and the events unfolding is a testament to his leadership and wisdom.

that Nabal
"Nabal" is a name that means "fool" or "senseless" in Hebrew. This name is prophetic of his character, as the narrative later reveals. Nabal's foolishness is not just a personal flaw but a spiritual condition that contrasts with David's wisdom and discernment. In the biblical context, a fool is someone who lives without regard for God or His commandments. Nabal's actions and decisions are a cautionary tale about the consequences of living without divine wisdom.

was shearing sheep
The activity of "shearing sheep" is significant both economically and culturally. Sheep shearing was a time of harvest and celebration, marking a period of abundance and festivity. In ancient Israel, it was customary to hold a feast during the shearing season, reflecting the prosperity and communal joy of the occasion. This context sets the stage for the unfolding drama between David and Nabal. The shearing of sheep symbolizes a time of potential generosity and hospitality, which Nabal fails to extend to David and his men. This failure highlights Nabal's character and sets up the moral and ethical contrasts that the narrative explores.

(4) And David heard in the wilderness.--The question of the support of the large band of devoted followers who obeyed David must have been usually a very anxious one. No doubt, contributions from the farmers and sheep-masters materially aided the supplies David and his men derived from their raids across the Philistine borders. It is likely enough that some of these contributions were not always willingly made; still, there is no doubt that the presence of the armed band of David during the latter years of Saul afforded considerable protection to the border land. His position resembled that of a modern Arab sheik of a friendly Bedaween tribe, and it is clear that on the whole his career as head of an army of free lances tended to popularise him among the southern tribes of Israel. Nabal's conduct appears to have been more than churlish and foolish, for David, according to the showing of Nabal's own shepherds, had on many occasions been of substantial service to them as they tended their flocks in exposed and dangerous localities. The testimony of these shepherd folk may be accepted generally as the popular estimate of David and his acts during this rough and sorely tried period of his life.

Verses 4, 5. - Though David had gone some distance southward of Carmel, yet it was worth his while to send men to Nabal's sheep shearing, as the maintenance of his numerous force must have been a continual difficulty. The large number, ten, also shows that he expected a liberal gift of food. Probably such missions were not uncommon, and the large sheep masters were glad to supply the wants of one who guarded their flocks and defended them from the incursions of the desert tribes.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
While David
דָּוִ֖ד (dā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

was in the wilderness,
בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר (bam·miḏ·bār)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4057: A pasture, a desert, speech

he heard
וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע (way·yiš·ma‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

that
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

Nabal
נָבָ֖ל (nā·ḇāl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5037: Nabal -- a man of Carmel

was shearing
גֹזֵ֥ז (ḡō·zêz)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1494: To cut off, to shear a, flock, shave the hair, to destroy an enemy

sheep.
צֹאנֽוֹ׃ (ṣō·nōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6629: Small cattle, sheep and goats, flock


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OT History: 1 Samuel 25:4 David heard in the wilderness that Nabal (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 25:3
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