1 Samuel 25:1-27:12 NIV

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:1-44

MORE BROKEN PROMISES DAVID AND ABIGAIL (1 Samuel 25:0 ) The romance of this chapter has a setting like this: The Wilderness of Paran on the south was a common pasture like our prairies, and for this reason open to marauders from among the Arabs. David and his men must have been a protection to their countrymen from such incursions, and in the habit of receiving practical acknowledgments of their service. Nabal was a rich sheep owner who must have been indebted to them, and “good business,”... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:1

CONTENTS This Chapter contains a great variety of contents, in its relation. Here is an account of the death of Samuel; the character and behaviour of Nabal towards David; the sin-preventing providence of God, in causing Nabal's wife, by her prudence, to avert the intended destruction of Nabal and his house, by David; the death of Nabal, and the wife of Nabal becoming afterwards, the wife of David. 1 Samuel 25:1 (1) ¶ And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented... read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:1

Samuel died. The Rabbins say four months before Saul. (Seder, olam 13.) (Tirinus) --- Others believe about two years; and suppose that he was 98 years old, twenty of which he had been judge: (Calmet) Salien says 38, and that he lived seventy-seven years. (Menochius) --- On all these points the learned are divided, chap. vii. 15. They are more unanimous in praising (Haydock) the conduct of this most holy statesman. Grotius compares him with Aristides. (Calmet) --- But he Holy Ghost gives Samuel... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 25:1

1 All Israel lamented Samuel, and they had reason. He prayed daily for them. Those have hard hearts, who can bury faithful ministers without grief; who do not feel their loss of those who have prayed for them, and taught them the way of the Lord. read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - 1 Samuel 25:1-13

Nabal's Foolishness v. 1. And Samuel died, his death taking place at about this critical time in the history of Israel; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah, the entire nation thus honoring him as a great prophet, whose rule had been a blessing for Israel. And David arose, and went down to the Wilderness of Paran, the northern end of the Arabian desert. v. 2. And there was a man in Maon, 1 Samuel 23:24, a city southeast of... read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - 1 Samuel 25:1-44

VII. Samuel’s death. David’s march into the wilderness of Paran. The history of the foolish Nabal and the wise Abigail1 Samuel 25:1-441And Samuel died; and all the Israelites [Israel] were gathered together, and lamented him and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose and went down1 to the wilderness of Paran.22And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel. And the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats; and Hebrews 3:0 was shearing3... read more

Frederick Brotherton Meyer

F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:1

Kindness Wakens a Better Spirit 1 Samuel 24:16-22 ; 1 Samuel 25:1 David’s noble self-restraint, followed as it was by no less noble words, awoke the best side of Saul’s nature. Chords began to vibrate that had long been silent. The memory of happier days, before their intercourse had become clouded by jealousy and hatred, came trooping back, and Saul was himself again. Indeed, David’s appeal called forth from Saul a confession of his sin; and he went so far as to ask David to spare his... read more

G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 25:1-44

We now have the account of Samuel's death. Notwithstanding all Israel's failure to realize his high ideals, it was impossible that they should not recognize his greatness, and it is easy to believe that their mourning for him was the evidence of genuine sorrow. The story of Nabal, as here written, is intensely interesting. He was of a type which continues to this time. The whole fact is most forcibly expressed in the word "churlish." David's approach to him was characterized by fine courtesy,... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 25:1-3

The End Of A Prophet and An Introduction To A Fool (1 Samuel 25:1-3 ). The death of Samuel introduces a period of folly, possibly in order to bring out what the loss of his influence resulted in. This period commences with the story of Nabal the fool, (‘Nabal is his name and folly is with him’ - 1 Samuel 25:25) illustrative of the folly of the wealthy in Israel towards David under Saul, and continues with Saul’s further gross act of folly against David in which he declares, ‘I have played the... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 25:1-44

1 Samuel 25:1 b – 1 Samuel 25:44 . David, Nabal and Abigail (J).— From one of the oldest sources. The story is complete in itself, and has no obvious connexion with any of the other sections. 1 Samuel 25:1 b – 1 Samuel 25:13 . David goes to the wilderness of Paran at the S. of the Arabah ( 1 Samuel 23:24 *). (Some read “ Maon” for “ Paran” with LXX.) At Carmel ( 1 Samuel 15:12 *) there was a wealthy sheikh, Nabal, a member of the clan Caleb, whose headquarters were at Hebron ( Judges 1:20).... read more