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1 Samuel 25:17

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does 1 Samuel 25:17 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his house: for he is such a worthless fellow, that one cannot speak to him.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his house: for he is such a worthless fellow, that one cannot speak to him.
1 Samuel 25:17 — American Standard Version

Context — 1 Samuel 25

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
14But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal`s wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed at them.
15But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we anything, as long as we went with them, when we were in the fields:
16they were a wall unto us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
17Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his house: for he is such a worthless fellow, that one cannot speak to him.
18Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched grain, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.
19And she said unto her young men, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal.
20And it was so, as she rode on her ass, and came down by the covert of the mountain, that, behold, David and his men came down toward her; and she met them.
← 1 Samuel 25:161 Samuel 25:18 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do, etc.] For the preservation of her family: for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household; which he concluded, either from something that dropped from David’s messengers, as they turned away from Nabal; or from the martial spirit of David himself, who would never put up such an affront and indignity cast upon him; or from some intelligence he had of David’s arming his men, and marching to take vengeance: for he [is such] a son of Belial, that [a man] cannot speak to him; meaning Nabal, who was such a worthless, passionate, and ill natured man, such a lawless and imperious one, that he would not suffer a man to speak…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Can not speak - But he flies into a passion. 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 25:18”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“evil: Sa1 20:7, Sa1 20:9, Sa1 20:33; Ch2 25:16; Est 7:7 a son of Belial: Sa1 25:25, Sa1 2:12; Deu 13:13; Jdg 19:22; Sa2 23:6, Sa2 23:7; Kg1 21:10, Kg1 21:13; Ch2 13:7 that a man: Sa1 20:32, Sa1 20:33; Kg2 5:13, Kg2 5:14 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 25:18”
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Related study paths

Read 1 Samuel 25 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification