1 Samuel 25 14

1 Samuel 25:14 kjv

But 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 on them.

1 Samuel 25:14 nkjv

Now one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, "Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master; and he reviled them.

1 Samuel 25:14 niv

One of the servants told Abigail, Nabal's wife, "David sent messengers from the wilderness to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them.

1 Samuel 25:14 esv

But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, "Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he railed at them.

1 Samuel 25:14 nlt

Meanwhile, one of Nabal's servants went to Abigail and told her, "David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, but he screamed insults at them.

1 Samuel 25 verses

1 Samuel 25 14 Meaning

This verse serves as a critical turning point in the narrative of 1 Samuel chapter 25, revealing the urgent crisis initiated by Nabal's egregious insult to David and his men. A discerning young man, who was a servant in Nabal's household, courageously reported Nabal's defiant and disrespectful treatment of David's messengers to Abigail, Nabal's wife. This action immediately set into motion Abigail's wise and decisive intervention, which ultimately prevented David from executing his intended swift vengeance and bloodshed against Nabal and his household. The core meaning is the pivotal relay of vital, alarming information from a faithful servant to a wise woman, triggering the turning point from imminent wrath to averted disaster.

1 Samuel 25 14 Context

1 Samuel chapter 25 recounts David's interactions during his fugitive years in the wilderness, specifically highlighting the sharp contrast between two individuals, Nabal and Abigail. Before this verse, David, along with his 600 men, had been protecting Nabal's shepherds and flocks in the wilderness near Carmel. During shearing season, a time of feasting and generosity, David sent messengers to Nabal, a very wealthy man, politely requesting provisions in return for the protection rendered. However, Nabal, whose name means "fool" or "senseless," harshly rebuffed David's request, insulting David and his men. Upon hearing Nabal's contemptuous response (1 Sam 25:10-11), David became enraged and, preparing to execute a massive vengeance, vowed to wipe out Nabal and all his males. Verse 14 initiates the critical response to this escalating conflict. Historically and culturally, hospitality was a sacred duty in the ancient Near East, especially towards those who provided protection. Nabal's refusal was not just a lack of generosity but a grave breach of custom and an act of extreme provocation. His description as a "son of Belial" (1 Sam 25:17) aligns him with lawless, worthless individuals (as seen in Deut 13:13 or Judg 19:22), highlighting his wickedness in stark contrast to God's standards and indirectly polemicizing against such conduct.

1 Samuel 25 14 Word analysis

• "But" (וְאֶחָד - ve'eḥad): Signifies a sudden shift or counter-action to Nabal's folly and David's anger. It indicates an intervention in a dangerous trajectory. This small conjunction carries significant narrative weight, introducing the one who brings the crucial turning point.
• "one of the young men" (מֵהַנְּעָרִים - mehann'arim): Refers to a male servant, likely a shepherd or household worker under Nabal. His anonymity highlights that God can work through any individual, even those in humble positions, to avert disaster. His insight and courage in assessing the grave danger differentiate him from Nabal.
• "told" (הִגִּיד - higīd): Means to declare, make known, or inform. It implies a direct and urgent communication of critical information. The verb suggests an immediate disclosure of a severe and pressing issue.
• "Abigail, Nabal's wife" (לַאֲבִיגַיִל אֵשֶׁת נָבָל - la'ăvīgayil ʾēšet Nāvāl): Specifies the recipient of the message. Abigail's name means "my father is joy" or "my father is abundance," contrasting with Nabal's name, "fool." Her role as Nabal's wife gives her legitimate authority and reason to intervene on behalf of her household.
• "saying" (לֵאמֹר - lēmōr): Introduces the direct quote of the servant's message.
• "Indeed" / "Truly" (הִנֵּה - hinnēh): An interjection used to draw immediate attention, signifying the importance and urgency of the message. It's a call to witness the critical details about to be shared.
• "David sent messengers" (שָׁלַח דָּוִד מַלְאָכִים - šālaḥ Davīd mal'āḵîm): Establishes the authority and formality of the approach. "Messengers" (mal'aḵim) often conveyed official requests or decrees. This indicates David acted with a sense of entitlement, though respectfully.
• "from the wilderness" (מֵהַמִּדְבָּר - mêhamidbār): Emphasizes David's challenging circumstances as a fugitive and his precarious living situation, yet his protection had benefited Nabal's property. It also signifies the distance and danger of his camp.
• "to greet our master" (לְבָרֵךְ אֶת אֲדֹנֵינוּ - ləvārekh et ʾădōnēnū): The Hebrew word lebarekh often means "to bless." While a polite greeting, in this context, it was a culturally understood request for provisions or a reciprocal gift. David was acknowledging Nabal's wealth and respectfully asking for what was due. The servant still acknowledges Nabal as "our master," indicating a sense of loyalty to the household even while seeking its preservation from Nabal's foolishness.
• "and he reviled them" (וַיִּשְׁתָּעֵר בָּהֶם - vayyištaʿer bahhem): This is the crux of the offense. The verb shaʿar (שׂט״ע) indicates exceedingly rude, harsh, scornful, or abusive treatment, equating David's honorable messengers to "scoundrels" or "worthless men" (paralleling Nabal calling David a "son of Belial" earlier). This word strongly conveys Nabal's contempt and maliciousness, which profoundly insulted David and instigated his wrath.

Words-Group Analysis

• "But one of the young men told Abigail": This phrase introduces the divine Providence at work, using an anonymous, seemingly insignificant servant to redirect a tragic event. It highlights the importance of informed communication and courage in times of crisis, where one individual's discerning act can change the course of many lives. This act of breaking ranks (from loyalty to Nabal's poor judgment) in order to secure the household's future showcases immense prudence and wisdom, implicitly guided by God.
• "David sent messengers...to greet our master; and he reviled them": This concise summary encapsulates Nabal's double transgression: his failure in basic hospitality, specifically his refusal of a legitimate and customary request for aid, and his utter contempt and insolence shown to God's anointed leader and his representatives. The severity of Nabal's actions, as relayed in this potent sentence, immediately alerts Abigail to the catastrophic danger her household faces. It frames Nabal's character perfectly – he does not merely refuse but does so with spiteful words, triggering a justified, though wrathful, response from David.

1 Samuel 25 14 Bonus section

• The Power of an Anonymous Witness: The "young man" is never named, yet his brave and timely report is pivotal. This echoes how God often works through unnamed or seemingly insignificant individuals throughout Scripture to accomplish His sovereign will (e.g., the little servant girl of Naaman's wife in 2 Kings 5, the boy with the loaves and fish in John 6). His courage highlights a loyalty that supersedes immediate obedience to a foolish master when the well-being of the entire household is at stake.
• Contrasting Discretion: This servant possesses a practical discretion that Nabal entirely lacks, and he identifies the parallel wisdom in Abigail. This highlights how discernment is not tied to status or power, but to character and spiritual insight, capable of perceiving danger others ignore.
• Nabal's Moral Bankruptcy: The term "reviled them" points to Nabal's complete moral and social bankruptcy. His actions were a deliberate act of contempt against David, an "outlaw" who, paradoxically, was God's chosen king. Nabal's folly was not mere ignorance, but active wickedness.
• The Weight of Hospitality: In this culture, refusing a plea for provisions, especially from someone who had provided protection, was a grave sin, risking social isolation and invoking divine disfavor. The servant knew this cultural expectation and its severe breach by Nabal.

1 Samuel 25 14 Commentary

This verse is the lynchpin of the entire narrative, transitioning from Nabal's destructive folly to Abigail's salvific wisdom. It reveals that within Nabal's household, there was at least one perceptive servant who understood the gravity of Nabal's insult and its dire consequences. While Nabal himself was oblivious to the danger, this "young man" showed a keen sense of discernment and remarkable courage in directly approaching Abigail, bypassing Nabal's likely anger. This act of informing was a desperate plea for help and an act of loyalty to the household itself, more than to its foolish master. It sets the stage for Abigail to demonstrate her "good understanding" and "discretion" (1 Sam 25:3), highlighting that true wisdom can emerge from unexpected places and must often step into voids created by foolish leadership to avert destruction. The entire chapter hinges on this brief report, which activates the narrative's central theme of divine intervention through human instruments to preserve God's purposes and prevent the righteous from stumbling into sin.