1 Samuel 25 28

1 Samuel 25:28 kjv

I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days.

1 Samuel 25:28 nkjv

Please forgive the trespass of your maidservant. For the LORD will certainly make for my lord an enduring house, because my lord fights the battles of the LORD, and evil is not found in you throughout your days.

1 Samuel 25:28 niv

"Please forgive your servant's presumption. The LORD your God will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because you fight the LORD's battles, and no wrongdoing will be found in you as long as you live.

1 Samuel 25:28 esv

Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the LORD, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live.

1 Samuel 25:28 nlt

Please forgive me if I have offended you in any way. The LORD will surely reward you with a lasting dynasty, for you are fighting the LORD's battles. And you have not done wrong throughout your entire life.

1 Samuel 25 verses

1 Samuel 25 28 Meaning

In this verse, Abigail, through profound spiritual insight, entreats David for forgiveness concerning her husband Nabal's insult and foolishness. She proactively declares a divine promise to David: that the Lord Himself will certainly establish a lasting and stable royal dynasty for him. This divine assurance is grounded in David's calling to fight the Lord's battles, ensuring he will be divinely protected and free from enduring evil or failure throughout his appointed lifetime.

1 Samuel 25 28 Context

First Samuel chapter 25 portrays a pivotal moment in David's journey while he is fleeing from King Saul. Having recently lost the prophet Samuel, David's band of men are providing protection to the shepherds and flocks of Nabal, a wealthy but arrogant man in Maon. When David, in keeping with cultural custom, respectfully requests provisions for his men during sheep-shearing, Nabal contemptuously insults David and his men. Incensed by this dishonor, David, initially driven by human anger, resolves to annihilate Nabal and his entire household. It is at this critical juncture that Abigail, Nabal's discerning wife, intervenes without his knowledge. She humbly approaches David with abundant provisions and, through this eloquent plea, skillfully defuses David's wrath, prevents him from taking blood vengeance, and reminds him of God's overarching plan for his life. This verse is the powerful heart of her diplomatic appeal, revealing her profound faith and insight into David's future.

1 Samuel 25 28 Word analysis

• "Please forgive" (נָשָׂא - nasa'): This Hebrew word means "to lift," "to bear," or "to carry away." In the context of sin or trespass, it means "to pardon" or "to forgive," implying the removal of the burden of the offense. Abigail's plea is an humble, direct request for absolution of the wrong committed.
• "the trespass" (פֶּשַׁע - pesha'): Refers to a transgression, rebellion, or deliberate offense. Nabal's actions were not merely an oversight but a conscious act of contempt and rebellion against David's authority and status, despite David being God's anointed. Abigail correctly identifies its severity.
• "of your servant": Abigail humbles herself and implicitly takes responsibility for her household's offense, positioning herself as a subservient petitioner. This strategic self-abasement allows David to show grace without compromising his dignity.
• "for the Lord": This phrase immediately shifts the focus from human conflict to divine will. Abigail asserts that the overarching plan for David is orchestrated by God, not by David's own strength or personal vengeance. It underlines divine agency in David's destiny.
• "will certainly make": This is an emphatic Hebrew construction (infinitive absolute of the verb בָּנָה - banah), banoh yibneh. It means "to build" or "to establish firmly." The double verb intensifies the certainty of the action, signifying an irrevocable, divine decree. It conveys absolute assurance and future inevitability.
• "my lord a sure house" (בַּיִת נֶאֱמָן - bayit ne'eman): Bayit means "house" but in this context signifies a royal dynasty or lineage. Ne'eman means "faithful," "sure," "trustworthy," or "enduring." Abigail prophetically declares David's future establishment of a stable, faithful, and enduring kingship, which will later be explicitly revealed as the Davidic Covenant in 2 Samuel 7. This is a profound recognition of David's divine election.
• "because my lord fights the battles of the Lord": (מִלְחֲמֹות יְהוָה - milchamot YHVH). This defines David's role as God's chosen warrior. These are not just any battles, but wars specifically initiated and directed by the Lord for the protection and advancement of His people and kingdom. This provides legitimacy to David's mission and distinguishes him as a righteous servant of God, worthy of divine support.
• "and evil" (רָעָה - ra'ah): Can mean misfortune, calamity, or moral wickedness. Here it refers to ultimate harm, failure, or a negative outcome, both in terms of being destroyed by enemies or suffering a divinely imposed setback.
• "will not be found in you": This phrase carries the implication of divine protection. David will not meet an inglorious end, nor will ultimate calamity permanently derail his divinely appointed path. It speaks to a promised enduring success and the absence of ruinous judgment.
• "throughout your days": Emphasizes the longevity and completeness of God's protection and David's successful establishment. This blessing extends for the entire duration of David's life and reign, guaranteeing the fulfillment of the divine promise.

1 Samuel 25 28 Bonus section

• Abigail's Prophetic Discernment: Abigail's insight into David's "sure house" and his role in fighting "the battles of the Lord" showcases a profound level of spiritual understanding, almost prophetic in nature. She perceives God's unseen hand at work in David's life, far surpassing the understanding of her foolish husband, Nabal. Her words affirm that divine revelation can come through unexpected vessels.
• Preventing David's Sin: This verse is central to Abigail's success in preventing David from committing a significant sin—the indiscriminate slaughter of innocent people. Her timely intervention, coupled with her theological wisdom, serves as a crucial check on David's hotheadedness, highlighting that even God's anointed needs to be guarded against impulses that run contrary to God's character.
• A Foundation for David's Rule: Abigail's recognition of David fighting "the battles of the Lord" underscores a key legitimizing aspect of his future kingship. It establishes his authority and purpose not merely as a political leader but as one divinely appointed to advance God's agenda in Israel, laying a spiritual and theological foundation for his reign.

1 Samuel 25 28 Commentary

Abigail's plea in 1 Samuel 25:28 is far more than a simple request for pardon; it's a divinely inspired, theological discourse. She sees beyond David's present status as an outlaw and grasps God's grand design for him, foreseeing his future kingship and the establishment of an eternal dynasty. This intuitive understanding of David's anointing as Yahweh's chosen king allows her to appeal to David's higher purpose. By affirming that "the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house," Abigail points David towards God's unbreakable covenant promise, directly foreshadowing Nathan's prophecy in 2 Samuel 7. This also serves as a subtle yet powerful reminder to David that his divine destiny transcends his immediate human urge for retribution. His role is to fight "the battles of the Lord," implying righteous warfare under divine mandate, not personal vendettas fueled by rage. Her final declaration that "evil will not be found in you throughout your days" provides reassurance of God's protective hand over His anointed. Crucially, it functions as a wise caution against rash action, demonstrating that yielding to sin (like avenging Nabal's slight by shedding innocent blood) could contradict the very character of one chosen to establish God's kingdom and potentially incur God's disfavor. Abigail, through her discerning words, helps David to walk in wisdom and align his actions with God's ultimate plan, preventing a grievous moral failing and preserving his spiritual integrity.