1 Samuel 25 37

1 Samuel 25:37 kjv

But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.

1 Samuel 25:37 nkjv

So it was, in the morning, when the wine had gone from Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became like a stone.

1 Samuel 25:37 niv

Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone.

1 Samuel 25:37 esv

In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.

1 Samuel 25:37 nlt

In the morning when Nabal was sober, his wife told him what had happened. As a result he had a stroke, and he lay paralyzed on his bed like a stone.

1 Samuel 25 verses

1 Samuel 25 37 Meaning

After Nabal sobered up, his wife Abigail disclosed to him the grave danger his arrogant refusal had placed their entire household in, and how she had averted David's wrath. The shock and terror of this revelation were so profound that Nabal suffered a severe internal and physical collapse, foreshadowing his imminent demise, marked by a lifeless stillness.

1 Samuel 25 37 Context

1 Samuel chapter 25 details the pivotal encounter between David and Nabal. David, seeking provisions for his men, sent an appeal to Nabal during his sheep-shearing feast. Nabal, a wealthy but wicked and foolish man, disdainfully rejected David's request and insulted him. Enraged, David resolved to destroy Nabal and his entire household. However, Nabal's discerning wife, Abigail, swiftly intervened. Without Nabal's knowledge, she gathered lavish provisions, went to meet David, and with profound humility and wisdom, pacified his wrath, appealing to his character as God's anointed and reminding him of God's future plans for him. David recognized Abigail's wisdom as a divine intervention, preventing him from shedding innocent blood. The verse in question, 1 Samuel 25:37, describes Nabal's reaction to learning the full extent of his near demise and the extraordinary measures taken by his wife to save them. It sets the immediate stage for Nabal's ultimate demise, confirming divine judgment on his wickedness and folly.

1 Samuel 25 37 Word analysis

• But in the morning: Hebrew bōqer (בֹּקֶר), referring to daylight. This specifies the time. After a period of darkness or inebriation (implied from Nabal's earlier state), morning signifies clarity and sobriety, making the news hit with full force.
• when Nabal was sober: Hebrew phrase often indicates recovering from a drunken stupor. Nabal was notoriously given to drinking (1 Sam 25:36). Being sober means his mind was clear to comprehend the enormity of what had happened and what Abigail had done. His unhindered mind now had to process the imminent peril he had ignorably invited.
• his wife told him all these things: This highlights Abigail's active role. She didn't keep the truth from him, perhaps recognizing that he needed to understand the divine providence and her courageous action. The "things" encompass David's impending attack, her interception, her prophetic appeal to David, and the sheer scale of the averted disaster.
• and his heart died within him: Hebrew wayyāmot lēbābō bĕqirbō (וַיָּמָת לִבּוֹ בְּקִרְבּוֹ), literally "and his heart died in his inward part." This is a powerful idiom indicating extreme terror, profound shock, despair, paralysis, or utter loss of courage. It suggests a crushing of spirit, a complete breakdown, more than just faintness. It conveys an internal, existential collapse, as if life or vitality drained away, indicating divine judgment starting to take hold.
• and he became as a stone: Hebrew wayyehī kaʾeḇen (וַיְהִי כָּאֶבֶן), literally "and he was as a stone." This phrase implies physical immobility, rigidity, and lifelessness. It can describe a catatonic state, a stroke, or a profound physical response to overwhelming fear or despair. It indicates a total incapacitation, possibly leading to a hardened physical state mirroring the "heart of stone" associated with spiritual unresponsiveness in other biblical texts. This outward physical manifestation follows the internal "death" of the heart.

1 Samuel 25 37 Bonus section

This verse illustrates the direct hand of God in meting out justice. While David was prepared to use his sword, God prevented it through Abigail and instead directly executed judgment on Nabal. Nabal's physical collapse due to the shocking revelation can be seen as an instance of immediate, supernatural divine intervention, rather than merely psychological trauma. It underscores that vengeance belongs to the Lord, and He executes it in His own timing and manner, protecting His anointed ones and ensuring justice. This divine retribution on Nabal also contrasts sharply with David's willingness to extend mercy, demonstrating God's sovereign control over even seemingly ordinary human actions and reactions.

1 Samuel 25 37 Commentary

Verse 37 unveils the immediate consequence of Nabal's wicked and foolish conduct as perceived by his now sober mind. Once the full scope of his insolence, David's wrath, and Abigail's extraordinary intervention was revealed to him, his spiritual and physical constitution could not bear the crushing weight. "His heart died within him" points to an overwhelming psychological and spiritual collapse, possibly a terror-induced shock, that fundamentally sapped his vitality. "He became as a stone" describes the physical manifestation of this internal death, suggesting a state of complete paralysis or perhaps a sudden medical event like a stroke. This is not mere fear; it is a profound divine judgment beginning to take its course, directly linked to his sin and refusal to acknowledge God's chosen king. Nabal, whose name means "fool," exemplifies a life devoid of wisdom, humility, or fear of God, culminating in this swift, self-inflicted spiritual and physical judgment before his ultimate physical death a short time later. His "stone-like" state tragically mirrors his spiritually hardened heart, which failed to perceive danger or show kindness.