25 Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name-his name means Fool, and folly goes with him. And as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my lord sent.

Other Translations of 1 Samuel 25:25

King James Version

25 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard regard: Heb. lay it to his heart this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.

English Standard Version

25 Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. NabalNabal means fool is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent.

The Message

25 Don't dwell on what that brute Nabal did. He acts out the meaning of his name: Nabal, Fool. Foolishness oozes from him.

New King James Version

25 Please, let not my lord regard this scoundrel Nabal. For as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I, your maidservant, did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent.

New Living Translation

25 I know Nabal is a wicked and ill-tempered man; please don't pay any attention to him. He is a fool, just as his name suggests. But I never even saw the young men you sent.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Samuel 25:25

Commentary on 1 Samuel 25:18-31

(Read 1 Samuel 25:18-31)

By a present Abigail atoned for Nabal's denial of David's request. Her behaviour was very submissive. Yielding pacifies great offences. She puts herself in the place of a penitent, and of a petitioner. She could not excuse her husband's conduct. She depends not upon her own reasonings, but on God's grace, to soften David, and expects that grace would work powerfully. She says that it was below him to take vengeance on so weak and despicable an enemy as Nabal, who, as he would do him no kindness, so he could do him no hurt. She foretells the glorious end of David's present troubles. God will preserve thy life; therefore it becomes not thee unjustly and unnecessarily to take away the lives of any, especially of the people of thy God and Saviour. Abigail keeps this argument for the last, as very powerful with so good a man; that the less he indulged his passion, the more he consulted his peace and the repose of his own conscience. Many have done that in a heat, which they have a thousand times wished undone again. The sweetness of revenge is soon turned into bitterness. When tempted to sin, we should consider how it will appear when we think upon it afterwards.