1 Samuel 25:6 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:2-11

Here begins the story of Nabal. I. A short account of him, who and what he was (1 Sam. 25:2, 3), a man we should never have heard of if there had not happened some communication between him and David. Observe, 1. His name: Nabal?a fool; so it signifies. It was a wonder that his parents would give him that name and an ill omen of what proved to be this character. Yet indeed we all of us deserve to be so called when we come into the world, for man is born like the wild ass's colt and foolishness... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:6

And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity ,.... That lives, while others, as David and his men, might be rather said to starve than live; they lived in great meanness, but he in great abundance, and therefore in a capacity to give to others, and particularly to relieve them: or the sense is, they should say to him, "thus" shall it be, or may it be "for life": for the time of life, for the year to come; at this time next year, at next sheep shearing, mayest thou be in as great... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 25:6

Peace be both to thee - This is the ancient form of sending greetings to a friend: Peace to Thee, peace to thy Household, and peace to all that Thou Hast. That is, May both thyself, thy family, and all that pertain unto thee, be in continual prosperity! Perhaps David, by this salutation, wished Nabal to understand that he had acted so towards him and his property that nothing had been destroyed, and that all had been protected; see 1 Samuel 25:15-17 . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:1-12

Honour to the dead and insult to the living. The facts are— 1 . Samuel dies, and is buried at Ramah amidst the sorrow of Israel. 2 . David, returning to the wilderness, sends a greeting to Nabal, a wealthy man at Carmel, and asks for some favour to his young men on account of the friendly aid recently rendered to Nabal's shepherds. 3 . Nabal, in a churlish spirit, sends an insulting reply, and refuses the request. 4 . Whereupon David resolves on taking revenge for the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:6-8

Say to him that liveth in prosperity. The Hebrew is obscure, but the rendering of the A.V. is untenable, and also very tame. Literally it is, "Ye shall say to him, For life!" Probably it was a colloquial form of greeting, and equivalent to "good luck, "success," life in Hebrew being sometimes used for prosperity. So Luther translates it, and Rashi and the Babylonian Talmud are also in its favour. The reading of the Vulgate, "To thy brothers" (be peace), is to be altogether rejected. We... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 25:6

That liveth in prosperity - The Hebrew is obscure, and is variously interpreted. The simplest rendering is, “And ye shall say thus about (his) life,” i. e., with reference to his life, health, circumstances, etc. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Samuel 25:4-6

1 Samuel 25:4-6 . Nabal did shear his sheep Which times were celebrated with feasting. That liveth in prosperity In the Hebrew it is, To him that liveth, but the word life in Scripture often signifies happiness, as death signifies misery. By speaking thus, David both congratulates Nabal’s felicity, and tacitly intimates to him the distress in which he and his men were. read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 25:1-44

David marries Abigail (25:1-44)At this point we are told that Samuel died (25:1). David, at the time, was having trouble supporting his six hundred men. It seems that his men provided protection for farmers against the raiding Philistines (see v. 16, 21), and then demanded that the farmers pay them by giving them food supplies (see v. 8, 18, 27, 35). One wealthy farmer, Nabal, refused to pay and insulted David. Furious at Nabal’s response, David set out with four hundred of his men to deal with... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Samuel 25:6

him that liveth = the bon vivant. read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 Samuel 25:5-9

1 Samuel 25:5-9. And David sent out, &c.— In this message of David to Nabal, which is a fine picture of ancient and true politeness, there are three things well worth our notice. First, the direction: To him that liveth, 1 Samuel 25:6. (in prosperity is not in the Hebrew); and secondly, the salutation: Peace be to thee, and peace to thine house, &c. In the Scripture, living and being happy, are synonimous: David's own benevolent spirit suggested to him, that, being happy ourselves, we... read more