1 Samuel 25:22
New International Version
May God deal with David, be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!”

New Living Translation
May God strike me and kill me if even one man of his household is still alive tomorrow morning!”

English Standard Version
God do so to the enemies of David and more also, if by morning I leave so much as one male of all who belong to him.”

Berean Standard Bible
May God punish David, and ever so severely, if I let one male belonging to Nabal survive until morning.”

King James Bible
So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

New King James Version
May God do so, and more also, to the enemies of David, if I leave one male of all who belong to him by morning light.”

New American Standard Bible
May God do so to the enemies of David, and more so, if by morning I leave alive as much as one male of any who belong to him.”

NASB 1995
“May God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if by morning I leave as much as one male of any who belong to him.”

NASB 1977
“May God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if by morning I leave as much as one male of any who belong to him.”

Legacy Standard Bible
May God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if by morning I leave as much as one male of any who belong to him.”

Amplified Bible
May God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if by morning I leave [alive] even one male of any who belong to him.”

Christian Standard Bible
May God punish me and do so severely if I let any of his males survive until morning.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
May God punish me and do so severely if I let any of his men survive until morning.”

American Standard Version
God do so unto the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light so much as one man-child.

Contemporary English Version
I swear that by morning, there won't be a man or boy left from his family or his servants' families. I pray that God will punish me if I don't do it!"

English Revised Version
God do so unto the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light so much as one man child.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
May God punish me if I leave even one of his men alive in the morning."

Good News Translation
May God strike me dead if I don't kill every last one of those men before morning!"

International Standard Version
May the LORD do this to the enemies of David —and more also—if by the morning I've left alive a single male of all those who belong to him."

Majority Standard Bible
May God punish David, and ever so severely, if I let one male belonging to Nabal survive until morning.?

NET Bible
God will severely punish David, if I leave alive until morning even one male from all those who belong to him!"

New Heart English Bible
God do so to David, and more also, if I leave of all that belongs to him by the morning light so much as one who urinates on a wall."

Webster's Bible Translation
So and more also do God to the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any male person.)

World English Bible
God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that belongs to him by the morning light so much as one who urinates on a wall.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
thus God does to the enemies of David, and thus He adds, if I leave of all that he has until the morning light—of those sitting on the wall.”

Young's Literal Translation
thus doth God do to the enemies of David, and thus He doth add, if I leave of all that he hath till the light of the morning -- of those sitting on the wall.'

Smith's Literal Translation
Thus will God do the enemies of David and thus will he add if I shall leave from all which is to him till the light of the morning, him pissing against the wall.)
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
May God do so and so, and add more to the foes of David, if I leave of all that belong to him till the morning, any that pisseth against the wall.

Catholic Public Domain Version
May God do these things, by the enemies of David, and may he add these other things, if I leave behind until morning, out of all that belongs to him, anything that urinates against a wall.”

New American Bible
May God do thus to David, and more, if by morning I leave a single male alive among all those who belong to him.”

New Revised Standard Version
God do so to David and more also, if by morning I leave so much as one male of all who belong to him.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The LORD do so and more also to his servant David, if I leave of all that belongs to him by morning any mature male.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Thus may LORD JEHOVAH do to his Servant David, and thus he will add to him if anything he has that forms a wall will be left until the morning!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
God do so unto the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light so much as one male.'--

Brenton Septuagint Translation
So God do to David and more also, if I leave one male of all that belong to Nabal until the morning.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Abigail Intercedes for Nabal
21Now David had just finished saying, “In vain I have protected all that belonged to this man in the wilderness. Nothing that belongs to him has gone missing, yet he has paid me back evil for good. 22May God punish David, and ever so severely, if I let one of Nabal’s men survive until morning.” 23When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey, fell facedown, and bowed before him.…

Cross References
1 Samuel 24:21
So now, swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s house.”

1 Samuel 26:10
David added, “As surely as the LORD lives, the LORD Himself will strike him down; either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish.

2 Samuel 3:9
May God punish Abner, and ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the LORD has sworn to him:

2 Samuel 3:35
Then all the people came and urged David to eat something while it was still day, but David took an oath, saying, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!”

2 Samuel 19:13
And say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my flesh and blood? May God punish me, and ever so severely, if from now on you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!’”

1 Kings 2:23
Then King Solomon swore by the LORD: “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if Adonijah has not made this request at the expense of his life.

1 Kings 19:2
So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I have not made your life like the lives of those you killed!”

2 Kings 6:31
He announced, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders through this day!”

Ruth 1:17
Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”

Job 31:30
I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse—

Psalm 7:16
His trouble recoils on himself, and his violence falls on his own head.

Psalm 109:17-18
The cursing that he loved, may it fall on him; the blessing in which he refused to delight, may it be far from him. / The cursing that he wore like a coat, may it soak into his body like water, and into his bones like oil.

Proverbs 20:22
Do not say, “I will avenge this evil!” Wait on the LORD, and He will save you.

Proverbs 24:29
Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”

Jeremiah 18:20
Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before You to speak good on their behalf, to turn Your wrath from them.


Treasury of Scripture

So and more also do God to the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that urinates against the wall.

So and more.

1 Samuel 25:32-34
And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: …

1 Samuel 3:17
And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.

1 Samuel 14:44
And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.

if I leave

1 Samuel 25:34
For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

any that pisseth, etc.

1 Kings 14:10
Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.

1 Kings 16:11
And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.

1 Kings 21:21
Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,

Jump to Previous
Add Alive Belong Belongs David Deal Enemies Leave Male Man-Child Morning Pertain Pisseth Punishment Severely Sitting Urinates Wall
Jump to Next
Add Alive Belong Belongs David Deal Enemies Leave Male Man-Child Morning Pertain Pisseth Punishment Severely Sitting Urinates Wall
1 Samuel 25
1. Samuel dies
2. David in Paran sends to Nabal
10. Provoked by Nabal's rudeness, he minds to destroy him
14. Abigail understanding thereof
18. takes a present
23. and by her wisdom
32. pacifies David
36. Nabal hearing thereof, dies
39. David takes Abigail and Ahinoam to be his wives
44. Michal is given to Phalti














May God punish David
This phrase reflects an oath or vow, a common practice in ancient Israel, where invoking God's name was a serious matter. The Hebrew root here is "כֹּה־יַעֲשֶׂה" (ko-ya'aseh), which means "thus may He do." It underscores the gravity of David's intent and the seriousness with which he views the offense. In the cultural context, making such a vow was binding and demonstrated the speaker's commitment to their word, reflecting the deep-seated belief in divine justice and retribution.

and ever so severely
This intensifies the previous statement, emphasizing the severity of the consequences David is willing to face if he does not fulfill his vow. The Hebrew phrase "וְכֹה יֹסִיף" (ve-ko yosif) translates to "and more also," indicating an escalation of the punishment. This reflects the ancient Near Eastern practice of hyperbolic language to express strong emotions or intentions, highlighting the seriousness of David's anger and the perceived gravity of Nabal's insult.

if I let one of Nabal’s men survive
Here, David is expressing his intent to completely annihilate Nabal's household. The Hebrew word "שָׁאַר" (sha'ar) means "to remain" or "to survive." This reflects the cultural and historical context of blood feuds and honor in the ancient Near East, where an offense against one's honor could lead to total retribution. David's reaction is a reflection of the societal norms of the time, where personal and familial honor was paramount.

until morning
This phrase indicates the immediacy and urgency of David's intended action. The Hebrew "עַד־הַבֹּקֶר" (ad-ha-boker) means "until the morning," suggesting that David's anger is so intense that he plans to act swiftly. In the historical context, acting by morning was a common expression of urgency, as nighttime was often associated with danger and uncertainty, while morning brought clarity and resolution.

(22) So and more also.--This is an unusual variation of the common form of imprecation, "God do so to me and more also, if, &c, &c." The Syriac and Arabic Versions, followed by some commentators, instead of "enemies of David," read "his servant David." The LXX., as usual, boldly cuts the knot by leaving out the word of difficulty, and reads "David" simply, omitting "enemies." But there is no doubt that the Hebrew text here is correct. The words signify David himself. If God's anger for the broken vow visited even David's enemies, as distantly connected with him, how much more the guilty oath breaker himself? (This was Raschi's explanation for a similar expression in Jonathan's oath, 1Samuel 20:16.) "A superstitious feeling probably lay at the root of this substitution of David's enemies for himself, when thus invoking a curse" (Dean Payne Smith, in the Pulpit Commentary). Bishop Wordsworth here draws a good lesson on the non-obligation to keep a solemn oath, taken perhaps in a moment of undue excitement, and instances the evil example of Herod Antipas, who considered himself bound to carry out to the bitter end his rash oath to the daughter of Herodias, though it involved the death of John the Baptist, his former friend.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
May God
אֱלֹהִ֛ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

punish
כֹּה־ (kōh-)
Adverb
Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now

David,
דָוִ֖ד (ḏā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

and ever so
וְכֹ֣ה (wə·ḵōh)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now

severely,
יֹסִ֑יף (yō·sîp̄)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3254: To add, augment

if {I let}
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

one
מִכָּל־ (mik·kāl)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

of his men
מַשְׁתִּ֥ין (maš·tîn)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 8366: To make water, urinate

survive
אַשְׁאִ֧יר (’aš·’îr)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7604: To swell up, be, redundant

until
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

morning.”
הַבֹּ֖קֶר (hab·bō·qer)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1242: Dawn, morning


Links
1 Samuel 25:22 NIV
1 Samuel 25:22 NLT
1 Samuel 25:22 ESV
1 Samuel 25:22 NASB
1 Samuel 25:22 KJV

1 Samuel 25:22 BibleApps.com
1 Samuel 25:22 Biblia Paralela
1 Samuel 25:22 Chinese Bible
1 Samuel 25:22 French Bible
1 Samuel 25:22 Catholic Bible

OT History: 1 Samuel 25:22 God do so to the enemies (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 25:21
Top of Page
Top of Page