1 Samuel 25:31

then my lord will have no remorse or guilt of conscience over needless bloodshed and revenge. And when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, may you remember your servant.”

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Abigail speaks this plea to David as he mobilizes his men to execute her entire household in retaliation for Nabal’s insult.

The words — The Hebrew uses לֵ֜ב (lev) = heart and לְ/פוּקָה֩ (le./fu.Kah) = staggering to describe the spiritual burden of unprovoked violence. It pairs this with וְ/לִ/שְׁפָּךְ־ (ve./li/sh.pokh) = pouring out of to frame the act as a permanent stain on conscience.

The thread — The request to remember the speaker appears in Genesis 40:14 and 1 Samuel 25:31, while the theme of restrained vengeance is echoed in 1 Samuel 25:33 and Romans 12:19. These passages collectively mark the transition from human retaliation to divine judgment.

Why it lands — The text demands that a reader recognize the permanent moral cost of uncontrolled anger. It requires the reader to pause before acting and submit the outcome to God’s timing.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְלֹ֣אve./Lo'and/ not תִהְיֶ֣הtih.Yehit will become זֹ֣את׀zotthisלְךָ֡le./Khafor <the>/ youלְפוּקָה֩le./fu.Kah<into>/ staggering וּלְמִכְשׁ֨וֹלu./le./mikh.Sholand/ <into>/ stumbling of לֵ֜בlevheart לַאדֹנִ֗יla./do.N/ifor/ lord/ my וְלִשְׁפָּךְ־ve./li/sh.pokh-and/ <into>/ pouring out of דָּם֙damblood חִנָּ֔םchi.Namwithout cause וּלְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַu./le./ho.Shi.a'and/ to/ deliver אֲדֹנִ֖י'a.do.N/ilord/ myל֑וֹl/o<to> <the>/ himselfוְהֵיטִ֤בve./hei.Tivand/ he will do good יְהוָה֙Yah.wehYahweh לַֽאדֹנִ֔יla./do.N/ito/ lord/ my וְזָכַרְתָּ֖ve./za.khar.Taand/ you will remember אֶת־'et-<obj.>אֲמָתֶֽךָ׃ ס'a.ma.Te./khamaidservant/ your

King James Version

That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the Lord shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.

Cross-references

Genesis 40:14 But when it goes well for you, please remember me and show me kindness by mentioning me to Pharaoh, that he might bring me out of this prison.
1 Samuel 25:33 Blessed is your discernment, and blessed are you, because today you kept me from bloodshed and from avenging myself by my own hand.
Romans 12:19 Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”
1 Samuel 24:15 May the LORD be our judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver me from your hand.”
1 Samuel 25:40 When his servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they said, “David has sent us to take you as his wife.”
1 Samuel 26:23 May the LORD repay every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. For the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not extend my hand against the LORD’s anointed.
2 Samuel 22:48 the God who avenges me and brings down nations beneath me,
Psalms 94:1 O LORD, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth.
Proverbs 5:12 and you will say, “How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof!
Luke 23:42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!”