The Meaning of 1 Samuel 25:31 Explained

1 Samuel 25:31

KJV: 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.

YLT: that this is not to thee for a stumbling-block, and for an offence of heart to my lord -- either to shed blood for nought, or my lord's restraining himself; and Jehovah hath done good to my lord, and thou hast remembered thy handmaid.'

Darby: that this shall be no stumbling-block to thee, nor offence of heart for my lord, either that thou hast shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. And when Jehovah shall deal well with my lord, then remember thy handmaid.

ASV: that this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood without cause, or that my lord hath avenged himself. And when Jehovah shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thy handmaid.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Samuel 25:31 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 25:18-31 - A Wise Woman's Plea
What a contrast between the sordid Nabal and his beautiful wife-as lovely in disposition as in face! What a terrible trial for such a woman to be united with a man of whom his servant did not hesitate to speak to his wife in the words of 1 Samuel 25:17! With what admirable tact did Abigail treat the whole situation! She did not talk to her husband while he was drunk; she took the matter in hand without a moment's delay and marshaled her arguments with commendable sagacity.
It is a blessed partnership when husband and wife are so united that they are animated by a common purpose; but where this is not the case, let not the evil disposition of the one hinder the devotion and grace of the other. In the home-life, as in redemption, where sin abounds, grace should much more abound, that where the former reigns unto death, the latter may reign in life, Romans 5:21. Never let the difficulties of your home lead you to abdicate your throne. Do not step down to the level of your circumstances, but lift these to your own high calling in Jesus Christ. "Be not conformed,"¦ be transformed," Romans 12:1-2. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 25:31 mean?

that no will be this to you grief nor offense of heart to my lord that either you have shed blood without cause or that has avenged my lord himself but when has dealt well Yahweh with my lord then remember - your maidservant -
וְלֹ֣א תִהְיֶ֣ה זֹ֣את ׀ לְךָ֡ לְפוּקָה֩ וּלְמִכְשׁ֨וֹל לֵ֜ב לַאדֹנִ֗י וְלִשְׁפָּךְ־ דָּם֙ חִנָּ֔ם וּלְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַ אֲדֹנִ֖י ל֑וֹ וְהֵיטִ֤ב יְהוָה֙ לַֽאדֹנִ֔י וְזָכַרְתָּ֖ אֶת־ אֲמָתֶֽךָ ס

וְלֹ֣א  that  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תִהְיֶ֣ה  will  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
זֹ֣את ׀  this 
Parse: Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
לְךָ֡  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
לְפוּקָה֩  grief 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: פּוּקָה  
Sense: tottering, staggering, stumbling.
וּלְמִכְשׁ֨וֹל  nor  offense 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִכְשֹׁול  
Sense: a stumbling, means or occasion of stumbling, stumbling block.
לֵ֜ב  of  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
לַאדֹנִ֗י  to  my  lord 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
וְלִשְׁפָּךְ־  that  either  you  have  shed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שֶׂפֶק 
Sense: to pour, pour out, spill.
דָּם֙  blood 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
חִנָּ֔ם  without  cause 
Parse: Adverb
Root: חִנָּם  
Sense: freely, for nothing, without cause.
וּלְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַ  or  that  has  avenged 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: יָשַׁע 
Sense: to save, be saved, be delivered.
אֲדֹנִ֖י  my  lord 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
ל֑וֹ  himself 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
וְהֵיטִ֤ב  but  when  has  dealt  well 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָטַב  
Sense: to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לַֽאדֹנִ֔י  with  my  lord 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
וְזָכַרְתָּ֖  then  remember 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲמָתֶֽךָ  your  maidservant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָמָה  
Sense: maid-servant, female slave, maid, handmaid, concubine.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation