1 Samuel 25:33

Verse

Blessed is your discernment, and blessed are you, because today you kept me from bloodshed and from avenging myself by my own hand.

American Standard Version (1901)

and blessed be thy discretion, and blessed be thou, that hast kept me this day from bloodguiltiness, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.

Bible in Basic English

A blessing on your good sense and on you, who have kept me today from the crime of blood and from taking into my hands the punishment for my wrongs.

Free Bible Version

May you be rewarded for your wise decisions, for preventing me from shedding blood today and taking my own revenge.

King James (Authorized) Version

And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.

Translation for Translators

I hope/desire that Yahweh will bless you for being very wise. You have prevented me from taking revenge myself and killing many people [MTY] today.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Your wisdom is blessed and you are blessed, because you have kept me today from bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand!

Noah Webster Bible

And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, who hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with my own hand.

World English Bible

Blessed is your discretion, and blessed are you, who have kept me today from blood guiltiness, and from avenging myself with my own hand.

Young's Literal Translation

and blessed [is] thy discretion, and blessed [art] thou in that thou hast restrained me this day from coming in with blood, and to restrain my hand to myself.

Context

Abigail Intercedes for Nabal

³²Then David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who sent you to meet me this day!³³Blessed is your discernment, and blessed are you, because today you kept me from bloodshed and from avenging myself by my own hand.³⁴Otherwise, as surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, then surely no male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by morning light.”

Summary

In this verse, David expresses gratitude to God for intervening and preventing him from committing a grave sin of seeking vengeance against Nabal and his household. David acknowledges that it would have been a burden on his conscience to have bloodshed on his hands. This passage highlights David's faith in God's justice and his willingness to trust in the Lord's deliverance rather than taking matters into his own hands. It serves as a reminder of the importance of seeking God's guidance and allowing Him to fight our battles, even in moments of anger and injustice.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

And blessed be thy advice,.... Thanks be to God, and to thee for it, being wise, good, and seasonable; or "thy taste" (g), thy good sense, knowledge, as the Targum, discretion, prudence, and understanding: and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood; he came out with a full resolution to shed the blood of Nabal, and of all the males in his house, but was stopped by Abigail; who by her arguments so prevailed upon him as to cause him to desist from his design, and thankful he was to God for it; for though he had vowed he would destroy Nabal and his family, yet being a rash sinful vow, he saw it was better to break it than to keep it: and from avenging myself with mine own hand; which to do would have been sinful, vengeance only belonging to God; and now he leaves it to him, and is very thankful that he was prevented doing it himself. (g) "sapor tuus", Piscator; "discretio tua", Montanus.