1 Samuel 25:21 Meaning and Explanation
“Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →David fumes that he protected Nabal's goods for nothing and was repaid evil for good.
What Does 1 Samuel 25:21 Mean?
The narrator lets us hear what David had been telling himself on the march: that all his careful protection of Nabal's property had been wasted, and that he had been repaid evil for good. The grievance is real, and it is feeding his rage.
To be wronged after doing good is one of the bitterest trials of the heart, and David nurses it toward revenge. Yet evil returned for good is the very wound Christ Himself would bear without retaliation, overcoming evil with good. David stands at the crossroads where many fall, tempted to repay in kind rather than to entrust the matter to God.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Samuel 25:21
What does 1 Samuel 25:21 mean?
David fumes that he protected Nabal's goods for nothing and was repaid evil for good.