1 Samuel 25:28
New International Version
“Please forgive your servant’s presumption. The LORD your God will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because you fight the LORD’s battles, and no wrongdoing will be found in you as long as you live.

New Living Translation
Please forgive me if I have offended you in any way. The LORD will surely reward you with a lasting dynasty, for you are fighting the LORD’s battles. And you have not done wrong throughout your entire life.

English Standard Version
Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the LORD, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live.

Berean Standard Bible
Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the LORD will surely make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because he fights the LORD’s battles. May no evil be found in you as long as you live.

King James Bible
I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days.

New King James Version
Please forgive the trespass of your maidservant. For the LORD will certainly make for my lord an enduring house, because my lord fights the battles of the LORD, and evil is not found in you throughout your days.

New American Standard Bible
Please forgive the offense of your slave; for the LORD will certainly make for my lord an enduring house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the LORD, and evil will not be found in you all your days.

NASB 1995
“Please forgive the transgression of your maidservant; for the LORD will certainly make for my lord an enduring house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the LORD, and evil will not be found in you all your days.

NASB 1977
“Please forgive the transgression of your maidservant; for the LORD will certainly make for my lord an enduring house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the LORD, and evil shall not be found in you all your days.

Legacy Standard Bible
Please forgive the transgression of your maidservant; for Yahweh will certainly make for my lord an enduring house because my lord is fighting the battles of Yahweh, and evil will not be found in you all your days.

Amplified Bible
Please forgive the transgression of your maidservant; for the LORD will certainly make my lord a secure and enduring house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the LORD, and evil will not be found in you all your days.

Christian Standard Bible
Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the LORD is certain to make a lasting dynasty for my lord because he fights the LORD’s battles. Throughout your life, may evil not be found in you.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the LORD is certain to make a lasting dynasty for my lord because he fights the LORD’s battles. Throughout your life, may evil not be found in you.

American Standard Version
Forgive, I pray thee, the trespass of thy handmaid: for Jehovah will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fighteth the battles of Jehovah; and evil shall not be found in thee all thy days.

Contemporary English Version
Please forgive me if I say a little more. The LORD will always protect you and your family, because you fight for him. I pray that you won't ever do anything evil as long as you live.

English Revised Version
Forgive, I pray thee, the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD; and evil shall not be found in thee all thy days.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Please forgive my offense. The LORD will certainly give you, sir, a lasting dynasty, because you are fighting the LORD's battles. May evil never be found in you as long as you live.

Good News Translation
Please forgive me, sir, for any wrong I have done. The LORD will make you king, and your descendants also, because you are fighting his battles; and you will not do anything evil as long as you live.

International Standard Version
Please forgive the offense of your servant. For the LORD will certainly make a strong dynasty for your majesty, for your majesty is fighting the LORD's battles. May evil not be found in you for all of your life.

Majority Standard Bible
Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the LORD will surely make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because he fights the LORD’s battles. May no evil be found in you as long as you live.

NET Bible
Please forgive the sin of your servant, for the LORD will certainly establish the house of my lord, because my lord fights the battles of the LORD. May no evil be found in you all your days!

New Heart English Bible
Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fights the battles of the LORD; and evil shall not be found in you all your days.

Webster's Bible Translation
I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thy handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days.

World English Bible
Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For Yahweh will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fights Yahweh’s battles. Evil will not be found in you all your days.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Please bear with the transgression of your handmaid, for YHWH certainly makes a steadfast house for my lord; for my lord has fought the battles of YHWH, and evil is not found in you [all] your days.

Young's Literal Translation
Bear, I pray thee, with the transgression of thy handmaid, for Jehovah doth certainly make to my lord a stedfast house; for the battles of Jehovah hath my lord fought, and evil is not found in thee all thy days.

Smith's Literal Translation
Lift up now, to the trespass of thy servant: for making, Jehovah will make to my lord a faithful house; for Jehovah fought the battles of my lord, and evil shall not be found in thee thy days.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Forgive the iniquity of thy handmaid: for the Lord will surely make for my lord a faithful house, because thou, my lord, fightest the battles of the Lord: let not evil therefore be found in thee all the days of thy life.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Forgive the iniquity of your handmaid. For the Lord will surely make for you, my lord, a faithful house, because you, my lord, fight the battles of the Lord. Therefore, let no evil be found in you all the days of your life.

New American Bible
Please forgive the offense of your maidservant, for the LORD shall certainly establish a lasting house for my lord, because my lord fights the battles of the LORD. Let no evil be found in you your whole life long.

New Revised Standard Version
Please forgive the trespass of your servant; for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the LORD; and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Forgive this trespass of your handmaid; for the LORD will certainly make for my lord a sure house; because my lord is fighting the battles of the LORD, and evil has not been found in you all your days.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And forgive the fault to your Maid Servant, because LORD JEHOVAH has surely made my Lord a trustworthy house, because my Lord fights the battles of LORD JEHOVAH, and evil is not found in you from your days
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Forgive, I pray thee, the trespass of thy handmaid; for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD; and evil is not found in thee all thy days.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Remove, I pray thee, the trespass of thy servant; for the Lord will surely make for my lord a sure house, for the Lord fights the battles of my lord, and there shall no evil be ever found in thee.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Abigail Intercedes for Nabal
27Now let this gift your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow you. 28Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the LORD will surely make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because he fights the LORD’s battles. May no evil be found in you as long as you live. 29And should someone pursue you and seek your life, then the life of my lord will be bound securely by the LORD your God in the bundle of the living. But He shall fling away the lives of your enemies like stones from a sling.…

Cross References
1 Samuel 13:14
But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept the command of the LORD.”

2 Samuel 7:11-16
and have done since the day I appointed judges over My people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies. The LORD declares to you that He Himself will establish a house for you. / And when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. / He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. ...

1 Kings 9:4-5
And as for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, with a heart of integrity and uprightness, doing all I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and ordinances, / then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised your father David when I said, ‘You will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’

Psalm 89:20-29
I have found My servant David; with My sacred oil I have anointed him. / My hand will sustain him; surely My arm will strengthen him. / No enemy will exact tribute; no wicked man will oppress him. ...

1 Chronicles 17:11-14
And when your days are fulfilled and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. / He will build a house for Me, and I will establish his throne forever. / I will be his Father, and he will be My son. And I will never remove My loving devotion from him as I removed it from your predecessor. ...

1 Kings 2:4
and so that the LORD may fulfill His promise to me: ‘If your descendants take heed to walk faithfully before Me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’

2 Samuel 22:51
Great salvation He brings to His king. He shows loving devotion to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever.”

Psalm 132:11-12
The LORD swore an oath to David, a promise He will not revoke: “One of your descendants I will place on your throne. / If your sons keep My covenant and the testimony I will teach them, then their sons will also sit on your throne forever and ever.”

1 Kings 11:38
If you listen to all that I command you, walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight in order to keep My statutes and commandments as My servant David did, then I will be with you. I will build you a lasting dynasty just as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.

2 Chronicles 6:16
Therefore now, O LORD, God of Israel, keep for Your servant, my father David, what You promised when You said: ‘You will never fail to have a man to sit before Me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants guard their way to walk in My law as you have walked before Me.’

Isaiah 55:3
Incline your ear and come to Me; listen, so that your soul may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant—My loving devotion promised to David.

Acts 13:22-23
After removing Saul, He raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart; he will carry out My will in its entirety.’ / From the descendants of this man, God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as He promised.

Romans 1:3
regarding His Son, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh,

Matthew 1:1
This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham:

Luke 1:32-33
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, / and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!”


Treasury of Scripture

I pray you, forgive the trespass of your handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fights the battles of the LORD, and evil has not been found in you all your days.

forgive

1 Samuel 25:24
And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.

the Lord

1 Samuel 15:28
And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.

2 Samuel 7:11,16,27
And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house…

1 Kings 9:5
Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.

fighteth

1 Samuel 17:47
And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands.

1 Samuel 18:17
And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight the LORD'S battles. For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.

2 Samuel 5:2
Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.

evil hath

1 Samuel 24:6,7,11,17
And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD…

1 Kings 15:5
Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

Psalm 119:1-3
ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD…

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Battles Dynasty Enduring Evil Handmaid House Live Maidservant Master Offense Please Servant's Sure Transgression Trespass Wrongdoing
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Battles Dynasty Enduring Evil Handmaid House Live Maidservant Master Offense Please Servant's Sure Transgression Trespass Wrongdoing
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














Please forgive your servant’s offense
This phrase is a plea for forgiveness, highlighting the humility and repentance of Abigail, who is speaking to David. The Hebrew word for "forgive" is "נָשָׂא" (nasa), which means to lift, carry, or take away. Abigail acknowledges her husband's folly and seeks to intercede on his behalf, demonstrating a profound understanding of grace and mercy. Her approach is a model of intercessory prayer and humility, reflecting the Christian call to seek forgiveness and reconciliation.

for the LORD will surely make a lasting dynasty for my lord
Here, Abigail prophesies about David's future, recognizing God's divine plan for him. The Hebrew word for "dynasty" is "בַּיִת" (bayit), which can also mean house or family. This reflects the covenantal promise God makes with David, which is later fulfilled in the Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7). Abigail's faith in God's promises is evident, and her words foreshadow the eternal kingdom established through Jesus Christ, a descendant of David.

because he fights the LORD’s battles
This phrase acknowledges David's role as a warrior for God. The Hebrew word for "battles" is "מִלְחָמָה" (milchamah), indicating warfare or struggle. David's life is characterized by his commitment to God's cause, fighting against the enemies of Israel. This reflects the Christian life as a spiritual battle, where believers are called to put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) and stand firm in faith.

May no evil be found in you all your days
Abigail's blessing upon David is a prayer for his moral integrity and righteousness. The Hebrew word for "evil" is "רָע" (ra), which encompasses wickedness, harm, or adversity. Her words are a reminder of the importance of living a life that is pleasing to God, free from sin and reproach. This aligns with the Christian pursuit of holiness and the call to be blameless before God (Philippians 2:15).

(28) The trespass of thine handmaid.--Abigail again takes upon herself the wrong; the gracious act of forgiveness, of which she feels assured beforehand, she reminds David, will be shown to her. Thus all the chivalry of David's character--if we may use a term which belongs to another age--was brought out by this wise and beautiful woman.

For the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house.--Unconsciously, perhaps, without any very definite conception of their far reaching and magnificent meaning, the Israelitish lady repeats the words which she had heard perhaps in Samuel's "Naioth" by Ramah--possibly from some trained or inspired disciple of the prophet's school. She was thinking, perhaps, of the young captain then standing before her in all the pride of his early reputation, as the future hero-king of Israel, sitting on the throne of the insane and gloomy man--her evil husband's friend--King Saul, and it may be of his son reigning after him; but the unconscious prophetess, we may be sure, never dreamed of that glorious and holy One in whose person, far down the stream of ages, the Eternal would make good her words, and indeed found for that outlawed chieftain, before whom she was then kneeling, a sure house.

The battles of the Lord.--Abigail, in common with the pious Israelites of her time, looked on the wars waged by the armies of Israel against the idolatrous tribes and nations around them as the wars of Jehovah. We frequently in these early records meet with the expressions, "fighting the battle of the Lord," "the ranks of the living God," "the battle is the Lord's." We hear, too, of an ancient collection of songs--ballads, perhaps, would be a more accurate designation--now lost, entitled "The Book of the Wars of the Lord" (Numbers 21:14). For several years now since his famous combat with the great champion of idolatry, Goliath, David had been the popular hero and the favourite subject of those folk-songs which ever loved to sing of these "Wars of Jehovah."

Evil hath not been found in thee.--Rauh, "evil," here signifies not "wickedness," but "misfortune." The wife of Nabal means to say that all through that stormy, restless life of David's, the Lord had ever held him up. It had given him victory and crowned his efforts with splendid success; and in the later days of bitter persecution, the same invisible One had shielded him, and had turned what seemed to be the certain ruin of his prospects into a still more certain career of usefulness and popularity.

Verse 28. - Forgive the trespass of thine handmaid. Reverting to her words in ver. 24, that the blame and punishment must rest on her, she now prays for forgiveness; but the intermediate words in ver. 26, emphasised in ver. 31, have raised her request to a higher level. Her prayer rests on the ground that she was saving David from a sin, and that in his thirst for vengeance he was bringing upon himself guilt. If the form of Abigail's address was most humble, the matter of it was brave and noble. A sure house. I.e. permanent prosperity (see on 1 Samuel 2:35). Because my lord fighteth. Hebrew, "will fight." David was not fighting these battles now because he was not yet enthroned as the theocratic king. It was Saul's business at present to fight "Jehovah's battles," either in person or by his officers (1 Samuel 18:17). The words, therefore, distinctly look forward to the time when David as king will have the duty imposed upon him of protecting Jehovah's covenant people. Evil hath not been found in thee. Hebrew, "shall not be found in thee," i.e. when the time comes for thee to take the kingdom no one shall be able to allege against thee any offence by which thou hast lost thy title to the kingly office; nor afterwards as king shalt thou be guilty of any breach of thy duty to Jehovah, Israel's supreme Ruler, so as to incur rejection as Saul has done.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Please
נָ֖א (nā)
Interjection
Strong's 4994: I pray', 'now', 'then'

forgive
שָׂ֥א (śā)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

your servant’s
אֲמָתֶ֑ךָ (’ă·mā·ṯe·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 519: A maidservant, female slave

offense,
לְפֶ֣שַׁע (lə·p̄e·ša‘)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6588: Transgression

for
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the LORD
יְהוָ֨ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

will surely
עָשֹֽׂה־ (‘ā·śōh-)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 6213: To do, make

make
יַעֲשֶׂה֩ (ya·‘ă·śeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

a lasting
נֶאֱמָ֗ן (ne·’ĕ·mān)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 539: To confirm, support

dynasty
בַּ֣יִת (ba·yiṯ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

for my lord,
לַֽאדֹנִ֜י (la·ḏō·nî)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 113: Sovereign, controller

because
כִּי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

he
אֲדֹנִ֣י (’ă·ḏō·nî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 113: Sovereign, controller

fights
נִלְחָ֔ם (nil·ḥām)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3898: To feed on, to consume, to battle

the LORD’s
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

battles.
מִלְחֲמ֤וֹת (mil·ḥă·mō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 4421: A battle, war

May no evil
וְרָעָ֛ה (wə·rā·‘āh)
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

be found
תִמָּצֵ֥א (ṯim·mā·ṣê)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present

in you
בְךָ֖ (ḇə·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

as long as you live.
מִיָּמֶֽיךָ׃ (mî·yā·me·ḵā)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day


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OT History: 1 Samuel 25:28 Please forgive the trespass of your handmaid: (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 25:27
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