1 Samuel 25:4 kjv — And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.

King James Version

"And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep."

— 1 Samuel 25:4, King James Version

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1 Samuel 25:4 in Other Translations

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1 Samuel 25 — Context

1

And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

2

And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

3

Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.

4

And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.

5

And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name:

6

And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.

7

And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.

1 Samuel 25:4 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 1 Samuel 25:4 say?
1 Samuel 25:4 in the King James Version reads: “And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.”
Where is 1 Samuel 25:4 in the Bible?
1 Samuel 25:4 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 25, verse 4.
Who wrote 1 Samuel?
1 Samuel is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Samuel, Nathan, and Gad). It was written c. 930–722 BC.
What is the book of 1 Samuel about?
1 Samuel marks Israel's transition from judges to kings. It traces the births and ministries of the prophet Samuel, the rise and tragic fall of Saul as Israel's first king, and the anointing of the shepherd boy David, whose faith makes him a man after God's own heart.
What are the major themes of 1 Samuel?
1 Samuel explores themes including Kingship, Prophet, Faith vs. Fear, God's Sovereign Choice, Anointing. These themes shape the meaning and context of 1 Samuel 25:4.
What translation should I read 1 Samuel 25:4 in?
1 Samuel 25:4 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 1 Samuel 25:4?
1 Samuel 25:4 reads (KJV): “And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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