1 Samuel 25 · Verse 22

1 Samuel 25:22

So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.
1 Samuel 25:22, King James Version

1 Samuel 25:22 in other translations

BSBMay God punish David, and ever so severely, if I let one of Nabal’s men survive until morning.”
WEBGod do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that belongs to him by the morning light so much as one who urinates on a wall.”
ASVGod do so unto the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light so much as one man-child.
YLTthus doth God do to the enemies of David, and thus He doth add, if I leave of all that he hath till the light of the morning--of those sitting on the wall.'
DARBYSo and more also do God to the enemies of David, if I leave of all that is his by the morning light any male.
BBEMay God's punishment be on David, if when morning comes there is so much as one male of his people still living.
WebsterSo and more also do God to the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any male person.)

What does 1 Samuel 25:22 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 22 So and more also do God - Nothing can justify this part of David's conduct. Whatever his provocation might have been, he had suffered, properly speaking, no wrongs; and his resolution to cut off a whole innocent family, because Nabal had acted ungenerously towards him, was abominable and cruel, not to say diabolic. He who attempts to vindicate this conduct of David is, at least constructively, a foe to God and truth. David himself condemns this most rash and unwarrantable conduct, and thanks God for having prevented him from doing this evil, 1Sam 25:32, etc. Any that pisseth against the wall - This expression certainly means either men or dogs, and should be thus translated, if I leave, any male; and this will answer both to men and dogs, and the offensive mode of expression be avoided. I will not enter farther into the subject: Bochart and Calmet have done enough, and more than enough; and in the plainest language too.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 25:18-31

By a present Abigail atoned for Nabal's denial of David's request. Her behaviour was very submissive. Yielding pacifies great offences. She puts herself in the place of a penitent, and of a petitioner. She could not excuse her husband's conduct. She depends not upon her own reasonings, but on God's grace, to soften David, and expects that grace would work powerfully. She says that it was below him to take vengeance…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 25:18-31 →

1 Samuel 25:22 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

כֹּה\־koh-thusH3541
יַעֲשֶׂ֧הya.'a.Sehmay he doH6213
אֱלֹהִ֛ים'E.lo.HimGodH430
לְאֹיְבֵ֥יle.'o.ye.Veito [the] enemiesH341
דָוִ֖דda.VidDavidH1732
וְכֹ֣הve.Khohand thusH3541
יֹסִ֑יףyo.Sifmay he addH3254
אִם\־'im-ifH518
אַשְׁאִ֧יר'ash.'IrI will leaveH7604
מִכָּל\־mi.kolany of allH3605
אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-thatH834
ל֛וֹlo[belongs] to <the> him
עַד\־'ad-untilH5704
הַבֹּ֖קֶרha.Bo.kerthe morningH1242
מַשְׁתִּ֥יןmash.Tin[one who] urinatesH8366
בְּקִֽיר\׃be.Kiron a wallH7023

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 25:22

  • 1 Kings 14:10

    Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.

  • 1 Samuel 20:13

    The Lord do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the Lord be with thee, as he hath been with my father.

  • 1 Samuel 3:17

    And he said, What is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.

  • 1 Kings 21:21

    Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,

  • 2 Kings 9:8

    For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel:

  • 1 Samuel 20:16

    So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the Lord even require it at the hand of David’s enemies.

  • Ruth 1:17

    Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

  • 1 Kings 16:11

    And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.

  • 1 Samuel 14:44

    And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
So and more.Nothing can justify this conduct of David, which was rash, unjust, and cruel in the extreme. David himself condemns it, and thanks God for being prevented from executing this evil. (ver. 32-34.)
3:17; 14:44; 20:13,16; Ru 1:17
if I leave.
34
any that pisseth, etc.This seems to have been a proverbial expression among the Israelites; and may with the utmost propriety be read "any male."
1Ki 14:10; 16:11; 21:21; 2Ki 9:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 25:21

    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.

  • 1 Samuel 25:22

    So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

  • 1 Samuel 25:23

    And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,

Read all of 1 Samuel 25

1 Samuel 25:22 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Así haga Dios, y así añada á los enemigos de David, que de aquí á mañana no tengo de dejar de todo lo que fuere suyo ni aun meante á la pared.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Que Dieu fasse ainsi aux ennemis de David, et ainsi y ajoute, si, de tout ce qui est à lui, je laisse jusqu’à la lumière du matin un seul homme de reste.
German
Elberfelder 1871		So tue Gott den Feinden Davids, und so füge er hinzu, wenn ich von allem, was sein ist, bis zum Morgenlicht übriglasse, was männlich ist!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Hæc faciat Deus inimicis David, et hæc addat, si reliquero de omnibus quæ ad ipsum pertinent usque mane mingentem ad parietem.