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Read the Bible

King James Version (1611 Edition)

1 Samuel 25:16

They were a wall vnto vs both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping sheepe.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Decision;   Inhospitableness;   Nabal;   Servant;   Wife;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Servants;   Walls;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Nabal;   Samuel;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Abigail;   Carmel;   David;   Wife;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Marriage;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Carmel;   Samuel, Books of;   Walls;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Gift, Giving;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Abigail ;   Carmel ;   Nabal ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Abigail;   Nabal;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Exodus, the;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Abigail;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Night;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
They were a wall around us, both day and night, the entire time we were with them herding the sheep.
Hebrew Names Version
they were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
King James Version
They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
Lexham English Bible
They were a wall to us both night and day, all the days we were with them keeping the sheep.
English Standard Version
They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
New Century Version
Night and day they protected us. They were like a wall around us while we were with them caring for the sheep.
New English Translation
Both night and day they were a protective wall for us the entire time we were with them, while we were tending our flocks.
Amplified Bible
"They were a wall [of protection] to us both night and day, all the time that we were with them tending the sheep.
New American Standard Bible
"They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the time we were with them tending the sheep.
Geneva Bible (1587)
They were as a wall vnto vs both by night & by day, all the while we were with them keeping sheepe.
Legacy Standard Bible
They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the time we were with them shepherding the sheep.
Complete Jewish Bible
They served as a wall protecting us day and night all the time we were with them caring for the sheep.
Darby Translation
They were a wall to us both by night and day, all the while we were with them feeding the sheep.
Easy-to-Read Version
His men protected us night and day. They were like a wall around us—they protected us while we were with them caring for the sheep.
George Lamsa Translation
And when we were in the wilderness, they were a wall to us both by night and day, and all the time we were with them tending the sheep.
Good News Translation
They protected us day and night the whole time we were with them looking after our flocks.
Literal Translation
They have been a wall to us both by day and by night, all the days we have been with them, feeding the flock.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
but they haue bene oure wall daye and nighte, as longe as we kepte the shepe by them.
American Standard Version
they were a wall unto us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
Bible in Basic English
But day and night they were like a wall round us while we were with them, looking after the sheep.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
They were a wall vnto vs both by night and day, all the while we were with them keping sheepe.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
they were a wall unto us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And when we were in the field, they were as a wall round about us, both by night and by day, all the days that we were with them feeding the flock.
English Revised Version
they were a wall unto us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
Berean Standard Bible
They were a wall around us, both day and night, the whole time we were herding our sheep near them.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
thei weren to vs for a wal, bothe in niyt and in dai, in alle daies in whiche we lesewiden flockis at hem.
Young's Literal Translation
a wall they have been unto us both by night and by day, all the days of our being with them, feeding the flock.
Update Bible Version
they were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
Webster's Bible Translation
They were a wall to us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
World English Bible
they were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
New King James Version
They were a wall to us both by night and day, all the time we were with them keeping the sheep.
New Living Translation
In fact, day and night they were like a wall of protection to us and the sheep.
New Life Bible
They were a wall to us night and day, all the time we were with them taking care of the sheep.
New Revised Standard
they were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
A wall, became they unto us, both by night and by day, all the days we were with them, tending the flock.
Douay-Rheims Bible
They were a wall unto us, both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
Revised Standard Version
they were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the time we were with them tending the sheep.

Contextual Overview

12 So Dauids yong men turned their way, and went againe, and came and told him all those sayings. 13 And Dauid said vnto his men, Gird you on euery man his sword. And they girded on euery man his sword, and Dauid also girded on his sword: and there went vp after Dauid about foure hundred men, and two hundred abode by the stuffe. 14 But one of the yong men told Abigail Nabals wife, saying, Behold, Dauid sent messengers out of the wildernesse to salute our master: and he railed on them. 15 But the men were very good vnto vs, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing as long as wee were conuersant with them, when we were in the fields. 16 They were a wall vnto vs both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping sheepe. 17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt doe: for euill is determined against our master, and against all his houshold: for he is such a sonne of Belial, that a man cannot speake to him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

a wall: Exodus 14:22, Job 1:10, Jeremiah 15:20, Zechariah 2:5

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 22:2 - a captain 1 Samuel 25:7 - we hurt Psalms 38:20 - render

Cross-References

Genesis 17:20
And as for Ishmael, I haue heard thee: behold, I haue blessed him, and will make him fruitfull, and will multiplie him exceedingly: Twelue princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
Genesis 17:23
And Abraham tooke Ishmael his sonne, and all that were borne in his house, and all that were bought with his money, euery male, among the men of Abrahams house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskinne, in the selfesame day, as God had said vnto him.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

They were a wall unto us both by night and day,.... Protecting and defending them against the Philistines, who, as they robbed the threshing floors of Keilah, would have plundered the flocks of Nabal; or it may be rather against the incursions of the Arabs in the wilderness of Paran, the posterity of Ishmael, who lived by plunder, and against the wild beasts of the desert, who otherwise would have carried off many of their sheep and lambs, by night or by day:

all the while we were with them keeping the sheep; all which showed how reasonable it was that Nabal should have used them well, and given them a portion of his entertainment at his sheep shearing; for had it not been for them, he would not have had so many sheep to shear as he had.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A wall - To protect them from the attacks of the Bedouins, etc. They had been as safe with David’s men around them as if they had been dwelling in a walled town.


 
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