New International Version A certain man in Maon, who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy. He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel. New Living Translation There was a wealthy man from Maon who owned property near the town of Carmel. He had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats, and it was sheep-shearing time. English Standard Version And there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. The man was very rich; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. He was shearing his sheep in Carmel. Berean Standard Bible Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. He was a very wealthy man with a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel. Berean Literal Bible And there was a man in Maon, and his work was in Carmel. And the man was very rich, and He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. King James Bible 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. New King James Version Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel, and the man was very rich. He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. New American Standard Bible Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel; and the man was very rich, and he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And it came about while he was shearing his sheep in Carmel NASB 1995 Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel; and the man was very rich, and he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And it came about while he was shearing his sheep in Carmel NASB 1977 Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel; and the man was very rich, and he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And it came about while he was shearing his sheep in Carmel Legacy Standard Bible Now there was a man in Maon whose work was in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep and one thousand goats. And it happened, while he was shearing his sheep in Carmel Amplified Bible Now there was a man in Maon whose business and possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very rich. He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats, and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel Berean Annotated Bible Now there was a man in Maon (habitation) whose business was in Carmel (garden-land). He was a very wealthy man with a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel. Christian Standard Bible A man in Maon had a business in Carmel; he was a very rich man with three thousand sheep and one thousand goats and was shearing his sheep in Carmel. Holman Christian Standard Bible A man in Maon had a business in Carmel; he was a very rich man with 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats and was shearing his sheep in Carmel. American Standard Version 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. English Revised Version 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. GOD'S WORD® Translation Now, there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. He was a very rich man. He had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats. And he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. International Standard Version Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel of Judah, and the man was very rich. He had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats, and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. NET Bible There was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. This man was very wealthy; he owned three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. At that time he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. New Heart English Bible 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. Webster's Bible Translation 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. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleNow there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. He was a very wealthy man with a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel. World English Bible There was a man in Maon whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great. He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats; and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd [there is] a man in Maon, and his work [is] in Carmel; and the man [is] very great, and he has three thousand sheep and one thousand goats; and he is shearing his flock in Carmel. Berean Literal Bible And there was a man in Maon, and his work was in Carmel. And the man was very rich, and He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. Young's Literal Translation And there is a man in Maon, and his work is in Carmel; and the man is very great, and he hath three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats; and he is shearing his flock in Carmel. Smith's Literal Translation And a man in Maon and his work in Carmel; and the man very great, and to him three thousand sheep and a thousand goats: and he will be in shearing his sheep in Carmel. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleNow there was a certain man in the wilderness of Maon, and his possessions were in Carmel, and the man was very great: and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and it happened that he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. Catholic Public Domain Version Now there was a certain man in the wilderness of Maon, and his possessions were at Carmel. And this man was exceedingly great. And three thousand sheep, and one thousand goats were his. And it happened that he was shearing his sheep at Carmel. New American Bible There was a man of Maon who had property in Carmel; he was very wealthy, owning three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. At the time, he was present for the shearing of his flock in Carmel. New Revised Standard Version There was a man in Maon, whose property was in Carmel. The man was very rich; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. He was shearing his sheep in Carmel. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd there was a man in Maon whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very wealthy; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats; and it came to pass, that he sheared his sheep in Carmel. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And there was a man in Meun and his work was in Karmela, and the man was very great and he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats, and it happened that he sheared his flock in Karmela OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And 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. Brenton Septuagint Translation And there was a man in Maon, and his flocks were in Carmel, and he was a very great man; and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand she-goats: and he happened to be shearing his flock in Carmel. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context David, Nabal, and Abigail2Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. He was a very wealthy man with a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel. 3His name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was harsh and evil in his dealings.… Cross References Now there was a man in Maon 1 Samuel 23:24-25 So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon in the Arabah south of Jeshimon, / and Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard of this, he pursued David there. Joshua 15:55 Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, 1 Samuel 23:26-28 Saul was proceeding along one side of the mountain, and David and his men along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away, Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them. / Then a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly, for the Philistines have raided the land!” / So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why that place is called Sela-hammahlekoth. whose business was in Carmel. 1 Samuel 15:12 Early in the morning Samuel got up to confront Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel, and behold, he has set up a monument for himself and has turned and gone down to Gilgal.” 2 Kings 2:25 And Elisha went on to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria. 2 Kings 4:25 So she set out and went to the man of God at Mount Carmel. When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, there is the Shunammite woman. He was a very wealthy man Genesis 13:2 And Abram had become extremely wealthy in livestock and silver and gold. Genesis 24:35 “The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and donkeys. Genesis 26:13-14 and he became richer and richer, until he was exceedingly wealthy. / He owned so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him. with a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, 2 Chronicles 17:11 Some Philistines also brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat, and the Arabs brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats from their flocks. Job 1:3 and he owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and a very large number of servants. Job was the greatest man of all the people of the East. 2 Kings 3:4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he would render to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. which he was shearing in Carmel. Genesis 31:19 Now while Laban was out shearing his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols. Genesis 38:13 When Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,” 2 Samuel 13:23-24 Two years later, when Absalom’s sheepshearers were at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, he invited all the sons of the king. / And he went to the king and said, “Your servant has just hired shearers. Will the king and his servants please come with me?” Proverbs 31:10-31 A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies. / The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks nothing of value. / She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life. … Treasury of Scripture 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. Maon 1 Samuel 23:24 And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon. possessions were. man Genesis 26:13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: 2 Samuel 19:32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man. Psalm 17:14 From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes. three thousand Genesis 13:2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. Job 1:3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. Job 42:12 So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. Genesis 38:13 And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep. 2 Samuel 13:23,24 And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons… Carmel 1 Samuel 30:5 And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. Joshua 15:55 Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah, Jump to Previous Business Carmel Cutting Maon Ma'on Possessions Property Rich Shearing Sheep Thousand Three Wealthy Wool WorkJump to Next Business Carmel Cutting Maon Ma'on Possessions Property Rich Shearing Sheep Thousand Three Wealthy Wool Work1 Samuel 25 1. Samuel dies2. 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 Now there was a man in Maon Maon lay in the hill country of Judah, a rugged southern region suited to flocks and herds. Its distance from major centers made it a place where wealthy landowners could maintain extensive pastoral operations. 1Sa 23:24-25 So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul.… whose business was in Carmel. Carmel was a nearby town in Judah, distinct from Mount Carmel in the north. Its productive land supported agriculture and livestock, and the man’s holdings there indicate an established and prosperous estate. 1Sa 15:12 Early in the morning Samuel got up to confront Saul… He was a very wealthy man His wealth rested chiefly in land, animals, and the servants needed to oversee them. Such resources gave him influence in the region and made his household capable of providing generously during times of plenty. Gen 13:2 And Abram had become extremely wealthy… with a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, The size of his herds marks him as one of the leading livestock owners in the area. Sheep supplied wool, meat, and skins, while goats provided milk, meat, and hides, making his estate economically significant. 2Ch 17:11 Some Philistines also brought gifts and silver… which he was shearing in Carmel. Sheep shearing was a season of harvest, profit, and celebration. With abundant wool being gathered and food prepared for the workers, Nabal’s household was in a position to show hospitality when David’s men came seeking provisions. Gen 31:19 Now while Laban was out shearing his sheep,… Persons / Places / Events 1. MaonA town in the hill country of Judah, known for its pastoral lands. It is the home of the wealthy man mentioned in this verse. 2. Carmel A region known for its fertile lands and agricultural productivity. It is here that the wealthy man conducts his business and shears his sheep. 3. The Wealthy Man Although not named in this verse, he is later identified as Nabal. He is described as very wealthy, owning a significant number of livestock, which indicates his high social and economic status. 4. Sheep Shearing An event that was not only a time of labor but also a festive occasion in ancient Israel. It was a time of celebration and hospitality. Teaching Points The Illusion of Security in WealthWealth can create a false sense of security and self-sufficiency. Nabal's wealth is substantial, yet it does not protect him from the consequences of his actions or his character flaws. The Importance of Character Over Wealth While Nabal is wealthy, his character is later revealed to be lacking. This serves as a reminder that true value lies in one's character and relationship with God, not in material possessions. Hospitality and Generosity The cultural context of sheep shearing as a time of hospitality challenges us to consider how we use our resources to bless others and honor God. The Role of Women in Biblical Narratives Abigail's later actions in this chapter highlight the significant impact women can have in biblical accounts, often acting with wisdom and courage. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of 1 Samuel 25:2?2. How does 1 Samuel 25:2 illustrate the importance of wealth stewardship for believers? 3. What can we learn from Nabal's character in 1 Samuel 25:2? 4. How does Nabal's wealth compare to biblical teachings on material possessions? 5. In what ways can we apply Nabal's story to our financial decisions today? 6. How does 1 Samuel 25:2 connect with Jesus' teachings on generosity and humility? 7. What is the significance of Nabal's wealth in 1 Samuel 25:2? 8. How does Nabal's character reflect on his relationship with God in 1 Samuel 25:2? 9. Why is the location of Maon important in understanding 1 Samuel 25:2? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from 1 Samuel 25? (2) Maon.--Maon mentioned above was in the hill country of Judah. The Carmel here mentioned is not the famous Mount Carmel in the north, but the small town, the modern Kurmeel, near Maon, of which we read in 1Samuel 15:12, when Saul set up a place or monument after the war with Amalek. And the man was very great.--The wealthy chief--the subject of the story--was a descendant of Caleb, the friend and comrade of Joshua, who at the time of the conquest of Canaan obtained vast possessions in the valley of Hebron and in the south of Judah. The tradition even has preserved to us the exact number of his flocks, probably to enhance the churlishness of his reply to David when he asked him for some return for the protection his armed bands had afforded to these vast flocks in their pasturage on the edge of the desert. The occasion of David's mission to Nabal was the annual sheep-shearing of the rich sheep-master--always a great occasion, and accompanied usually on large estates by festivities. Verse 2. - A man in Maon. Though strictly by descent belonging to Maon (for which see on 1 Samuel 23:24), his possessions - rather, "his business," "occupation" (see Genesis 47:3, and Ecclesiastes 4:3, where it is translated work) - were in Carmel, the small town just north of Maon, where Saul set up a trophy at the end of the Amalekite war (1 Samuel 15:12), and to which Abigail belonged (1 Samuel 27:3). He is described as very great because of his wealth arising from his large flocks of sheep and goats, which fed upon the pasture land which forms the elevated plateau of Carmel, where he was shearing his sheep, usually a time of lavish hospitality (2 Samuel 13:23, 24). 1 Samuel 25:2 introduces Nabal by location, occupation, wealth, assets, and current activity, setting the stage for a clash between selfishness and godly honor. Every detail—Maon, Carmel, riches, herds, and shearing—previews how blessings become snares when a heart resists the Lord, while also highlighting the faithful contrast God will provide through David and, ultimately, through the greater Shepherd-King.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Now [there was] a manוְאִ֨ישׁ (wə·’îš) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person in Maon בְּמָע֜וֹן (bə·mā·‘ō·wn) Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 4584: Maon -- 'habitation', a place in Judah, also a man of Judah, also an enemy of Israel whose business וּמַעֲשֵׂ֣הוּ (ū·ma·‘ă·śê·hū) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 4639: An action, a transaction, activity, a product, property was in Carmel; בַכַּרְמֶ֗ל (ḇak·kar·mel) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 3760: Carmel -- a mountain promontory on the Mediterranean, also a city near Hebron he was a very מְאֹ֔ד (mə·’ōḏ) Adverb Strong's 3966: Vehemence, vehemently, wholly, speedily wealthy גָּד֣וֹל (gā·ḏō·wl) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent man וְהָאִישׁ֙ (wə·hā·’îš) Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person with a thousand וְאֶ֣לֶף (wə·’e·lep̄) Conjunctive waw | Number - masculine singular Strong's 505: A thousand goats עִזִּ֑ים (‘iz·zîm) Noun - feminine plural Strong's 5795: Female goat and three שְׁלֹֽשֶׁת־ (šə·lō·šeṯ-) Number - masculine singular construct Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice thousand אֲלָפִ֖ים (’ă·lā·p̄îm) Number - masculine plural Strong's 505: A thousand sheep, צֹ֥אן (ṣōn) Noun - common singular Strong's 6629: Small cattle, sheep and goats, flock which he was וַיְהִ֛י (way·hî) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be shearing בִּגְזֹ֥ז (biḡ·zōz) Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Strong's 1494: To cut off, to shear a, flock, shave the hair, to destroy an enemy in Carmel. בַּכַּרְמֶֽל׃ (bak·kar·mel) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 3760: Carmel -- a mountain promontory on the Mediterranean, also a city near Hebron Additonal Resources 1 Samuel 25:2 Blue Letter Bible1 Samuel 25:2 Bible Gateway 1 Samuel 25:2 Bible.com 1 Samuel 25:2 NIV |
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