The Meaning of 1 Samuel 25:24 Explained

1 Samuel 25:24

KJV: 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.

YLT: and falleth at his feet and saith, 'On me, my lord, the iniquity; and let, I pray thee, thy handmaid speak in thine ear, and hear the words of thy handmaid.

Darby: and fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let the iniquity be; but let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine ears, and hear the words of thy handmaid.

ASV: And she fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me be the iniquity; and let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine ears, and hear thou the words of thy handmaid.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Samuel 25:24 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 25:18-31 - A Wise Woman's Plea
What a contrast between the sordid Nabal and his beautiful wife-as lovely in disposition as in face! What a terrible trial for such a woman to be united with a man of whom his servant did not hesitate to speak to his wife in the words of 1 Samuel 25:17! With what admirable tact did Abigail treat the whole situation! She did not talk to her husband while he was drunk; she took the matter in hand without a moment's delay and marshaled her arguments with commendable sagacity.
It is a blessed partnership when husband and wife are so united that they are animated by a common purpose; but where this is not the case, let not the evil disposition of the one hinder the devotion and grace of the other. In the home-life, as in redemption, where sin abounds, grace should much more abound, that where the former reigns unto death, the latter may reign in life, Romans 5:21. Never let the difficulties of your home lead you to abdicate your throne. Do not step down to the level of your circumstances, but lift these to your own high calling in Jesus Christ. "Be not conformed,"¦ be transformed," Romans 12:1-2. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 25:24 mean?

so she fell at his feet and said On me [on] me my lord [let] this iniquity [be] and let speak please your maidservant in your ears and hear - the words of your maidservant
וַתִּפֹּל֙ עַל־ רַגְלָ֔יו וַתֹּ֕אמֶר בִּי־ אֲנִ֥י אֲדֹנִ֖י הֶֽעָוֺ֑ן וּֽתְדַבֶּר־ נָ֤א אֲמָֽתְךָ֙ בְּאָזְנֶ֔יךָ וּשְׁמַ֕ע אֵ֖ת דִּבְרֵ֥י אֲמָתֶֽךָ

וַתִּפֹּל֙  so  she  fell 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
עַל־  at 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
רַגְלָ֔יו  his  feet 
Parse: Noun, fdc, third person masculine singular
Root: רֶגֶל  
Sense: foot.
וַתֹּ֕אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בִּי־  On  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
אֲנִ֥י  [on]  me 
Parse: Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אֲנִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
אֲדֹנִ֖י  my  lord 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
הֶֽעָוֺ֑ן  [let]  this  iniquity  [be] 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.
וּֽתְדַבֶּר־  and  let  speak 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
נָ֤א  please 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
אֲמָֽתְךָ֙  your  maidservant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָמָה  
Sense: maid-servant, female slave, maid, handmaid, concubine.
בְּאָזְנֶ֔יךָ  in  your  ears 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, fdc, second person masculine singular
Root: אֹזֶן  
Sense: ear, as part of the body.
וּשְׁמַ֕ע  and  hear 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
אֵ֖ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
דִּבְרֵ֥י  the  words 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
אֲמָתֶֽךָ  of  your  maidservant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָמָה  
Sense: maid-servant, female slave, maid, handmaid, concubine.