New American Standard Bible 1995

Back to Reader

1 Samuel

Note Journal Prayer

25

:

42

“

Then Abigail quickly arose, and rode on a donkey, with her five maidens who attended her; and she followed the messengers of David and became his wife.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
Then Abigail "my father is joy," two Isr. women Noun H26 אֲבִיגַ֗יִל a·vi·ga·yil
quickly to hasten Verb H4116 וַתְּמַהֵ֞ר vat·te·ma·her
arose, to arise, stand up, stand Verb H6965 וַתָּ֣קָם vat·ta·kam
and rode to mount and ride, ride Verb H7392 וַתִּרְכַּב֙ vat·tir·kav
on a donkey, a male ass Noun H2543 הַחֲמֹ֔ור ha·cha·mo·vr,
with her five five Noun H2568 וְחָמֵשׁ֙ ve·cha·mesh
Analysis:

Five: Incompletion or lacking

For a person to understand the meaning of the number “five”, one must first realize that the meaning of the number ten is completion or wholeness. Since five is half of ten, the idea is that the number five represents incompletion or that which is lacking. A Scripture that expresses this idea is found in the book of John. At a place called Beit Chesed (Bethesda), there was a pool whose waters healed the sick. The reader is told that around the pool there were five porches. It is stated that on these five porches laid individuals who were not whole. Some were paralyzed and the rest of them had a variety of health problems. It is not a chance happening that these people who were lacking their health were on five porches. Another well-known passage that contains the number five is found in I Samuel 17. In the account of David and Goliath, David picks up five stones (see I Samuel 17:40). Why is the reader told the specific number and not simply that David had gathered a few stones? The answer is to assist the reader in understanding that the stone, which David hurled at Goliath, was not the source of victory. Rather, this was only the means that God used to accomplish His victory. In other words, the stone and even David, who hurled this stone at Goliath, were insufficient to bring about this victory.

One of the first places where the idea of "lacking" or "incompleteness" is seen regarding the number five is in the book of Genesis. In chapter 18, two angels are sent to Sodom to destroy the city. God tells Abraham that if 50 righteous people are found in the city, then the city will be free of this punishment (We will learn that the number 50 is related to freedom when this number is studied). This is revealed to Abraham and he responds saying, perhaps the city will lack 50 righteous people by five. It is significant that Abraham uses the number five when referring to the city lacking enough righteous people. 

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016
maidens a girl, maiden Noun H5291 נַעֲרֹתֶ֔יהָ na·'a·ro·tei·ha,
who attended to go, come, walk Verb H1980 הַהֹלְכֹ֖ות ha·ho·le·cho·vt
her; and she followed to go, come, walk Verb H1980 וַתֵּ֗לֶךְ vat·te·lech
the messengers a messenger Noun H4397 מַלְאֲכֵ֣י mal·'a·chei
of David perhaps "beloved one," a son of Jesse Noun H1732 דָוִ֔ד da·vid,
Analysis:
Read more about: David
and became to fall out, come to pass, become, be Verb H1961 וַתְּהִי־ vat·te·hi-
his wife. woman, wife, female Noun H802 לְאִשָּֽׁה׃ le·'i·shah.

People

David

David [N] [B] [H] [S] beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother's name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of  2 Samuel 17:25 . As to his personal appearance, we only know that he was red-haired, with beautiful eyes and a fair face ( 1 Samuel 16:12 ;  17:42 ).  His early... View Details

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 Then Abigail quickly arose, and rode on a donkey, with her five maidens who attended her; and she followed the messengers of David and became his wife.
King James Bible Then And Abigail quickly hasted, and arose, and rode on a donkey, upon an ass, with her five maidens who attended damsels of hers that went after her; and she followed went after the messengers of David David, and became his wife.
Hebrew Greek English Then Abigail quickly arose, and rode on a donkey, with her five maidens who attended her; and she followed the messengers of David and became his wife.