1 Samuel 25:7Now I have heard that you have shearers. Your shepherds have now been with us, and we did them no hurt, neither was there anything missing to them, all the while they were in Carmel.
The setting
The wilderness of Paran, near Carmel, ~1000 BC. David's men had been like a protective wall around Nabal's shepherds for months, never taking payment or provisions...
The emotion here: pride in restraint while desperately hungry
The original word
chacer (חָסֵר) — to lack, be missing, be without something that should be there
Why it matters
Shepherds were extremely vulnerable to raiders and wild animals in the wilderness
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Samuel 25:7
David's men were starving but never stole even a single sheep from the flocks they protected
Common misconceptionThis sounds like David bragging, but he's actually making a legal case. In ancient culture, protection services created obligation for payment during prosperity seasons.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Samuel 25:7
Bible Genome reading
1 Samuel 25:7 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Samuel 25:7 comes from the book of 1 Samuel, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to David. The dominant emotion in this verse is grateful, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is conversational. It belongs to the dialogue genre of biblical literature. Key themes include protection, integrity, good stewardship. Notable phrases: we did them no hurt; nothing was missing.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grateful
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
— John 3:16
“I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith.”
— 2 Timothy 4:7
“It will be, that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.'”
— Acts 2:21
“for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,”
— Ephesians 2:8
“So now it wasn't you who sent me here, but God, and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land o…”
— Genesis 45:8
Your reflection
What does 1 Samuel 25:7 mean to you, today?
A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.
Speak your heart →Get 3 verses for "grateful"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.