What Does 1 Samuel 25:10 Mean in the King James?
And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The Hebrew behind “break away” can mean “break through,” so Nabal’s accusation already carries the image of a person forcing a way out.
THE MEANING
Contempt can meet a name with “Who is he?” and reduce its bearer to a category: a servant who leaves his master. The Hebrew word translated “break away” also means “break through” or “burst forth,” framing the departure as a forceful crossing of a boundary. The verse shows how a person can be denied recognition before his claim is even heard.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie is that someone labeled a runaway servant is nobody whose words deserve a hearing.
THE ROOT
הַמִּתְפָּרְצִים
hammithparatsim
GROWS FROM
פרץ
Break through, burst out, or break open.
The word rendered “break away” carries the force of breaking through. The English can make departure sound like simple disloyalty; the Hebrew also lets you hear the force of someone pressing through a boundary.
ALSO GROWS
parats: To break through, burst forth, or spread.
פָּרַץ
This verb holds the force of the departure in Nabal’s accusation: someone pressing beyond a boundary.
perets: A breach or opening made by a break.
פֶּרֶץ
The breach-language shows how the same root can name the opening created when something breaks through.
דָּוִד
Dāwīd
GROWS FROM
דוד
Beloved; the same root also appears in a word for an uncle or close male kin.
David’s name carries the nature of “beloved,” even as the question “Who is David?” tries to strip the name of recognition. The root’s kinship sense adds closeness to the name Nabal dismisses.
ALSO GROWS
dôd: Beloved one or beloved.
דּוֹד
This is the name-nature carried by David: “Who is David?” denies recognition of the beloved.
dôd: Uncle or close male kin.
דּוֹד
The same word also names close kin, giving David’s name a sense of personal belonging that Nabal’s dismissal refuses.
THE PATTERN
Contempt narrows a person to the status or origin used to dismiss their claim.
And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:THE THREAD
And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.Both passages use פרץ (parats, “break through” or “burst forth”), the root behind “break away” and the name Pharez. Nabal frames the boundary crossing as an accusation; Genesis uses the same root to name a sudden emergence.
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