Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good.
Now David had said, 'I completely wasted my time protecting everything this man owned in the wilderness. Nothing of his was ever stolen or lost because I watched over it all. And how does he repay me? He treats me badly when I did good for him.'
David is feeling bitter and angry because he protected someone's property faithfully, but that person responded with insults and rejection instead of gratitude.
📚 Historical Context
This verse comes from the story of Nabal, a wealthy but foolish man whose flocks David's men had protected while they were hiding in the wilderness from King Saul. When David sent messengers asking for food and supplies in return for this protection, Nabal rudely refused and insulted David. David is expressing his frustration at this ungrateful response to his kindness.
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