1 Samuel 25:37

25:37 In the morning, when Nabal was sober, ¹  his wife told him about these matters. He had a stroke and was paralyzed. ² 

1 Samuel 25:1

The Death of Samuel

25:1 Samuel died, and all Israel assembled and mourned him. They buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David left and went down to the desert of Paran. ³ 

1 Samuel 10:5

10:5 Afterward you will go to Gibeah of God, where there are Philistine officials. ⁴  When you enter the town, you will meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place. They will have harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres, and they will be prophesying.

Isaiah 13:6-8

13:6 Wail, for the Lord’s day of judgment ⁵  is near;

it comes with all the destructive power of the sovereign judge. ⁶ 

13:7 For this reason all hands hang limp, ⁷ 

every human heart loses its courage. ⁸ 

13:8 They panic –

cramps and pain seize hold of them

like those of a woman who is straining to give birth.

They look at one another in astonishment;

their faces are flushed red. ⁹ 

Ezekiel 21:7

21:7 When they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you will reply, ‘Because of the report that has come. Every heart will melt with fear and every hand will be limp; everyone ¹⁰  will faint and every knee will be wet with urine.’ ¹¹  Pay attention – it is coming and it will happen, declares the sovereign Lord.”

Daniel 5:6

5:6 Then all the color drained from the king’s face ¹²  and he became alarmed. ¹³  The joints of his hips gave way, ¹⁴  and his knees began knocking together.

¹ tn Heb “when the wine had gone out from Nabal.”

² tn Heb “and his heart died within him and he became a stone.” Cf. TEV, NLT “stroke”; CEV “heart attack.” For an alternative interpretation than that presented above, see Marjorie O’Rourke Boyle, “The Law of the Heart: The Death of a Fool (1 Samuel 25),” JBL 120 (2001): 401-27, who argues that a medical diagnosis is not necessary here. Instead, the passage makes a connection between the heart and the law; Nabal dies for his lawlessness.

³ tc The LXX reads “Maon” here instead of “Paran,” perhaps because the following account of Nabal is said to be in Maon (v. 2). This reading is followed by a number of English versions (e.g., NAB, NIV, NCV, NLT). The MT, however, reads “Paran,” a location which would parallel this portion of David’s life with that of the nation Israel which also spent time in Paran (Num 10:12). Also, the desert of Paran was on the southern border of Judah’s territory and would be the most isolated location for hiding from Saul.

⁴ tn Or “sentries.” Some translate “outpost” (NIV) or “garrison” (NAB, NRSV, NLT) here (see 1 Sam 13:3). The noun is plural in the Hebrew text, but the LXX and other ancient witnesses read a singular noun here.

⁵ tn Heb “the day of the Lord” (so KJV, NAB).

⁶ tn Heb “like destruction from the sovereign judge it comes.” The comparative preposition (כְּ, kÿ) has here the rhetorical nuance, “in every way like.” The point is that the destruction unleashed will have all the earmarks of divine judgment. One could paraphrase, “it comes as only destructive divine judgment can.” On this use of the preposition in general, see GKC 376 §118.x.

⁷ tn Heb “drop”; KJV “be faint”; ASV “be feeble”; NAB “fall helpless.”

⁸ tn Heb “melts” (so NAB).

⁹ tn Heb “their faces are faces of flames.” Their faces are flushed with fear and embarrassment.

¹⁰ tn Heb “every spirit will be dim.”

¹¹ sn This expression depicts in a very vivid way how they will be overcome with fear. See the note on the same phrase in 7:17.

¹² tn Aram “[the king’s] brightness changed for him.”

¹³ tn Aram “his thoughts were alarming him.”

¹⁴ tn Aram “his loins went slack.”