1 Samuel 25:2 (KJV)

What does 1 Samuel 25:2 mean?

1 Samuel 25:2 introduces a wealthy man living in Maon, whose property and livestock were in Carmel. The verse highlights his great wealth by listing his ownership of three thousand sheep and a thousand goats, and notes that he was shearing his sheep in Carmel at the time.

This verse sets the scene for the story by describing the man’s prosperity and the specific moment of sheep-shearing, which was a major event in ancient times. The narrative is giving background information about the man’s status and activities, preparing the reader for the events that will follow involving him, his household, and David.

The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 25:2

• The word for "man" is אִישׁ (ish), which simply means a male individual, emphasizing that the focus is on a particular person of significance in the story.
• "Possessions" comes from מַעֲשֶׂה (ma'aseh), which often means "work" or "deeds," but here refers to the man’s property or holdings, showing the scope of his wealth.
• "Very great" uses מְאֹד (me’od, "very") and גָּדוֹל (gadol, "great"), a strong combination that stresses just how wealthy and important this man was in his community.
• "Shearing" is from גָּזַז (gazaz), which means to cut or shear, pointing to the sheep-shearing event—a time of harvest, celebration, and often hospitality in ancient Israel.

Why 1 Samuel 25:2 matters

• This verse clears up any doubt about the man’s social and economic status, showing he is not just wealthy but exceptionally so, which will be important for understanding his actions and others’ expectations of him.
• By mentioning the sheep-shearing, the verse signals a time of festivity and abundance, which in the wider passage becomes the backdrop for the interaction between David and this man.
• The details about location—Maon and Carmel—help situate the story geographically, connecting it to real places in ancient Israel and grounding the narrative in a specific cultural and economic context.