1 Samuel 22:17

Courage and strength Sin Faithfulness and loyalty

¹⁵ Was that day the first time I inquired of God for him? Far be it from me! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of my father’s household, for your servant knew nothing of this whole affair—not in part or in whole.”

¹⁶ But the king replied, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!”

Then the king ordered the guards at his side, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too sided with David. For they knew he was fleeing, but they did not tell me.” But the king’s servants would not lift a hand to strike the priests of the LORD.

¹⁸ So the king ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests!” And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests himself. On that day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.

¹⁹ He also put to the sword Nob, the city of the priests, with its men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Then the king ordered the guards at his side, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too sided with David. For they knew he was fleeing, but they did not tell me.” But the king’s servants would not lift a hand to strike the priests of the LORD.
KJV: And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.
WEB: The king said to the guard who stood about him, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled and didn’t disclose it to me.” But the servants of the king wouldn’t put out their hand to fall on the priests of the LORD.
ASV: And the king said unto the guard that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of Jehovah; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled, and did not disclose it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of Jehovah.
DARBY: And the king said to the couriers that stood about him, Turn and put the priests of Jehovah to death; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not inform me. But the servants of the king were not willing to put forth their hand to fall on the priests of Jehovah.
BLB: And the king said to the guards who stood beside him, “Turn and kill the priests of YHWH, because their hands [are] also with David, and because they knew when he fled and did not tell it to me.” But the servants of the king would not lift their hands to strike the priests of YHWH.

ÅB: Og kongen sa til drabantene som sto omkring ham: Gå fram og drep Herrens prester! For de har og hjulpet David; de visste at han var på flukt, men åpenbarte det ikke for meg. Men kongens tjenere ville ikke rekke ut sin hånd for å hugge ned Herrens prester.
OTB: Og kongen sa til vaktene som var hos ham: "Vend dere om og drep Herrens prester, fordi deres hånd også er med David, og fordi de visste at han flyktet og ikke informerte meg." Men kongens tjenere var ikke villige til å rekke ut sine hender for å angripe Herrens prester.
B1930: Og kongen sa til drabantene som stod omkring ham: Gå frem og drep Herrens prester! For de har og hjulpet David; de visste at han var på flukt, men åpenbarte det ikke for mig. Men kongens tjenere vilde ikke rekke ut sin hånd for å hugge ned Herrens prester.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Exodus 1:17
The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed; they let the boys live.
Read in context
1 Samuel 14:45
But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die—he who accomplished such a great deliverance for Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for with God’s help he has accomplished this today.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.
Read in context
2 Kings 1:13–14
So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. And the third captain went up, fell on his knees before Elijah, and begged him, “Man of God, may my life and the lives of these fifty servants please be precious in your sight.
Read in context
2 Samuel 15:1
Some time later, Absalom provided for himself a chariot with horses and fifty men to run ahead of him.
Read in context
2 Kings 10:25
When he had finished making the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guards and officers, “Go in and kill them. Do not let anyone out.” So the guards and officers put them to the sword, threw the bodies out, and went into the inner room of the temple of Baal.
Read in context
1 Kings 18:4
for when Jezebel had slaughtered the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty men per cave, providing them with food and water.)
Read in context
1 Samuel 22:13
And Saul asked him, “Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me? You gave him bread and a sword and inquired of God for him so that he could rise up against me to lie in wait, as he is doing today.”
Read in context
1 Kings 1:5
At that time Adonijah, David’s son by Haggith, began to exalt himself, saying, “I will be king!” And he acquired chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run ahead of him.
Read in context