1 Samuel 22:16

16 And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou and all thy father’s house.

1 Samuel 22:16 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 22:16

And the king said, thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech
He pronounces the sentence himself, without taking the opinion and advice of others, or further time; which was an act of arbitrary power, and upon an innocent person, which was an act of great injustice: thou, and all thy father's house;
more unrighteous still; but God suffered him to do this to fulfil his will, and execute his threatenings against the house of Eli, which was this priest's father's house, for former wickedness; but this is no excuse for, nor extenuation of the sin of, Saul.

1 Samuel 22:16 In-Context

14 Then Ahimelech answered the king and said, And who is so faithful among all thy slaves as David, the king’s son-in-law, who goes at thy bidding and is honourable in thy house?

15 Did I begin to enquire of God for him today? Be it far from me; let not the king impute any thing unto his slave nor to all the house of my father, for thy slave knew nothing of all this, less or more.

16 And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou and all thy father’s house.

17 Then 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 show it to me. But the slaves of the king would not put forth their hands to fall upon the priests of the LORD.

18 Then the king said to Doeg, Turn thou and fall upon the priests. And Doeg, the Edomite, turned and he fell upon the priests and slew on that day eighty-five men that wore a linen ephod.