Shmuel Alef 22:19

19 And Nov, the Ir of the Kohanim, he struck with the edge of the cherev, both ish and isha, olel and nursing infants, and shor, and chamor, and seh, with the edge of the cherev.

Shmuel Alef 22:19 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 22:19

And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of
the sword
Either Doeg or Saul; who, as Josephus ^F9 says, sent men thither to slay all the inhabitants of it: both men and women, children and sucklings;
not sparing sex nor age: and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword;
Saul, who was so tender hearted and merciful in the case of the Amalekites, when his orders from the Lord were utterly to destroy them, ( 1 Samuel 15:2 1 Samuel 15:3 ) , that he spared their king, and the best of their cattle, ( 1 Samuel 15:7-9 ) ; yet now so cruel to a city of the priests, as to destroy all the inhabitants of it, and cattle in it; and yet this bloody affair of Saul's is not taken notice of afterwards, only his slaughter of the Gibeonites, ( 2 Samuel 21:1 ) ; and Abarbinel is of opinion, that the inhabitants of this place were Gibeonites, who were hewers of wood, and drawers of water, to the house of the Lord here, ( Joshua 9:23 Joshua 9:27 ) . Now Saul was the more severe this city, to deter others from joining with David, who, if they did, must expect the same treatment.

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 12. sect. 6.

Shmuel Alef 22:19 In-Context

17 And HaMelech said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the Kohanim of Hashem; because their yad also is with Dovid, and because they knew when he fled, and did not reveal it in my ear. But the avadim of HaMelech would not put forth their yad to strike the Kohanim of Hashem.

18 And HaMelech said to Do’eg, Turn thou, and strike the Kohanim. And Do’eg the Edomi turned, and he struck the Kohanim, and slaughtered on that day fourscore and five ish that did wear ephod bad (linen robe).

19 And Nov, the Ir of the Kohanim, he struck with the edge of the cherev, both ish and isha, olel and nursing infants, and shor, and chamor, and seh, with the edge of the cherev.

20 And ben echad of Achimelech Ben Achituv, shmo Evyatar (his name Evyatar [Abiathar]), escaped, and fled after Dovid.

21 And Evyatar (Abiathar) told Dovid that Sha’ul had slain the Kohanim of Hashem.