1 Samuel 22:19

19 And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

1 Samuel 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.


FOOTNOTES:

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

1 Samuel 22:19 In-Context

17 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.
18 And 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 fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.
19 And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.
20 And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.
21 And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the LORD'S priests.
The King James Version is in the public domain.