1 Samuel 22:7

7 he said to his servants that stood nigh [to] him, Ye sons of Benjamin, hear me now; whether the son of Jesse shall give to all you fields and vineries, and he shall make all you chieftains upon thousands, and upon hundreds of men? (and he said to his officers who stood about him, Ye sons of Benjamin, hear me now; will the son of Jesse give all of you fields and vineyards, and will he make all of you chieftains over thousands, and chieftains over hundreds?)

1 Samuel 22:7 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 22:7

Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him
He took this opportunity of addressing them in the following manner, upon the report of David being at the head of a certain number of men:

hear now, ye Benjamites;
for Saul being of the tribe of Benjamin, his courtiers and his bodyguards chiefly, if not altogether, consisted of persons of that tribe; and therefore as they were under obligation to him, and ought to abide by him, and adhere closely to him, so it was the more ungrateful in them, as he thought, not to be concerned for his honour and interest:

will the son of Jesse give everyone of you fields and vineyards;
as Saul had done, or was capable of doing, and would do if they were faithful to him; whereas it was not in the power of David, whom in contempt he calls the son of Jesse, to do it; and even should he ever be king, and in his power to make such donations, it cannot be thought he would give them to them, but to the favourites of his own tribe:

[and] make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds;
which he now could not do, since he had with him but four hundred men in all; and should his army increase, and the kingdom come into his hands, so far would all of them be from being advanced to posts in the army, that it was probable none of them would, but those of his own tribe and party.

1 Samuel 22:7 In-Context

5 And Gad, the prophet, said to David, Do not thou dwell in the forcelet, or the stronghold; go thou forth, and go into the land of Judah. And David went forth, and came into the forest of Hareth.

6 And Saul heard, that David appeared, and the men that were with him. And when Saul dwelled in Gibeah, and was in a wood that is in Ramah, and he held a spear in his hand, and all his servants stood about him, (And Saul heard that David, and the men who were with him, had appeared. And Saul then lived in Gibeah, and was in a forest that is in Ramah, and he held a spear in his hand, and all his servants stood about him,)

7 he said to his servants that stood nigh [to] him, Ye sons of Benjamin, hear me now; whether the son of Jesse shall give to all you fields and vineries, and he shall make all you chieftains upon thousands, and upon hundreds of men? (and he said to his officers who stood about him, Ye sons of Benjamin, hear me now; will the son of Jesse give all of you fields and vineyards, and will he make all of you chieftains over thousands, and chieftains over hundreds?)

8 For all ye have sworn, either conspired, together against me, and none is that telleth to me; mostly since also my son hath joined (in a) bond of peace with the son of Jesse; none is of you, that sorroweth for my stead, or my while, neither that telleth to me, for my son hath raised my servant against me, setting treason to me, unto this day. (Is that why all of you have conspired together against me, and no one told me that my son hath made a covenant with the son of Jesse; yea, none of you hath concern for me, nor even telleth me that my own son hath raised up my servant against me, setting treason for me, unto this day.)

9 Soothly Doeg of Idumea answered, that stood nigh, and was the first among the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse in Nob, at Ahimelech, the priest, the son of Ahitub; (And Doeg of Idumea, who stood near, and was the first among Saul's officers, answered, and said, I saw Jesse's son in Nob, with Ahimelech, the priest, the son of Ahitub;)