1 Samuel 22:17

1 Samuel 22:17 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (NIV)Then the king ordered the guards at his side: “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because they too have sided with David. They knew he was fleeing, yet they did not tell me.” But the king’s officials were unwilling to raise a hand to strike the priests of the Lord.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And 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 they knew that he fled and did not disclose it to me." But the servants of the king would not put out their hand to strike the priests of the Lord.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the king said to the guards who stood about him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand also is 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 the Lord.

Context of 1 Samuel 22:17

15I have often prayed to God on David's behalf. This was not the first time. King Saul, do not say that my family or I have done anything wrong. I do not know anything about what is happening.’ 16But King Saul said, ‘Ahimelech, you must die, together with all your family.’ Then the king said to the guards who were near him, ‘Now kill the Lord's priests! They have been helping David. They knew that he was running away from me. But they did not tell me.’ But the king's officers refused to hurt the Lord's priests. 18So the king said to Doeg, ‘You must kill the priests.’ So Doeg, the man from Edom, killed the priests that same day. He killed 85 priests who wore linen ephods. 19He also killed all the people in Nob, which was the town where the priests lived. He killed the men and women, children and babies. He also killed the cows, donkeys and sheep.

1 Samuel 22:17 word by word

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ לָרָצִים֩ הַנִּצָּבִ֨ים עָלָ֜יו סֹ֥בּוּ וְהָמִ֣יתוּ׀ כֹּהֲנֵ֣י יְהוָ֗ה כִּ֤י גַם־יָדָם֙ עִם־דָּוִ֔ד וְכִ֤י יָֽדְעוּ֙ כִּֽי־בֹרֵ֣חַ ה֔וּא וְלֹ֥א גָל֖וּ אֶת־אָזְנִ֑י וְלֹֽא־אָב֞וּ עַבְדֵ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ לִשְׁלֹ֣חַ אֶת־יָדָ֔ם לִפְגֹ֖עַ בְּכֹהֲנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto the footmenרוּץrûts · to run: guardH7323
• that stoodנָצַבnâtsab · to standH5324
• about him, Turnסָבַבsâbab · to turn: turnH5437
• and slayמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• the priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• because their handיָדyâd · handH3027
• with Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• and because they knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• when he fledבָּרַחbârach · to fleeH1272
• and did not shewאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · ear: to earsH241
• and did not shewגָּלָהgâlâh · to reveal: revealH1540
• it to me. But the servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• wouldאָבָה'âbâh · be willingH14
• not put forthשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: reachH7971
• to fallפָּגַעpâga‛ · to fall onH6293

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 22:17

• 1 Samuel 8:11Samuel said to them, ‘This is how the king will rule over you: He will take your sons to be his soldiers. They will ride his horses and they will drive his chariots. They will have to run in front of his own chariot.
• 2 Samuel 15:1Some time later, Absalom bought a chariot and some horses. He had 50 men who ran in front of the chariot to give him honour.
• 1 Kings 1:5At that time, David's son Adonijah, was telling everyone, ‘I will become the next king.’ He got for himself chariots and men who would ride on horses. He also had 50 men to run in front of him as his guards. Haggith was Adonijah's mother.
• 1 Samuel 22:13Saul said to him, ‘You and this son of Jesse have been trying to kill me! You gave him bread and a sword. You prayed to God on his behalf. Now, at this moment, he is waiting for his chance to kill me!’
• 1 Samuel 20:33Then Saul threw his spear at Jonathan and tried to kill him. So Jonathan knew that his father had decided to kill David.
• 1 Samuel 25:17So please think carefully about this. Decide what you can do. If you do nothing, there will be great trouble for our master and all his family and servants. He is such a wicked man that he will not listen to anyone.’
• 1 Kings 18:4At one time, Ahab's wife Jezebel was killing many of the Lord's prophets. While she was doing this, Obadiah had kept 100 prophets safe. He had hidden them in two caves, with 50 prophets in each cave. He had also given them food and water.
• 1 Samuel 14:45But the soldiers said to Saul, ‘No! Jonathan must not die! He has rescued Israel in battle. As surely as the Lord lives, we promise that he will not lose even one hair on his head. It is God who has helped Jonathan to win the fight today.’ In that way, the army saved Jonathan from death.
• Exodus 1:17But the two women respected God. So they did not do what the king of Egypt had told them. They obeyed God and they let the boys live.
• 2 Kings 1:13So the king sent a third captain, with 50 more soldiers. This captain went up to Elijah. He bent down on his knees in front of Elijah to ask him to be kind to them. He said, ‘Man of God, we are your servants. Please do not kill me and my 50 soldiers.
• Acts 4:19Then Peter and John replied to the leaders, ‘What do you think God wants us to do? Should we obey you? Or should we obey God? You decide!

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 22:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17But the servants of the king would not - They dared to disobey the commands of the king in a case of such injustice, inhumanity, and irreligion.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-19Verses 6-19 See the nature of jealous malice and its pitiful arts. Saul looks upon all about him as his enemies, because they do not just say as he says. In Ahimelech's answer to Saul we have the language of conscious innocence. But what wickedness will not the evil spirit hurry men to when he gets the dominion! Saul alleges that which was utterly false and unproved. But the most bloody tyrants have found instruments of their cruelty as barbarous as…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-23Saul’s character is clear here. He could not take revenge on David himself. Instead, Saul killed those he believed had helped David.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-1817-18. the footmen that stood about him--his bodyguard, or his runners (1Sa 8:11; 2Sa 15:1; 1Ki 1:5; 1Ki 14:28), who held an important place at court (2Ch 12:10). But they chose rather to disobey the king than to offend God by imbruing their hands in the blood of his ministering servants. A foreigner alone (Psa 52:1-3) could be found willing to be the executioner of this bloody and sacrilegious sentence. Thus was the doom of the house of Eli fulfilled…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 22:17

• Abiathar
• Ahijah
• Ahimelech
• Government
• Holy Spirit
• Malice
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• David
• Abiathar
• Ahimelech
• Guard
• Mizpah
• Post
• Hand
• Jesse
• Judge
• Nob

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings