God’s Word Translation
1 Samuel 22:17
17“Turn and kill the Lord’s priests because they support David,” the king said to the runners standing around him. “When they knew David was fleeing, they didn’t inform me.” But the king’s men refused to attack the Lord’s priests.
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
15Is this the first time I have prayed to God for him? Not at all! You shouldn’t blame me or anyone in my family for this. I knew nothing at all about this.” 16Saul said, “Ahimelech, you and your entire family are going to die.” “Turn and kill the Lord’s priests because they support David,” the king said to the runners standing around him. “When they knew David was fleeing, they didn’t inform me.” But the king’s men refused to attack the Lord’s priests. 18So the king said to Doeg, “You turn and attack the priests.” Doeg from Edom turned and attacked the priests, and that day he killed 85 men wearing the linen priestly ephod. 19He also killed the people of Nob, the city of the priests. Using ⌞his⌟ sword, he killed men and women, children and infants, cows, donkeys, and sheep.
Read all of 1 Samuel 221 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, “These are the rights of a king: He will draft your sons, make them serve on his chariots and horses, and make them run ahead of his chariots.
- 2 Samuel 15:1Soon after this, Absalom acquired a chariot, horses, and 50 men to run ahead of him.
- 1 Kings 1:5Adonijah, son of Haggith, was very handsome. His mother gave birth to him after she had Absalom. Adonijah was boasting that he was king. So he got a chariot and horses and 50 men to run ahead of him.
- 1 Samuel 22:13Saul asked him, “Why did you and Jesse’s son plot against me? You gave him bread and a sword and prayed to God for him so that he can rise up against me and ambush me, as he’s doing now.”
- 1 Samuel 20:33Saul raised his spear to strike him. Then Jonathan knew his father was determined to kill David.
- 1 Samuel 25:17Now, consider what you should do because our master and his whole household are doomed. And he’s such a worthless man that it’s useless to talk to him.”
- 1 Kings 18:4(When Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah had hidden 100 prophets in caves. He put 50 prophets in each cave and kept them alive by providing bread and water for them.)
- 1 Samuel 14:45The troops asked Saul, “Should Jonathan die after he has won this great victory in Israel? That would be unthinkable! We solemnly swear, as the Lord lives, not a single hair of his head will fall to the ground, because he has done this with God’s help today.” So the troops rescued Jonathan from death.
- Exodus 1:17However, the midwives feared God and didn’t obey the king of Egypt’s orders. They let the boys live.
- 2 Kings 1:13The king sent a third officer with 50 men. The officer of the third group went up the hill and knelt in front of Elijah. The officer begged him, “Man of God, please treat my life and the lives of these 50 servants of yours as something precious.
- Acts 4:19Peter and John answered them, “Decide for yourselves whether God wants people to listen to you rather than to him.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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