New Living Translation
1 Samuel 21:7
7Now Doeg the Edomite, Saul’s chief herdsman, was there that day, having been detained before the Lord.
1 Samuel 21:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.
- New International Version (NIV)Now one of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the Lord; he was Doeg the Edomite, Saul’s chief shepherd.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord. His name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul's herdsmen.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord. And his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chief of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul.
Context of 1 Samuel 21:7
5“Don’t worry,” David replied. “I never allow my men to be with women when we are on a campaign. And since they stay clean even on ordinary trips, how much more on this one!” 6Since there was no other food available, the priest gave him the holy bread—the Bread of the Presence that was placed before the Lord in the Tabernacle. It had just been replaced that day with fresh bread. Now Doeg the Edomite, Saul’s chief herdsman, was there that day, having been detained before the Lord. 8David asked Ahimelech, “Do you have a spear or sword? The king’s business was so urgent that I didn’t even have time to grab a weapon!” 9“I only have the sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah,” the priest replied. “It is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. Take that if you want it, for there is nothing else here.” “There is nothing like it!” David replied. “Give it to me!”
Read all of 1 Samuel 211 Samuel 21:7 word by word
וְשָׁ֡ם אִישׁ֩ מֵעַבְדֵ֨י שָׁא֜וּל בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא נֶעְצָר֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וּשְׁמ֖וֹ דֹּאֵ֣ג הָאֲדֹמִ֑י אַבִּ֥יר הָרֹעִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְשָׁאֽוּל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Now a certain manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- of the servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- of Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- there that dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- detainedעָצַר‛âtsar · to restrainH6113
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- and his nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- Doegדֹּאֵגdô'êg dô'êg · DoegH1673
- an Edomiteאֲדֹמִי'ĕdômîy · EdomiteH130
- the chiefestאַבִּיר'abbîyr · mighty: strongH47
- of the herdmenרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 21:7
- Jeremiah 7:9Do you really think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and burn incense to Baal and all those other new gods of yours,
- Ezekiel 33:31So my people come pretending to be sincere and sit before you. They listen to your words, but they have no intention of doing what you say. Their mouths are full of lustful words, and their hearts seek only after money.
- Amos 8:5You can’t wait for the Sabbath day to be over and the religious festivals to end so you can get back to cheating the helpless. You measure out grain with dishonest measures and cheat the buyer with dishonest scales.
- Matthew 15:8‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
- Acts 21:26So Paul went to the Temple the next day with the other men. They had already started the purification ritual, so he publicly announced the date when their vows would end and sacrifices would be offered for each of them.
- 1 Samuel 22:9Then Doeg the Edomite, who was standing there with Saul’s men, spoke up. “When I was at Nob,” he said, “I saw the son of Jesse talking to the priest, Ahimelech son of Ahitub.
- Psalms 52:1Why do you boast about your crimes, great warrior? Don’t you realize God’s justice continues forever?
- 1 Samuel 11:5Saul had been plowing a field with his oxen, and when he returned to town, he asked, “What’s the matter? Why is everyone crying?” So they told him about the message from Jabesh.
- Genesis 13:7So disputes broke out between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot. (At that time Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land.)
- Genesis 26:20But then the shepherds from Gerar came and claimed the spring. “This is our water,” they said, and they argued over it with Isaac’s herdsmen. So Isaac named the well Esek (which means “argument”).
- 1 Chronicles 27:29Shitrai from Sharon was in charge of the cattle on the Sharon Plain. Shaphat son of Adlai was responsible for the cattle in the valleys.
- 2 Chronicles 26:10He also constructed forts in the wilderness and dug many water cisterns, because he kept great herds of livestock in the foothills of Judah and on the plains. He was also a man who loved the soil. He had many workers who cared for his farms and vineyards, both on the hillsides and in the fertile valleys.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 21:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Detained before the Lord - Probably fulfilling some vow to the Lord, and therefore for a time resident at the tabernacle. And his name was Doeg - From 1 Samuel 22:9; we learn that this man betrayed David's secret to Saul, which caused him to destroy the city, and slay eighty-five priests. We learn from its title that the fifty-second Psalm was made on this occasion; but titles are not to be implicitly trusted.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Detained before the Lord - Either to fulfill a vow Acts 21:23-27, or on account of uncleanness, or under the law of lepers Leviticus 13:4, Leviticus 13:11, Leviticus 13:21, or as a proselyte. It is not impossible that Doeg may have been in custody or in sanctuary for some crime.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7detained before the LORD: Ahimelech asked God for guidance on behalf of others (1 Samuel 22:15). Because of this, Doeg may have been waiting for an answer to a question he had brought before God.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. Doeg, an Edomite--who had embraced the Hebrew religion. detained before the Lord--at the tabernacle, perhaps, in the performance of a vow, or from its being the Sabbath, which rendered it unlawful for him to prosecute his journey. the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul--Eastern monarchs anciently had large possessions in flocks and herds; and the office of the chief shepherd was an important one. 1Sa 21:9. He Takes Goliath's Sword.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 21:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 21
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries