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

15This was certainly not the first time I had consulted God for him! May the king not accuse me and my family in this matter, for I knew nothing at all of any plot against you.” 16“You will surely die, Ahimelech, along with your entire family!” the king shouted. And he ordered his bodyguards, “Kill these priests of the Lord, for they are allies and conspirators with David! They knew he was running away from me, but they didn’t tell me!” But Saul’s men refused to kill the Lord’s priests. 18Then the king said to Doeg, “You do it.” So Doeg the Edomite turned on them and killed them that day, eighty-five priests in all, still wearing their priestly garments. 19Then he went to Nob, the town of the priests, and killed the priests’ families—men and women, children and babies—and all the cattle, donkeys, sheep, and goats.

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 8:11“This is how a king will reign over you,” Samuel said. “The king will draft your sons and assign them to his chariots and his charioteers, making them run before his chariots.
• 2 Samuel 15:1After this, Absalom bought a chariot and horses, and he hired fifty bodyguards to run ahead of him.
• 1 Kings 1:5About that time David’s son Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, began boasting, “I will make myself king.” So he provided himself with chariots and charioteers and recruited fifty men to run in front of him.
• 1 Samuel 22:13“Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me?” Saul demanded. “Why did you give him food and a sword? Why have you consulted God for him? Why have you encouraged him to kill me, as he is trying to do this very day?”
• 1 Samuel 20:33Then Saul hurled his spear at Jonathan, intending to kill him. So at last Jonathan realized that his father was really determined to kill David.
• 1 Samuel 25:17You need to know this and figure out what to do, for there is going to be trouble for our master and his whole family. He’s so ill-tempered that no one can even talk to him!”
• 1 Kings 18:4Once when Jezebel had tried to kill all the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah had hidden 100 of them in two caves. He put fifty prophets in each cave and supplied them with food and water.)
• 1 Samuel 14:45But the people broke in and said to Saul, “Jonathan has won this great victory for Israel. Should he die? Far from it! As surely as the Lord lives, not one hair on his head will be touched, for God helped him do a great deed today.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.
• Exodus 1:17But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders. They allowed the boys to live, too.
• 2 Kings 1:13Once more the king sent a third captain with fifty men. But this time the captain went up the hill and fell to his knees before Elijah. He pleaded with him, “O man of God, please spare my life and the lives of these, your fifty servants.
• Acts 4:19But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than 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

• 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