Tree of Life Version
1 Samuel 22:17
17Then the king ordered the guards attending him, “Turn around and kill the kohanim of Adonai, for they are in cahoots with David, for they knew that he was running away but did not inform me.” But the servants of the king were not willing to raise their hand to assault the kohanim of Adonai.
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
15Just today I began to inquire of God for him? Far be it from the king to accuse his servant or to anyone of my father’s house. For your servant knows nothing of all this, whether little or much.” 16But the king said, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house.” Then the king ordered the guards attending him, “Turn around and kill the kohanim of Adonai, for they are in cahoots with David, for they knew that he was running away but did not inform me.” But the servants of the king were not willing to raise their hand to assault the kohanim of Adonai. 18So the king said to Doeg, “You, turn around and kill the kohanim!” So Doeg the Edomite turned and fell upon the kohanim and on that day killed 85 men who wore the linen ephod. 19Nob, the town of the kohanim, he struck with the edge of the sword: men and women, children and infants, oxen, asses, and sheep with the edge of the sword.
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 8:11“This will be the practice of the king that will reign over you,” he said. “He will draft your sons and assign them as his charioteers and horsemen, and they will run before his chariots.
- 2 Samuel 15:1Now it came about after this that Absalom provided himself with a chariot, horses and 50 men as runners before him.
- 1 Kings 1:5Now Adonijah son of Haggith exalted himself, saying: “I’ll be king!” So he prepared for himself chariots, horsemen and 50 men to run before him.
- 1 Samuel 22:13Then Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me—you and the son of Jesse—by giving him bread and a sword, and by inquiring of God for him, that he should rise against me by lying in ambush, as is the case today?”
- 1 Samuel 20:33Then Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him down. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.
- 1 Samuel 25:17Now therefore, know and consider what you will do, for evil is determined against our master and against all his household. But he is such a worthless fellow that no one can speak to him.”
- 1 Kings 18:4for when Jezebel was cutting off the prophets of Adonai, Obadiah took 100 prophets, hid them 50 to a cave, and provided them with bread and water.
- 1 Samuel 14:45But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die? It was he who brought about this great deliverance in Israel! Far be it! As Adonai lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground! For he has worked with God this day.” So the people rescued Jonathan and he did not die.
- Exodus 1:17Yet the midwives feared God, so they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the boys live.
- 2 Kings 1:13So the king again sent the captain of a third 50 with his 50. But when the third captain of 50 went up and came near, he knelt before Elijah, and begged him saying, “O man of God, please, let my life and the lives of these 50 servants of yours be precious in your eyes!
- Acts 4:19But Peter and John replied, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to 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
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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