1 Samuel 22:6-23 How Can God Be Good (If He Allows His Priests To Be Slaughtered)?

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 1 Aug. 2021

NAW Translation

King Saul’s Bad Leadership

Doeg’s Wickedness Wipes Out All But One Priest

How could God allow such a tragedy?

David writes Psalm 52, (NKJV)

1 Samuel 22:6-23 - Side-by side comparison of versionsA

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6 Καὶ ἤκουσεν Σαουλ ὅτι ἔγνωσταιB Δαυιδ καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες οἱ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ· καὶ Σαουλ ἐκάθητο ἐν τῷ βουνῷ ὑπὸ τὴν ἄρουρανC τὴν ἐν Ραμα, καὶ τὸ δόρυ ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ πάντες οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ παρειστήκεισαν αὐτῷ.

6 And Saul heard that David was discovered, and his men with him: now Saul dwelt in the hill below the field [that is] in Rama, and his spear was in his hand, and all his servants stood near him.

6 And Saul heard that David was seen, and the men that were with him. Now whilst Saul abode in Gabaa, [and was] in the wood, [which is] by Rama, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him,

6 When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, (now Saul abodeD in Gibeah under a treeE in RamahF, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him;)

6 Then Saul heard that [the whereabouts] was known of David and of the men who were with him. Now Saul was sitting at Gibeah under the tamar­isk-tree at the high place, with his spear in his hand and all his servants attending upon him.

6 וַיִּשְׁמַע שָׁאוּל כִּי נוֹדַע דָּוִד וַאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ וְשָׁאוּל יוֹשֵׁב בַּגִּבְעָה תַּחַת-הָאֶשֶׁל בָּרָמָה וַחֲנִיתוֹ בְיָדוֹ וְכָל-עֲבָדָיו נִצָּבִים עָלָיו:

7 καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ πρὸς τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ τοὺς παρεστηκότας αὐτῷ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Ἀκούσατε δή, υἱοὶ [Βεν]ιαμιν· εἰ ἀληθῶς πᾶσιν ὑμῖν δώσει ὁ υἱὸς Ιεσσαι ἀγροὺς καὶ ἀμπελῶνας [καὶ] πάντας ὑμᾶς τάξει ἑκατοντάρχους καὶ χιλιάρχους;

7 And Saul said to his servants that stood by him, Hear now, ye sons of [Ben]jamin, will the son of Jessae indeed give all of you fields and vineyards, [and] will he make you all captains of hundreds and captains of thousands?

7 X X He said to his servants that stood about him: Hear [me] now, ye sons of Jemini: X will the son of Isai give every [one] of you fields, and vineyards, [and] make you all tribunes, and centurions:

7 Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; XG will the son of Jesse give every [one] of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;

7 And Saul said to his servants attending upon him, “Give heed now, Benjamites, will it really be to all of y’all that the son of Jesse will give fields and vineyards? – to all of y’all that he will give appointments as officers over thousands or officers over hundreds?

7 וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל לַעֲבָדָיו הַנִּצָּבִים עָלָיו שִׁמְעוּ-נָא בְּנֵי יְמִינִי Hגַּם-לְכֻלְּכֶם יִתֵּן בֶּן-יִשַׁי שָׂדוֹת וּכְרָמִים לְכֻלְּכֶםI יָשִׂים שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים וְשָׂרֵי מֵאוֹתJ:

8 ὅτι σύγκεισθεK πάντες ὑμεῖς ἐπ᾿ ἐμέ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ἀποκαλύπτων τὸ ὠτίον μου ἐν τῷ διαθέσθαι τὸν υἱόν μου [διαθήκην] μετὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ Ιεσσαι, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν πονῶνL περὶ ἐμοῦ ἐξ ὑμῶν καὶ ἀποκαλύπτων τὸ ὠτίον μου ὅτι ἐπήγειρεν ὁ υἱός μου τὸν δοῦλόν μου ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ εἰς ἐχθρὸνM ὡς ἡ ἡμέρα αὕτη.

8 That ye X are conspiring against me, and there is no one that informs me, whereas my son has made a covenant with the son of Jessae, and there is no one of you that is sorry for me, or informs me, that my son has stirred up my servant against me for an enemy, as it is this day?

8 That all of you have conspired against me, and there is no one to inform me, [especially] when [even] my son hath entered into league with the son of Isai? X There is not one of you that pitieth my case, nor that giveth me [any] information: because my son hath raised up my servant against me, plotting [against me] to this day.

8 That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that sheweth me thatN my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that my son hath stirred upO my servant against me, to lie in waitP, as at this day?

8 For all of y’all have conspired against me, and there was no one who revealed it to my ear when my son made a covenant with the son of Jesse, and there is no one among y’all who asked around for me and who revealed to my ear that my son set up my servant against me in an ambush, as it is this day!”

8 כִּי קְשַׁרְתֶּםQ כֻּלְּכֶם עָלַי וְאֵין-גֹּלֶהR אֶת-אָזְנִי בִּכְרָתS-בְּנִי עִם-בֶּן-יִשַׁי וְאֵין-חֹלֶהT מִכֶּם עָלַי וְגֹלֶה אֶת-אָזְנִי כִּי הֵקִים בְּנִי אֶת-עַבְדִּי עָלַי לְאֹרֵב כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה: ס

9 καὶ ἀποκρίνεται Δωηκ ὁ ΣύροςUκαθεστηκὼς ἐπὶ τὰς ἡμιόνους Σαουλ καὶ εἶπεν Ἑόρακα τὸν υἱὸν Ιεσσαι παραγινόμενον [εἰς] Νομβα πρὸς Αβιμελεχ υἱὸν Αχιτωβ [τὸν ἱερέα],

9 And Doec the Syrian who was over the mules of Saul answered and said, I saw the son of Jessae as he came to Nomba to Abimelech son of Achitob [the priest].

9 And Doeg, the Edomite, who stood by, [and was the chief] among the servants of Saul, answering, X said: I saw the son of Isai, in Nobe, with Achimel­ech, the son of Achitob, [the priest].

9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was setV over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

9 Then Doeg the Edomite (who was attending upon the servants of Saul) answered and said, “I saw the son of Jesse going to Nob to Ahimelek, son of Achitub {the priest},

9 וַיַּעַן דֹּאֵג הָאֲדֹמִי וְהוּא נִצָּב עַל-עַבְדֵי-שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמַר רָאִיתִי אֶת-בֶּן-יִשַׁי בָּא נֹבֶה אֶל-אֲחִימֶלֶךְ בֶּן-אֲחִטוּב:

10 καὶ ἠρώτα αὐτῷ διὰ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐπισιτισμὸν ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν ῥομφαίαν Γολιαδ τοῦ ἀλλοφύλου ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ.

10 And [the priest] enquired of God for him, and gave him provision, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

10 And he consulted the Lord for him, and gave him victual[s], and gave him the sword of Goliath, the Philistine.

10 And he enquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victual[s], and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

10 who inquired with {God} for him and gave carry-out-food to him and gave the sword of Goliath the Philistine to him.”

10 וַיִּשְׁאַל-לוֹ בַּיהוָהW וְצֵידָהX נָתַן לוֹ וְאֵת חֶרֶב גָּלְיָת הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי נָתַן לוֹ:

11 καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ βασιλεὺς καλέσαι τὸν Αβιμελεχ X X υἱὸν Αχιτωβ καὶ πάντας τοὺς υἱοὺςY τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ τοὺς ἱερεῖς τοὺς ἐν Νομβα, καὶ παρεγένοντο πάντες πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα.

11 And the king sent to call Abimelech X X son of Achitob and all his father's sons, the priests that were in Nomba; and they all came to the king.

11 Then the king sent to call for Achimelech, the priest, the son of Achitob, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nobe, and they came all of them to the king.

11 Then the king sent to callZ Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.

11 So the king sent someone to call Ahimelek the priest, son of Ahitub, and all his father’s household (the priests which were at Nob), and all of them came to the king.

11 וַיִּשְׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ לִקְרֹא AAאֶת- אֲחִימֶלֶךְ בֶּן-אֲחִיטוּב הַכֹּהֵן וְאֵת כָּל-בֵּית אָבִיו הַכֹּהֲנִים אֲשֶׁר בְּנֹב וַיָּבֹאוּ כֻלָּם אֶל-הַמֶּלֶךְ: ס

12 καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ Ἄκουε δή, υἱὲ Αχιτωβ. καὶ εἶπεν Ἰδοὺ ἐγώAB· [λάλει], κύριε.

12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Achi­tob. And he said, Lo! I [am here, [speak, my lord.

12 And Saul said [to Achimelech]: Hear, thou son of Achitob. X He answered: Here I am, my lord.

12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord.

12 Then Saul said, “Give heed now, son of Achitub!” And he replied, “I am here, my Lord.”

12 וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל שְׁמַע-נָא בֶּן-אֲחִיטוּב וַיֹּאמֶר הִנְנִי אֲדֹנִי:

13 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Σαουλ Ἵνα τί συνέθουAC κατ᾿ ἐμοῦ σὺ καὶ ὁ υἱὸς Ιεσσαι δοῦναί σε αὐτῷ ἄρτον καὶ ῥομφαίαν καὶ ἐρωτᾶν αὐτῷ διὰ τοῦ θεοῦ θέσθαιAD [αὐτὸν] ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ εἰς ἐχθρὸν ὡς ἡ ἡμέρα αὕτηAE;

13 And Saul said to him, Why have thou and the son of Jessae conspired against me, that thou shouldest give him bread and a sword, and shouldest enquire of God for him, to raise [him] up against me as an enemy, as he is this day?

13 And Saul said to him: Why have you conspired against me, thou, and the son of Isai, and thou hast given him bread and a sword, and hast consulted the Lord for him, that he should rise up against me, continuing a traitor to this day.

13 And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

13 And Saul said to him, “Why did y’all conspire against me – you and the son of Jesse – when you gave bread and a sword to him and you inquired with God for him, to set him up against me in an ambush as it is this day?”

13 וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלוֹAF שָׁאוּל לָמָּה קְשַׁרְתֶּם עָלַי אַתָּה וּבֶן-יִשָׁי בְּתִתְּךָ לוֹ לֶחֶם וְחֶרֶב וְשָׁאוֹל לוֹ בֵּאלֹהִים לָקוּם אֵלַי לְאֹרֵב כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה: ס

14 καὶ X ἀπεκρίθη τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ εἶπεν Καὶ τίς ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς δούλοις σου ὡς Δαυιδ πιστὸς καὶ γαμβρὸςAG τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ἄρχων [παντὸς] παραγγέλματόςAH σου καὶ ἔνδοξος ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου;

14 And X he answered the king, and said, And who is there among all thy servants faith­ful as Da­vid, and he is a son-in-law of the king, and he is executor of all thy commands, and is honourable in thy house?

14 And Achimelech answering the king, said: And who amongst all thy servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son in law, and goeth forth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thy house?

14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king's son in law, and goeth at thy biddingAI, and is honourable in thine house?

14 Then Ahim­elek answered the king and said, “And who among all your servants is as faithful as Da­vid, even the king’s in-law, and the one who takes off at your bidding, and the one who is honored in your house?

14 וַיַּעַן אֲחִימֶלֶךְ אֶת-הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמַר וּמִי בְכָל-עֲבָדֶיךָ כְּדָוִד נֶאֱמָן וַחֲתַן הַמֶּלֶךְ וְסָרAJ אֶל-מִשְׁמַעְתֶּךָAK וְנִכְבָּד בְּבֵיתֶךָ:

15a ἦ σήμερον ἦργμαι ἐρωτᾶν αὐτῷ διὰ τοῦ θεοῦ; μηδαμῶςAL μὴ δότωAM ὁ βασιλεὺς κατὰ τοῦ δούλου αὐτοῦ λόγον

15b [καὶ] ἐφ᾿ ὅλον τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πατρός μου, ὅτι οὐκ ᾔδει ὁ δοῦλος [ὁ σὸς] ἐν πᾶσιν τούτοις ῥῆμα μικρὸν ἢ μέγα.

15 Have I begun to-day to enquire of God for him? By no means: let not the king bring a charge against his servant,

[and] against the whole of my father's house; for thy servant knew not X in all these matter[s] [anything] great or small.

15 Did I begin to day to consult the Lord for him? far be this from me: let not the king suspect such a thing against his servant,

[or any one] in all my father's house: for thy servant knew nothing of X this matter, [either] little or great.

15 Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? be it far from meAN: let not the king imputeAO any thing unto his servant,

nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this X, less or more.

15 Was it today that I began to inquire with God for him? What a disgrace to me! Let not the king register a case against his servant

{or} against any of the house of my father, for your servant doesn’t know about any of this stuff – little or much!”

15a הַיּוֹם הַחִלֹּתִי APלִשְׁאָל-לוֹ בֵאלֹהִים חָלִילָה לִּי אַל-יָשֵׂם הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּעַבְדּוֹ דָבָר

15b AQבְּכָל-בֵּית אָבִי כִּי לֹא-יָדַע עַבְדְּךָ בְּכָל-זֹאת דָּבָר קָטֹן אוֹ גָדוֹל:

16 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς [Σαουλ] Θανάτῳ ἀποθανῇ, Αβιμελεχ, σὺ καὶ πᾶς ὁ οἶκος τοῦ πατρός σου.

16 And king [Saul] said, Thou shalt surely die, Abimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.

16 And the king said: Dying thou shalt die, Achimelech, thou and all thy father's house.

16 And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.

16 But the king said, “Ahimelek, you shall surely die, you and all the house of your father!”

16 וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ מוֹת תָּמוּת אֲחִימֶלֶךְ אַתָּה וְכָל-בֵּית אָבִיךָ:

17 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῖς παρατρέχουσιν τοῖς ἐφεστηκόσινAR ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν ΠροσαγάγετεAS καὶ θανατοῦτε τοὺς ἱερεῖς τοῦ κυρίου, ὅτι XAT ἡ χεὶρ αὐτῶν μετὰ Δαυιδ, καὶ ὅτι ἔγνωσαν ὅτι φεύγει αὐτός, καὶ οὐκ ἀπεκάλυψαν τὸ ὠτίον μου. καὶ οὐκ ἐβουλήθησαν οἱ παῖδες τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπενεγκεῖν τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν ἀπαντῆσαι εἰς τοὺς ἱερεῖς κυρίου.

17 And the king said to the footmen that attended on him, Draw nigh and slay the priests of the Lord, because X their hand is with David, and because they knew that he fled, and they did not inform me. But the servants of the king would not lift their hands to fall upon the priestX of the Lord.

17 And the king said to the messengers that stood about him: Turn, and kill the priests of the Lord, for X their hand is with David, X because they knew that he was fled, and they told it not to me. And the king's servants would not put forth their hands against X X the priests of the Lord.

17 And the king said unto the footmenAU 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 handX to fall upon the priests of the LORD.

17 Then the king said to the errand-runners who attended upon him, “Turn around and put the priests of Yahweh to death, because their hands are with David and because they knew that he was fleeing but they did not reveal it to {my} ear!” But the king’s servants were not willing to venture to strike with their hands against the priests of Yahweh.

17 וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לָרָצִים הַנִּצָּבִים עָלָיו סֹבּוּ וְהָמִיתוּ כֹּהֲנֵי יְהוָה כִּי גַם-יָדָם עִם-דָּוִד וְכִי יָדְעוּ כִּי-בֹרֵחַ הוּא וְלֹא גָלוּ אֶת-אָזְנוֹAV וְלֹא-אָבוּ עַבְדֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ לִשְׁלֹחַ אֶת-יָדָם לִפְגֹעַ בְּכֹהֲנֵי יְהוָה: ס

18 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Δωηκ ἘπιστρέφουAW σὺ καὶ ἀπάντα εἰς τοὺς ἱερεῖς. καὶ ἐπεστράφ­η Δωηκ ὁ ΣύροςAX καὶ ἐθανάτωσεν τοὺς ἱερεῖς X κυρίου ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, τρια­κοσίουςAY καὶ πέντε ἄνδρας, [πάντας] αἴροντας εφουδ XAZ.

18 And the king said to Doec, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests: and Doec the Syrian turned, and slew the priests of the Lord in that day, three hundred and five men, [all] wearing an ephod X.

18 And the king said to Doeg: Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg, the Edomite, turned, and fell upon the priests, and slew in that day eighty-five men that wore the linen ephod.

18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fellBA upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.

18 So the king said to Doeg, “You, go around and strike against the priests!” So Doeg the Edom­ite went around and struck against the priests, and he put to death on that day 85 men who bore linen shoulder-gear.

18 וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לְדוֵֹיגBB סֹב אַתָּה וּפְגַע בַּכֹּהֲנִים וַיִּסֹּב דּוֵֹיג הָאֲדֹמִי וַיִּפְגַּע- הוּא בַּכֹּהֲנִים וַיָּמֶת בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא שְׁמֹנִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה אִישׁ נֹשֵׂא אֵפוֹד בָּדBC:

19 καὶ τὴν Νομβα τὴν πόλιν τῶν ἱερέων ἐπάταξεν ἐν στόματι ῥομφαίας ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς ἕως γυναικός, ἀπὸ νηπίου ἕως θηλάζοντος καὶ μόσχου καὶ ὄνου καὶ προβάτου X X X. --

19 And he smote Nomba the city of the priest with the edge of the sword, both man, and woman, infant and suckling, and calf, and ox, and sheep X X X.

19 And Nobe, the city of the priests, he smote with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and ox, and ass, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

19 And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and ox[en], and ass[es], and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

19 Then he made a strike with swordsmen against Nob, the city of the priests. From man even to woman, child, and even infant, also ox and donkey and sheep, [he struck them down] with the edge of the sword.

19 וְאֵת נֹב עִיר-הַכֹּהֲנִים הִכָּה לְפִי-חֶרֶב מֵאִישׁ וְעַד-אִשָּׁה מֵעוֹלֵל וְעַד-יוֹנֵק וְשׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר וָשֶׂה לְפִי-חָרֶבBD:

20 καὶ διασῴζεταιBE υἱὸς εἷς τῷ Αβιμελεχ υἱῷ Αχιτωβ, καὶ ὄνομα αὐτῷ Αβιαθαρ, καὶ ἔφυγεν ὀπίσω Δαυιδ.

20 And one son of Abimelech son of Achitob escapes, and his name was Abiathar, and he fled after David.

20 But one of the son[s] of Achimelech, the son of Achitob, whose name was Abiathar, escaped, and fled to David,

20 And one of the son[s] of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, X named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.

20 However, one son of Ahimelek son of Achitub escaped, and his name was Abiathar, and he fled following David.

20 וַיִּמָּלֵט בֵּן-אֶחָד לַאֲחִימֶלֶךְ בֶּן-אֲחִטוּב וּשְׁמוֹ אֶבְיָתָר וַיִּבְרַח אַחֲרֵי דָוִד:

21 καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν Αβιαθαρ τῷ Δαυιδ ὅτι ἐθανάτωσεν Σαουλ [πάντας] τοὺς ἱερεῖς τοῦ κυρίου.

21 And Abiathar told David that Saul had slain [all] the priests of the Lord.

21 And X told him that Saul had slain the priests of the Lord.

21 And Abiathar shewedBF David that Saul had slain the LORD'S priests.

21 So it was that Abiathar related to David that Saul had murdered the priests of Yahweh.

21 וַיַּגֵּד אֶבְיָתָר לְדָוִד כִּי הָרַג שָׁאוּל אֵת כֹּהֲנֵי יְהוָה:

22 καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ τῷ Αβιαθαρ Ἤιδειν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ὅτι X Δωηκ ὁ Σύρος ὅτι ἀπαγγέλλων ἀπαγγελεῖ τῷ Σαουλ· ἐγώ εἰμι αἴτιοςBG X τῶν ψυχῶν οἴκου τοῦ πατρός σου·

22 And David said to Abiathar, I knew it in that day, that Doec the Syrian X would surely tell Saul: I am guilty of X the death of the house of thy father.

22 And David said to Abiathar: I knew X that day when Doeg, the Edomite, was there, that without doubt he would tell Saul: I have been the occasion [of the death] of all the soul[s] of thy father's house.

22 And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it X that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the person[s] of thy father's house.

22 And David said to Abiathar, I knew on that day that Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely relate it to Saul. I am {responsible} for every person in your father’s household!

22 וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד לְאֶבְיָתָר יָדַעְתִּי בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כִּי-שָׁם דּוֵֹיג הָאֲדֹמִי BHכִּי-הַגֵּד יַגִּיד לְשָׁאוּל אָנֹכִי סַבֹּתִיBI בְּכָל-נֶפֶשׁ בֵּית אָבִיךָ:

23 κάθου μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ, μὴ φοβοῦ, ὅτι οὗ ἐὰν ζητ τῇ ψυχῇ μου [τόπον]BJ, ζητήσω καὶ τῇ ψυχῇ σου, ὅτι πεφύλαξαι σὺ παρ᾿ ἐμοί.

23 Dwell with me; fear not, for wherever I shall seek a [place of safety] for my life, I will also seek [a place] for thy life, for thou art safely guarded [while] with me.

23 Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life, seeketh thy life also, and with me thou shalt be saved.

23 Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.

23 Settle down with me. Don’t be afraid, for whoever seeks my person seeks your person, thus you will have safekeeping with me.”

23 שְׁבָה אִתִּי אַל-תִּירָא כִּי אֲשֶׁר-יְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת-נַפְשִׁי יְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת-נַפְשֶׁךָ כִּי-מִשְׁמֶרֶתBK אַתָּה עִמָּדִיBL:


1Keil & Delitsch is the only commentary I found with the contrary opinion that Doeg was “the superintendent of Saul's servants, invested with the office of marshal of the court.” Tsumura (NICOT) was more ambivalent “standing by as one of the royal guards; or ‘presiding over’ … not necessarily ‘being in charge of.’”

2Some commentators have pointed out that the only persons for whom the priests inquired of Yahweh with the Urim and Thumim were kings, but the priest’s open admission of frequently doing it for David (v.15) argues against it being an exclusive royal privilege.

3“Saul arraigns Ahimelech himself with the utmost disdain and indignation... not so much as calling him by his name, much less giving him his title of distinction. By this it appears that he had cast off the fear of God, that he showed no respect at all to his priests, but took a pleasure in affronting them and insulting them.” ~M. Henry

4Consider the later enmity between Edom and Israel in Psalm 137:7 and Obadiah 1:11, and in the NT of Herod the Idumean (Edomite).

5 Josephus noted a Jewish tradition that Doeg leveled the whole town to the ground and burned it.

62 Sam. 21:1 Gill cites Abarbinel’s opinion relating the cause of the famine to God’s wrath over Saul’s wanton destruction of Nob, claiming that the inhabitants of Nob were Gibeonites, who were hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of the Lord (cf. Josh. 9:23). That seems reasonable, but not certain.

AMy original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright restrictions have forced me to remove them from the publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB, or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different from all the other translations, I underline it. When a version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout. And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between the various editions and versions when there are more than two different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea Scrolls containing 1 Samuel 22 are 4Q51Samuela, which contains fragments of vs. 10-11 (and which has been dated between 50-25 B.C.) and 4Q52 (which has been dated to 250BC), which has fragments of vs. 8 & 9. I have colored in purple the text in the MT which corroborates with the DSS. Where the DSS supports the LXX with omissions or text not in the MT, I have highlighted with yellow the LXX and its translation into English, and where I have accepted that into my NAW translation, I have marked it with {pointed brackets}.

BLit “heard” Symmachus = efanh (“shone”)

CThe Hebrew word Eshel only occurs two other places in the Bible (Gen. 21:33 and 1 Sam. 31:13), and it’s exact meaning was apparently little-known. Aquila rendered it δενδρωμα (“tree”), and Symmachus φυτον (“plant”), but later versions settled on “tamarisk tree.”

DNASB, ESV = “sitting,” NIV = “seated”

EThe Hebrew and Greek have a definite article “the” before this word. The NASB, NIV, ESV, NLT, NKJV, NET, RV, ASV, AJV, and French, Latin, & Spanish versions all read “tamarisk” – an evergreen tree with hard wood, long life, feathery leaves and pretty pink flowers.

FNASB, ESV = “height” (supported by Willet, Henry, K&D, Goldman, and Tsumura), NIV = “hill” – not to be confused with the Ramah on which Samuel lived. It comes from the Hebrew root rum meaning “high/exalted.”

GNASB translates the Hebrew conjunction dropped out in the KJV, NIV, and ESV as “also.”

H“The term gam… functions as a ‘focusing gam’ rather than contrasting…” ~D. Tsumura (NICOT)

IAncient versions (including the Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate) added an “and” before this word, but it’s just for a smoother reading; it doesn’t change the meaning.

Jcf. 8:12 – Samuel prophecied that it was an undesirable thing for a king to be drafting army officers

KThe LXX word has to do with “situating together,” cf. synonyms in later Greek versions: A. sunedhsate (“make a pact together”), S. suneqesqe (“be together” – the LXX goes for this translation when the word occurs again in v.13), Q. sundesmoV (“bind together” – in v.13 where the Hebrew word is repeated, Theodotian translates it sunestrafhte (“turned together against”).

Lcf. Symmachus sumpaqwn (“sympathizers”).

M Symmachus conforms more to the MT with enedreuthn (“plot/lie in wait”). Note repeat of the word in v.13.

NThe Hebrew is a temporal beth prepositional prefix, more properly translated by the NASB, NIV, and ESV as “when”.

OThe Hebrew & Greek words have more to do with getting up into a standing position, not “stirring,” cf. NIV “incite”

PNASB = “ambush”

Qcf. 18:1 when this word is used to say that Jonathan’s soul “was knit” to David’s

RThe loss of revelation which Saul laments is one of the effects of his own rebellion against God who reveals important information. cf. 1 Samuel 9:15 “Now, Yahweh had made a revelation into Samuel's ear...”

S“[O]nly the verb *krt [“cut”] is used; th word brt ‘a covenant,’ is omitted by brachylogy.” ~D. Tsumura

TThis word has two meanings in Hebrew 1: sick/weak/pained (as it is in 19:13) and 2: made requests (as it is in 13:12). It’s unclear which meaning is intended.

ULXX translated as though the Hebrew word were ארם instead of אדם. Josephus concurred, but no one else that I know of.

VIn vs. 6 & 7, the KJV translated this word “stood,” and here the NASB, NIV, and ESV translate it “standing.”

WDSS (***wlab) and LXX, as well as Syriac and some other Hebrew manuscripts read “God” rather than “LORD” here, and then the word “God” instead of “LORD” is used in the dialogue recounting this in v.13, but both refer to the same personal God, so there is no contradiction.

XThis is a less-common word used of food that you could take with you and eat on a journey. Saul uses the term “bread” (לֶחֶם/ἄρτον) as a synonym later in v.13.

YLXX reads as though the Hebrew were בני (“sons”) instead of בית (“household”). The practical meaning is not that different, although the household would be a wider designation including wife and servants.

ZNASB, ESV = “summon”

AADSS reads ל, but the LXX supports the MT את; the meaning is not really different.

ABSymmachus added a little more meaning than is there in the Hebrew with pareimi (“I arrive”).

ACSee earlier endnote on this word where it occurs in v. 8

ADAquila, Symmachus, and Theodotian render epanasthnai (“to stand up against”), and omit the pronoun “him” introduced in the LXX, but the meaning is not different.

AEAquila and Theodition corrected the LXX’s personal pronoun to the MT’s demonstrative pronoun “this” (tauthn).

AFQere margin note reads אֵלָיו, making it more clear by the spelling that the final letter is the pronomial object of the preposition, but not actually different in meaning.

AGcf. synonym in Aquila and Symmachus = numfioV.

AHTheodotion supported the traditional translation of this phrase with upakouein (“to obey”).

AIcf. NASB, NIV, ESV = “captain of/over your [body]guard” See next footnote.

AJTraditional Bibles, including Targums, LXX, later ancient Greek versions (Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion), Vulgate, Geneva Bible, KJV, NKJV, RV, ASV, AJV, and the French NEG, as well as the morphologies by Strong, by Groves-Wheeler, and by the NAS, all interpret this as a participle of סוּר (“to turn away”), but the newer versions, including NASB, NIV, ESV, NET, NLT, CEV, and Spanish NBLH interpret this as a noun שַׂר (“prince/captain”). This influences their interpretation of the following word, the root of which is shema’ (“hear/heed”), the traditional versions (plus commentaries by Willett, Henry, Gill) going with “heeding commands,” and the contemporary versions (plus the NICOT commentary) going with “bodyguard” (not to be confused with the word in v.17 which they also translate “guard,” which actually means “errand-runners;” Hebrew has a different word for the concept of “guarding/protecting.”). Keil & Delitzsch, on the other hand, have a slightly different interpretation, cross-referencing 2Sam. 23:23 and 1Chron. 11:25, where מִשְׁמַעַת occurs again, “in the sense of a privy councillor of the king, who hears his personal revelations and converses with him about them... סוּר, lit. to turn aside from the way, to go in to any one, or to look after anything (Ex. 3:3; Ruth 4:1, etc.); hence in the passage before us “to have access,” to be attached to a person. This is the explanation given by Gesenius...”

AK“refers probably to ‘an intimate circle of royal retainers, i.e. a king’s bodyguard’” ~Tsumura, quoting McCarter. Literally it only refers to “those who hear,” however.

ALAquila rendered the MT more literally than the LXX with bebhlon moi (“profanation to me”), and Symmachus and Theodotian rendered that euphamistically ilewV moi (“mercy on me”).

AMcf. Symmachus upolambanetw (“undertake”).

ANNIV and ESV translate this less literally with “of course not/no.”

AOLiterally “put/set” NIV = “accuse”

APThis word is spelled לְשָׁאוּל in the Qere margin notes (and in the Leningrad codex) to make it more clear that this word is an infinitive of sha’al, but it doesn’t change the meaning.

AQThe Greek, Latin, and Syriac ancient versions all have a conjunction (“and/or”) before this word.

ARThis is the third histemi compound in the LXX of 1 Sam 22 used to translate the same Hebrew word, the previous compounds being parahistemi (“stand alongside”) and kathistemi (“stand against”).

ASThe Hebrew word has to do with “going around;” the LXX has a better translation of the same word a couple verses later with epistrepho.

ATThe Syriac and Vulgate also don’t have the conjunction in the MT.

AUHebrew literally = “runners” NASB & NIV = “guards” (ESV erroneously changed it to singular “guard”)

AVThe Qere note in the margin of the MT (אָזְנִי) agrees with the more-ancient Greek and Latin, changing the 3rd masculine singular pronoun (“him”) to a 1st singular pronoun (“me”). Most English translations follow the LXX, Vulgate, and Qere.

AWcf. synonyms from Aq. and Theod. kuklwson (“go around”), and Sym. metastrafhti (“turn with”).

AXSee v.9

AYThe Lucian rescription of the LXX reads 350, as do some of the pre-Vulgate Latin manuscripts, but later Greek versions corrected the LXX to the MT’s number ogdohkonta (“80”).

AZcf. Aq. ferontaV ependuma exaireton (“bearing the garments of separation” – interpreting the last Hebrew word literally rather than in the sense of “linen” with its separated fibers). Some ancient Latin manuscripts support LXX’s omission of the final word; it is but a detail which doesn’t change the story.

BANASB = “attacked,” NIV = “struck down”

BBSpellings of this name are varied: It was דֹּאֵג in v.9, now it’s דוֵֹיג shortly followed by ‎דּוֹאֵג, but the Qere suggests דוֹאֵג followed by דּוֹיֵג, and the same goes for v.22, but it’s all the same guy. Tsumura suggested that the original MT spelling (the Kere) was “a phonetic spelling, reflecting the phonetic reality of <palatalization>: [‘] → [y].”

BCThis phrase “linen ephod” only occurs three other places: 1 Sam. 2:18 (Samuel as a boy) and 2 Sam. 6:14 & 1 Chr. 15:27 (David in worship).

BDcf. similar wording in 15:3 of a campaign against Amalekites.
“Herein David was a type and figure of Christ, at whose fleeing into Egypt the infants were slaine by Herod.” ~Willett

BESym. efugen = “escaped”

BFNASB, NIV, ESV = “told”

BGSyriac and Vulgate seem to support the LXX idea of responsibility rather than the MT idea of turning around.

BH“[T]he two ki function here differently: the former temporally, the latter as a noun clause indicator.” ~Tsumura

BIסָבַב is used here in the sense of being the cause of a thing, which is one of the meanings of the verb in the Arabic and Talmudic (vid., Ges. Lex. s. v.)” ~K&D
In the New International Commentary on the Old Testament, Tsumura notes that David claims responsibility for the slaughter by claiming to have done the first of the two verbs sbb (literally “go around”) that Saul commanded his men to do to the priests and which Doeg did to the priests (“go around and put to death”).

BJThe LXX translators were clearly looking at Hebrew words that are not the same as the MT. The gist of the statement comes out the same, though.

BK“‘[Under] protection’ f.s., is an abstract noun used adverbially.” ~Tsumura

BLDavid’s statement is an antithesis to Saul’s statement that opens this periscope. “Can the son of Jesse give you fields and vineyards and military appointments?” Maybe not, but he can keep you safe.

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