1 Samuel 22:17

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:6-19

We have seen the progress of David's troubles; now here we have the progress of Saul's wickedness. He seems to have laid aside the thoughts of all other business and to have devoted himself wholly to the pursuit of David. He heard at length, by the common fame of the country, that David was discovered (that is, that he appeared publicly and enlisted men into his service); and hereupon he called all his servants about him, and sat down under a tree, or grove, in the high place at Gibeah, with... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:17

And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him ,.... Or the "runners" F6 לרצים "cursoribus", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. ; the running footmen, that used to run before him when he went out from place to place, and were here waiting on him, ready to set out whenever he should give the orders to go elsewhere. The tradition of the Jews is, that these were Abner and Amasa F7 Midrash Tillim apud Abarbinel. in loc. ; but, as Kimchi observes, they... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 22:17

But 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 more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:17-19

Footmen . Hebrew, "runners." They were the men who ran by the side of the king's horse or chariot as his escort (see on 1 Samuel 8:11 ). In constant training, they were capable of maintaining a great speed for a very long time. Here they were present at the king's council as his bodyguard, but when commanded to commit this horrid deed not one of them stirred from his place. Saul might have seen by this that he was alienating the hearts of all right minded men from him; but, unabashed, he... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:17-23

The tragedy at Nob. The facts are— 1 . Saul commands his guards to slay the priests of Nob, but they refuse. 2 . Thereupon he commands Doeg to effect their death, who slays eighty-five priests, and procures the destruction of the entire city. 3 . Abiathar, escaping to David, makes known to him what has happened. 4 . David perceives that his presence at Nob was the occasion of this sad calamity, and admits that he feared the course Doeg would take. 5 . He encourages... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Samuel 22:16-17

1 Samuel 22:16-17. Thou shalt surely die, thou and all thy father’s house A cruel resolution; for what had the rest of the priests done to deserve such a bloody execution? The servants of the king would not, &c. In this, undoubtedly, they were praiseworthy; but had been more so had they courageously taken the part of these innocent persons, and remonstrated to Saul against his cruelty, as contrary to all the laws of God and man. And if their reasons and prayers had proved ineffectual,... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 22:1-23

A fighting unit (22:1-23)David found a hiding place in the barren regions of Adullam. Here he was joined by his family, who had fled to escape the hate and revenge of Saul (22:1; see Psalms 57:0; Psalms 63:0; Psalms 142:0). Knowing this hard life would be too much for his aged parents, he left them in the care of the king of Moab, and returned to his home territory of Judah. By now a crowd of four hundred, mainly outlaws and discontented people, had joined David, and he soon built these into a... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Samuel 22:17

footmen = runners. hand . Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause) for the help given by it. App-6 . when he fled = that he was fleeing. read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 22:17

17, 18. the footmen that stood about him—his bodyguard, or his runners (1 Samuel 8:11; 2 Samuel 15:1; 1 Kings 1:5; 1 Kings 14:28), who held an important place at court (2 Chronicles 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 (Psalms 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 [1 Samuel... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Samuel 22:6-23

Saul’s slaughter of the priests 22:6-23The writer’s attention focused next on Saul’s activities. He used the literary device of focusing on David, then on Saul, then on David, etc. He used the same technique in chapters 1-3 with Samuel and Eli’s sons to contrast Samuel’s goodness with the wickedness of Hophni and Phinehas. The same purpose is in view in chapters 21-31 with David and Saul.Saul was aware that some in his army, apparently even some of his tribal kinsmen from Benjamin, had deserted... read more

Group of Brands