1 Samuel 21 7

1 Samuel 21:7 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.

1 Samuel 21:7 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.

1 Samuel 21:7 niv

Now one of Saul's servants was there that day, detained before the LORD; he was Doeg the Edomite, Saul's chief shepherd.

1 Samuel 21:7 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.

1 Samuel 21:7 nlt

Now Doeg the Edomite, Saul's chief herdsman, was there that day, having been detained before the LORD.

1 Samuel 21 verses

1 Samuel 21 7 Meaning

This verse introduces Doeg the Edomite, a man in the service of King Saul, who was present at Nob on the day David sought help from Ahimelech the priest. His being "detained before the Lord" indicates he was there for a religious obligation or purification, placing him as an unwitting, yet significant, witness to David's encounter with the priests. This seemingly incidental detail foreshadows his critical and treacherous role in later events, particularly the massacre of the priests of Nob, highlighting his deceptive nature and his allegiance to Saul over the priests of God.

1 Samuel 21 7 Context

Chapter 21 of 1 Samuel narrates David's desperate flight from King Saul, who seeks to kill him. After a farewell with Jonathan, David arrives at Nob, the city of priests, where the Tabernacle and its associated personnel reside. Here, David, hungry and unarmed, deceives Ahimelech, the high priest, into giving him the consecrated showbread and Goliath's sword, pretending he is on a secret mission for Saul. This pivotal interaction provides succor to David but also inadvertently places the priests in mortal danger. Verse 7 specifically introduces Doeg, an individual whose presence is noted seemingly in passing, but who becomes the critical link that leads to the tragic consequences for the priests of Nob in the subsequent chapter. The historical context includes Saul's increasingly unstable and jealous reign, marked by paranoia and abandonment of divine commands, setting the stage for Doeg, an outsider and a loyal servant, to become an instrument of Saul's wrath against those loyal to God's law.

1 Samuel 21 7 Word analysis

• Now a certain man (וְאִישׁ אֶחָד, vəʾîsh ʾeḥād):

  • Certain man: The phrasing suggests an initial anonymity or perhaps an observation by the narrator that this seemingly ordinary individual would prove to be profoundly significant.
  • Significance: This introduces a key antagonist. His immediate naming reinforces his importance and foreshadows his later actions.

• of the servants of Saul (מֵעַבְדֵי שָׁאוּל, mêʿavde shāʾûl):

  • Servants of Saul: Identifies his allegiance and his place within Saul's political and military structure.
  • Significance: Doeg's loyalty is to Saul, not necessarily to God's priests or David. This allegiance directly conflicts with divine righteousness and protection later in the narrative.

• was there that day (שָׁם בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, shām bayyōm hahû):

  • There that day: Emphasizes his opportune presence at the precise moment David was interacting with the priest. This "chance" encounter becomes an instrument of divine unfolding and human treachery.
  • Significance: His physical presence marks him as a witness, which is crucial for his future testimony against Ahimelech.

• detained before the Lord (נֶעְצָר לִפְנֵי יְהוָה, neʿtsār liphnê YHWH):

  • Detained: The Hebrew verb נֶעְצָר (ne'tsar) implies being restrained, held back, or confined. This can refer to being quarantined, held for an inquiry, or waiting due to a religious obligation (e.g., fulfilling a vow, purificatory rite). In this priestly city, a religious reason is highly probable.
  • Before the Lord: Literally "in the presence of YHWH," indicating proximity to the Tabernacle or an official religious setting.
  • Significance: This phrase highlights a profound irony and hypocrisy. Doeg, while ostensibly in a state of religious observance or proximity to holiness, harbors a wicked heart and will later commit sacrilege and murder against those consecrated to the Lord. His presence within this sacred context makes his subsequent actions all the more heinous. It points to outward observance contrasting sharply with inward depravity.

• and his name was Doeg the Edomite (וּשְׁמוֹ דֹאֵג הָאֲדֹמִי, uṣ̌mōʾ Dōʾēḡ hāʾĂḏōmî):

  • Doeg: Meaning "anxious" or "fearing." This name creates an ironic contrast with his actions, which are devoid of fear of God.
  • The Edomite: Refers to his origin from Edom, the descendants of Esau, historically an antagonist of Israel (Jacob).
  • Significance: His Edomite heritage is critical. Edomites were often characterized by animosity towards Israel (e.g., in Obadiah). His foreignness emphasizes his status as an "outsider" who gained influence in Saul's court and then acted malevolently against God's people. This highlights a subtle polemic against placing trust in foreigners who may betray covenant people, echoing ancient antagonisms.

• the chief of Saul's herdsmen (אַבִּיר הָרֹעִים אֲשֶׁר לְשָׁאוּל, ʾabbîr hārrōʿîm ʾašer ləšāʾûl):

  • Chief of herdsmen: Hebrew abbir (אבִּיר) means "mighty" or "strong one," used here for a leader or chief. This was a position of authority and trust within the royal court, likely involving overseeing Saul's extensive livestock and assets, which would imply significant wealth or resources.
  • Significance: This indicates Doeg's high status and influence in Saul's kingdom, confirming he was not a mere servant but a prominent official. His position meant he had direct access to Saul, and his counsel could weigh heavily. It explains how he was in a position to so readily betray the priests later.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day": Establishes his presence, connection to the king, and the specific timing of his observation, setting up his role as the pivotal witness to David's actions at Nob.
• "detained before the Lord": This phrase contrasts Doeg's outward religious demeanor or circumstance with his inherent wickedness. It is deeply ironic that one who would desecrate the priestly city and massacre the priests was "detained before the Lord." This emphasizes a superficial religiosity or a necessary, ritualistic presence that masked a sinister heart.
• "and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul's herdsmen": The full revelation of his identity combines his name (ironic in meaning), his adversarial ethnic background, and his high, trusted position in Saul's court. This cluster of details fully introduces him as the ideal antagonist, someone with motive (Edomite animosity), means (access to Saul, high status), and disposition (outward piety masking treachery).

1 Samuel 21 7 Bonus section

• Doeg as an example of loyalty without godliness: Doeg's unswerving loyalty was to King Saul, not to divine truth or the sacred. This illustrates that loyalty, without discernment and adherence to God's will, can be gravely misguided and destructive, leading to complicity in evil.
• Significance for prophetic Psalms: Doeg's actions become the explicit context for Psalm 52, which is titled "A Maskil of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, 'David has come to the house of Ahimelech.'" This links a historical event to enduring spiritual truths about trusting in one's own power rather than God.
• Historical Echoes: Doeg foreshadows later foreign figures or internal enemies who would seek to undermine Israel, a pattern recurring in various biblical narratives (e.g., Sanballat and Tobiah in Nehemiah, Haman in Esther).
• Irony of Name Meaning: The name "Doeg" means "anxious" or "fearing," which is highly ironic considering his audacious and fearless act of treachery and mass murder. He showed no fear of God in shedding innocent blood.

1 Samuel 21 7 Commentary

1 Samuel 21:7 is a deceptively simple verse that carries immense weight, introducing a character who becomes an instrument of severe testing and tragedy for Israel. Doeg the Edomite serves as a vivid reminder that outward religious observance ("detained before the Lord") does not equate to inner spiritual integrity or faithfulness to God. His presence at Nob, seemingly for pious reasons, stands in stark contrast to his readiness to betray and participate in the brutal slaughter of the priests, highlighting profound hypocrisy. As an Edomite, a descendant of Esau, Doeg also embodies the deep-seated enmity between Israel and Edom, acting as a foreign agent of evil within the kingdom, manipulating a paranoid king against God's anointed and His servants. His high position as "chief of Saul's herdsmen" shows the extent to which Saul's kingdom, now bereft of divine guidance and wisdom, relied on disloyal and wicked men for counsel and execution of unjust decrees. This verse sets the stage for one of the darkest moments in David's early life and in the history of the priesthood, serving as a cautionary tale about false devotion and the consequences of betraying the Lord's chosen.