1 Samuel 22 19

1 Samuel 22:19 kjv

And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

1 Samuel 22:19 nkjv

Also Nob, the city of the priests, he struck with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing infants, oxen and donkeys and sheep?with the edge of the sword.

1 Samuel 22:19 niv

He also put to the sword Nob, the town of the priests, with its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep.

1 Samuel 22:19 esv

And Nob, the city of the priests, he put to the sword; both man and woman, child and infant, ox, donkey and sheep, he put to the sword.

1 Samuel 22:19 nlt

Then 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 verses

1 Samuel 22 19 Meaning

This verse vividly details King Saul's horrific act of total slaughter against Nob, the city inhabited by the priests of the Lord. Enraged by the priests' perceived support for David, Saul commanded and carried out an indiscriminate massacre, striking down every living being within the city—men, women, children, nursing infants, and even all their livestock—with the sword. This brutal action highlights the depths of Saul's paranoia, his defiance of God, and the tragic consequences of his unrighteous rule.

1 Samuel 22 19 Context

This verse immediately follows Doeg the Edomite's confession to Saul about Ahimelech's aid to David (1 Samuel 22:9-10). Earlier, in 1 Samuel 21:1-6, Ahimelech, unaware of the rift between David and Saul, had given David the holy bread and Goliath's sword out of compassion and a lack of other provisions. Saul, consumed by paranoia and hatred for David, saw this innocent act as high treason. His own servants refused to lay hands on the priests of the Lord, so Doeg, a non-Israelite and Saul's chief shepherd, willingly carried out the king's cruel command, first striking down eighty-five priests (1 Samuel 22:18). Verse 19 extends this unparalleled brutality to the entire city of Nob, representing a comprehensive slaughter of an innocent civilian population, including the most vulnerable. This incident marks the nadir of Saul's reign, revealing his complete abandonment of righteous leadership and descent into tyrannical madness, setting him starkly against the principles of Yahweh's covenant.

1 Samuel 22 19 Word analysis

• And Nob, the city of the priests,: Nob (Hebrew: נֹב, Nov) means "a height." It was a Levitical city specifically designated for priests (cf. Josh 21:13-19), highlighting the sanctity and innocence of its inhabitants. Saul's act directly defied God's protective regard for His chosen servants and the Levitical cities, signifying profound disrespect for divine institutions.
• he struck: (Hebrew: הִכָּה, hikka) - This is the Hiphil perfect form of the verb נָכָה (nakah), meaning "to strike, to smite, to kill." This strong verb emphasizes the decisive and violent nature of the action. It's the same term often used in contexts of holy war or judgment, such as the herem (the ban or complete destruction) where God commands the total annihilation of an enemy. The key here is that Saul's use of this "holy war" action against his own people, the priests, was completely unwarranted by divine command, instead driven by personal malice and paranoia.
• with the edge of the sword,: (Hebrew: לְפִי־חֶרֶב, lᵉpî-ḥereḇ) - Literally "to the mouth of the sword." This is a common Hebrew idiom for complete and utterly indiscriminate slaughter, a form of total destruction with no survivors. This phrasing vividly conveys the ruthless, annihilating nature of the attack, leaving no one alive. It is a terrifying phrase, highlighting the extreme brutality and Saul's intention to eradicate any connection to David and the priestly line who helped him.
• both men and women, children and nursing infants,: (Hebrew: אִישׁ וְאִשָּׁה, עוֹלֵל וְיוֹנֵק, ’îš wᵉ’iššāh, ‘ôlēl wᵉyônēq) - This detailed listing underscores the comprehensive nature of the massacre. The inclusion of "nursing infants" (yoneq) is particularly shocking and horrifying. It emphasizes the slaughter of the most vulnerable and innocent, a cruel act reserved for God's most judged enemies in biblical accounts (e.g., Num 31:17; Deut 2:34; Josh 6:21). For a king of Israel to apply such brutality against his own people, especially the priestly families, highlights his extreme moral degradation and contempt for human life and God's covenant.
• oxen, donkeys and sheep—with the edge of the sword: (Hebrew: בָּקָר וַחֲמֹרִים וָצֹאן, bāqār waḥămōrîm wāṣō’n) - The inclusion of all livestock as targets of destruction further reinforces the concept of herem, or the "ban." This aspect of total destruction, applied even to animals, symbolized leaving no trace of the enemy or their livelihood. Ironically, Saul had previously disobeyed God by sparing the livestock of the Amalekites (1 Sam 15:3, 9). Here, however, he zealously applies this very concept of total destruction to his own innocent countrymen and their holy city, illustrating his perverse understanding of divine judgment and his distorted sense of loyalty and obedience.

1 Samuel 22 19 Bonus section

• The lone survivor of the Nob massacre was Abiathar, one of Ahimelech's sons, who fled to David (1 Sam 22:20). His escape ensured the continuity of the high priestly line and cemented the transfer of divine favor and religious authority from Saul's compromised kingdom to David's nascent leadership. Abiathar remained a loyal priest to David, highlighting God's faithfulness in preserving His line even through such devastation.
• This act by Saul inadvertently contributed to the fulfillment of the divine judgment prophesied against the house of Eli in 1 Samuel 2:31-33, which foretold the destruction of his priestly lineage and the deaths of young men. Though God did not command this specific event, Saul's act served as a wicked means by which part of that prophecy was brought to pass, illustrating how human sin can intertwine with divine purpose, albeit not as a direct instruction from God.

1 Samuel 22 19 Commentary

The massacre at Nob represents a horrifying crescendo in Saul's reign of paranoia and spiritual decline. This act was not divinely sanctioned; rather, it was a manifestation of Saul's personal rage, delusion, and desperate attempt to suppress David, whom he perceived as a threat. The slaughter of priests, the wiping out of a Levitical city, and the indiscriminate killing of infants and animals constituted an egregious sin against God and humanity. It revealed Saul's deep-seated rejection of God's ways, specifically his disdain for the sacredness of life, especially that of God's consecrated servants and the most helpless. This action underscored his unfitness for kingship, demonstrating a profound departure from the covenant responsibilities of a leader in Israel. It set a dark precedent for shedding innocent blood, contrasting sharply with the righteous principles God requires of His chosen.