Bible Strands
1 Samuel 22:19
He also put to the sword Nob, the city of the priests, with its men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Saul’s command to Doeg the Edomite triggers the massacre of Nob, the priestly city, immediately after Doeg kills the eighty-five priests wearing linen ephods.
The words — The Hebrew phrase לְפִי־ חֶרֶב (le./fi- Che.rev) literally renders “to the mouth of the sword,” while הִכָּ֣ה (hi.Kah) denotes a decisive striking action that executes the slaughter.
The thread — The complete destruction of Nob parallels the herem mandate in 1 Samuel 15:3 and Joshua 6:17, and its severity is later juxtaposed against the biblical principle that mercy triumphs over judgment in James 2:13.
Why it lands — The text records a total, indiscriminate killing that demands readers confront the historical reality of ancient warfare and the tension between divine command and human mercy.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 15:3 Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”
- James 2:13 For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
- Joshua 6:17 Now the city and everything in it must be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all those with her in her house will live, because she hid the spies we sent.
- Joshua 6:21 With the edge of the sword they devoted to destruction everything in the city—man and woman, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys.
- 1 Samuel 15:9 Saul and his troops spared Agag, along with the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs, and the best of everything else. They were unwilling to devote them to destruction, but they devoted to destruction all that was despised and worthless.
- 1 Samuel 21:1 Then David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And when Ahimelech met David, he trembled and asked him, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?”
- 1 Samuel 22:9 But Doeg the Edomite, who had stationed himself with Saul’s servants, answered: “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob.
- 1 Samuel 22:11 Then the king sent messengers to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and his father’s whole family, who were priests at Nob. And all of them came to the king.
- Nehemiah 11:32 in Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,
- Isaiah 10:32 Yet today they will halt at Nob, shaking a fist at the mount of Daughter Zion, at the hill of Jerusalem.