1 Samuel 22:19
New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
He also put to the sword Nob, the city of the priests, with its men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
He also struck Nob the city of the priests with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and infants; he also struck oxen, donkeys, and sheep with the edge of the sword.

NASB 1995
And he struck Nob the city of the priests with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and infants; also oxen, donkeys, and sheep he struck with the edge of the sword.

NASB 1977
And he struck Nob the city of the priests with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and infants; also oxen, donkeys, and sheep, he struck with the edge of the sword.

Legacy Standard Bible
So he struck Nob the city of the priests with the edge of the sword, both men and women, infants and nursing babies; also oxen, donkeys, and sheep he struck with the edge of the sword.

Amplified Bible
And he struck Nob the city of the priests with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and infants; also he struck oxen and donkeys and sheep with the edge of the sword.

Christian Standard Bible
He also struck down Nob, the city of the priests, with the sword—both men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He also struck down Nob, the city of the priests, with the sword—both men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.

American Standard 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.

Contemporary English Version
Then he attacked the town of Nob, where the priests had lived, and he killed everyone there--men, women, children, and babies. He even killed their cattle, donkeys, and sheep.

English Revised 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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He also killed the people of Nob, the city of the priests. Using [his] sword, he killed men and women, children and infants, cows, donkeys, and sheep.

Good News Translation
Saul also had all the other inhabitants of Nob, the city of priests, put to death: men and women, children and babies, cattle, donkeys, and sheep--they were all killed.

International Standard Version
He attacked the priestly town of Nob with the sword. Men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys and sheep were put to the sword.

Majority Standard Bible
He also put to the sword Nob, the city of the priests, with its men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.

NET Bible
As for Nob, the city of the priests, he struck down with the sword men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep--all with the sword.

New Heart English Bible
He struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing babies, and cattle and donkeys and sheep.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Nob, the city of the priests, he smote 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.

World English Bible
He struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword—both men and women, children and nursing babies, and cattle, donkeys, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and Nob, the city of the priests, he has struck by the mouth of the sword, from man and to woman, from infant and to suckling, and ox, and donkey, and sheep, by the mouth of the sword.

Young's Literal Translation
and Nob, the city of the priests, he hath smitten by the mouth of the sword, from man even unto woman, from infant even unto suckling, and ox, and ass, and sheep, by the mouth of the sword.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Nob the city of the priests, he struck with the mouth of the sword, from man and even to woman, from child and even to suckling, and ox, and ass, and sheep, with the mouth of the sword.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Nobe the city of the priests he smote with the edge of his sword, both men and women, children, and sucklings, and ox and ass, and sheep with the edge of the sword.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then he struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword; he struck down men and women, little ones and infants, as well as ox and donkey and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

New American Bible
Saul also put the priestly city of Nob to the sword, including men and women, children and infants, and oxen, donkeys and sheep.

New Revised Standard Version
Nob, the city of the priests, he put to the sword; men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep, he put to the sword.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Noh, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, young men and children and oxen and asses and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he gave to him the village of the Priests, and he killed by the mouth of the sword from man and unto woman, and from young man and unto infant, and bull and sheep by the mouth of the sword
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
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.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Saul Slays the Priests of Nob
18So the king ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests!” And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests himself. On that day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. 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. 20But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar, and he fled to David.…

Cross References
Matthew 2:16
When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi.

Revelation 18:24
And there was found in her the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who had been slain on the earth.

Hosea 13:16
Samaria will bear her guilt because she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open.

2 Kings 10:11
So Jehu killed everyone in Jezreel who remained of the house of Ahab, as well as all his great men and close friends and priests, leaving him without a single survivor.

Jeremiah 26:23
They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him put to the sword and his body thrown into the burial place of the common people.

2 Chronicles 24:21-22
But they conspired against Zechariah, and by order of the king, they stoned him in the courtyard of the house of the LORD. / Thus King Joash failed to remember the kindness that Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had extended to him. Instead, Joash killed Jehoiada’s son. As he lay dying, Zechariah said, “May the LORD see this and call you to account.”

Acts 7:52
Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—

Jeremiah 41:5-7
eighty men who had shaved off their beards, torn their garments, and cut themselves came from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria, carrying grain offerings and frankincense for the house of the LORD. / And Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went. When Ishmael encountered the men, he said, “Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam.” / And when they came into the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men with him slaughtered them and threw them into a cistern.

2 Kings 21:16
Moreover, Manasseh shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end, in addition to the sin that he had caused Judah to commit, doing evil in the sight of the LORD.

Luke 11:50-51
As a result, this generation will be charged with the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the foundation of the world, / from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, all of it will be charged to this generation.

2 Kings 15:16
At that time Menahem, starting from Tirzah, attacked Tiphsah and everyone in its vicinity, because they would not open their gates. So he attacked Tiphsah and ripped open all the pregnant women.

Psalm 52:1-5
For the choirmaster. A Maskil of David. After Doeg the Edomite went to Saul and told him, “David has gone to the house of Ahimelech.” Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The loving devotion of God endures all day long. / Your tongue devises destruction like a sharpened razor, O worker of deceit. / You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking truth. Selah ...

Ezekiel 9:5-7
And as I listened, He said to the others, “Follow him through the city and start killing; do not show pity or spare anyone! / Slaughter the old men, the young men and maidens, the women and children; but do not go near anyone who has the mark. Now begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple. / Then He told them, “Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain. Go forth!” So they went out and began killing throughout the city.

2 Kings 9:26
‘As surely as I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons yesterday, declares the LORD, so will I repay you on this plot of ground, declares the LORD.’ Now then, according to the word of the LORD, pick him up and throw him on the plot of ground.”

Matthew 23:35
And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.


Treasury of Scripture

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.

Nob

1 Samuel 22:9,11
Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub…

1 Samuel 21:1
Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?

Nehemiah 11:32
And at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,

men

1 Samuel 15:3,9
Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass…

Joshua 6:17,21
And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent…

Hosea 10:14
Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Betharbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children.

Jump to Previous
Ass Asses Babies Breast Cattle Children City Donkeys Edge Infant Infants Mouth Nob Nursing Ox Oxen Priests Sheep Smitten Smote Struck Suckling Sucklings Sword Women
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Ass Asses Babies Breast Cattle Children City Donkeys Edge Infant Infants Mouth Nob Nursing Ox Oxen Priests Sheep Smitten Smote Struck Suckling Sucklings Sword Women
1 Samuel 22
1. Companies resort unto David at Adullam
3. At Mizpeh he commends his parents unto the king of Moab
5. Admonished by Gad, he comes to Hareth,
6. Saul going to pursue him, complains of his servants' unfaithfulness
9. Doeg accuses Ahimelech
11. Saul commands to kill the priests
17. The footmen refusing, Doeg executes it
20. Abiathar escaping, brings David the news














He also put to the sword Nob, the city of the priests
Nob was a city located near Jerusalem, known for being a priestly city where the tabernacle was situated after the destruction of Shiloh. This act of violence was ordered by King Saul and carried out by Doeg the Edomite. The massacre at Nob was a direct result of Saul's paranoia and anger towards David, whom he believed was conspiring against him. This event highlights the tragic consequences of Saul's disobedience to God and his descent into tyranny. The priests of Nob were innocent, serving God and the people, yet they suffered due to Saul's misguided wrath. This massacre is reminiscent of other biblical instances where innocent blood was shed, such as the slaughter of the innocents by Herod in Matthew 2:16.

with its men and women, children and infants
The complete destruction of Nob, including men, women, children, and infants, underscores the totality of Saul's vengeance and the extent of his moral decline. This indiscriminate killing is reminiscent of the herem warfare commanded by God in certain Old Testament contexts, such as the destruction of the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15), which Saul failed to fully execute. However, unlike those divinely sanctioned acts, this massacre was not commanded by God and stands as a stark contrast to the justice and mercy that God desires. It serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of human sin and the abuse of power.

oxen, donkeys, and sheep
The inclusion of livestock in the destruction of Nob indicates the thoroughness of the annihilation. In ancient Near Eastern culture, livestock were valuable assets, essential for agriculture, transportation, and sustenance. The destruction of these animals not only represents a loss of economic resources but also symbolizes the complete eradication of the community's livelihood. This act of total destruction is reminiscent of the judgment against the Amalekites, where everything was to be destroyed (1 Samuel 15:3). However, unlike the Amalekite judgment, this was not a divine command but rather an act of human cruelty. This phrase also echoes the comprehensive nature of divine judgment seen in other parts of Scripture, such as the plagues of Egypt, where both humans and animals suffered (Exodus 9:6).

Persons / Places / Events
1. Saul
The first king of Israel, who ordered the destruction of Nob. His actions here reflect his growing paranoia and departure from God's will.

2. Doeg the Edomite
Saul's servant who carried out the massacre at Nob. His actions demonstrate the consequences of unchecked ambition and loyalty to a flawed leader.

3. Nob
A city of priests, representing a place of worship and service to God. Its destruction signifies a severe breach of divine order and justice.

4. Ahimelech
The high priest at Nob who, along with his fellow priests, was killed by Doeg. His death marks a tragic moment of innocent suffering due to Saul's misguided wrath.

5. David
Although not directly involved in this event, David's earlier visit to Nob and interaction with Ahimelech indirectly led to the massacre. This highlights the unintended consequences of actions and decisions.
Teaching Points
The Consequences of Disobedience
Saul's actions at Nob are a direct result of his earlier disobedience to God. Disobedience can lead to a hardened heart and devastating consequences for others.

The Danger of Misplaced Loyalty
Doeg's loyalty to Saul over God led to the massacre. Our ultimate allegiance should be to God, not to flawed human leaders.

The Cost of Leadership
David's indirect role in the events at Nob reminds us that leaders must be aware of the far-reaching impact of their decisions and actions.

Innocent Suffering
The priests of Nob suffered unjustly, reminding us that in a fallen world, the innocent may suffer due to the sins of others. This calls for trust in God's ultimate justice.

God's Sovereignty and Justice
Despite the tragedy at Nob, God remains sovereign and just. Believers can find comfort in knowing that God will ultimately right all wrongs.(19) Nob, the city of the priests, smote he.--The vengeful king, not content with striking the men, the heads of the priestly houses, in his insane fury proceeded to treat the innocent city where they resided as a city under the ban "cherem," as though it had been polluted with idolatry and wickedness, and therefore devoted to utter destruction. The only crime of Nob had been that its venerable chief citizen, Ahimelech the priest, had shown kindness to David, whom Saul hated with a fierce mad hate. In 2Samuel 21:1 we read of a scourge in the form of a famine afflicting Israel during three years. The cause of this God-sent calamity is told us in the Lord's words: "It was for Saul and his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites." Now, this slaughter of the Gibeonites--evidently a dark crime--is nowhere specially related in the Old Testament books. Was it not this awful sequel to the crime of Gibeah, where the hapless Ahimelech and his eighty-five priests were murdered, that was referred to in the above mentioned passage--the awful sequel when Saul smote Nob, the city of the priests, with the sword? In that terrible catastrophe, were not the Gibeonites, hewers of wood and drawers of water for the Tabernacle (see Joshua 9:21-27), slain? for we read how in the destruction of the ill fated city men, women and children, and all cattle perished. "Only once before had so terrible a calamity befallen the sons of Aaron, and that was when the Philistines destroyed Shiloh. But they were enemies, and had been provoked by the people bringing the Ark to battle; and even then the women and children seem to have escaped. It was left to the anointed king of Israel, who had himself settled the priests at Nob and restored Jehovah's worship there, to perpetrate an act unparalleled in Jewish history for its barbarity."--Dean Payne Smith.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
He also put
הִכָּ֣ה (hik·kāh)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5221: To strike

to the sword
חֶ֔רֶב (ḥe·reḇ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

Nob,
נֹ֤ב (nōḇ)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 5011: Nob -- a priestly city, perhaps also a place North of Jerusalem

the city
עִיר־ (‘îr-)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 5892: Excitement

of the priests,
הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ (hak·kō·hă·nîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3548: Priest

with its men
מֵאִישׁ֙ (mê·’îš)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

and
וְעַד־ (wə·‘aḏ-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

women,
אִשָּׁ֔ה (’iš·šāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

children
מֵעוֹלֵ֖ל (mê·‘ō·w·lêl)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5768: A suckling

and
וְעַד־ (wə·‘aḏ-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

infants,
יוֹנֵ֑ק (yō·w·nêq)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3243: To suck, to give milk

oxen,
וְשׁ֧וֹר (wə·šō·wr)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7794: A head of cattle (bullock, ox, etcetera)

donkeys,
וַחֲמ֛וֹר (wa·ḥă·mō·wr)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2543: A male ass

and sheep.
וָשֶׂ֖ה (wā·śeh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7716: A member of a, flock, a sheep, goat


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OT History: 1 Samuel 22:19 Nob the city of the priests struck (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
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