The Meaning of 1 Samuel 22:18 Explained

1 Samuel 22:18

KJV: And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.

YLT: And the king saith to Doeg, 'Turn round thou, and come against the priests;' and Doeg the Edomite turneth round, and cometh himself against the priests, and putteth to death in that day eighty and five men bearing a linen ephod,

Darby: And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall on the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and fell on the priests, and put to death that day eighty-five persons who wore the linen ephod.

ASV: And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and he slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the king  said  to Doeg,  Turn  thou, and fall  upon the priests.  And Doeg  the Edomite  turned,  and he fell  upon the priests,  and slew  on that day  fourscore  and five  persons  that did wear  a linen  ephod. 

What does 1 Samuel 22:18 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 22:11-23 - The Slaughter Of David's Friends
The Apostle James says that "the tongue is set on fire of hell." Surely this was the case when Saul, encamped on the height above Gibeah, scattered his biting words like firebrands. They met with a ready response in Doeg's evil heart, and the two perpetrated one of the most atrocious tragedies of history.
This black act-the blackest of Saul's life-was not to be extenuated, although it executed the malediction, uttered long before in the days of Eli, against the latter's evil house. That Saul's footmen refused to execute the king's sentence should have made Him hesitate. Doeg's tale was true in its statement, but false in its implications.
There is nothing to alleviate the lurid horror of this incident, except David's welcome to Abiathar. Are not such words addressed by our Lord to all who escape to Him? "Abide with me" may be understood in the light of John 15:1-27. With Christ there is safeguard. "Your life is hid with Christ in God." Fear not, trembling soul; Christ stands surety for thee! See Psalms 52:1-9, where David predicts Doeg's fate, and contrasts it with his own happy lot. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 22:18 mean?

And said the king Doeg to Doeg turn You and kill the priests So turned Doeg Doeg the Edomite and struck he the priests and killed on day that eighty and five men who wore ephod a linen
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ [לדויג] (לְדוֹאֵ֔ג) סֹ֣ב אַתָּ֔ה וּפְגַ֖ע בַּכֹּהֲנִ֑ים וַיִּסֹּ֞ב [דויג] (דּוֹאֵ֣ג) הָאֲדֹמִ֗י וַיִּפְגַּע־ הוּא֙ בַּכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים וַיָּ֣מֶת ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא שְׁמֹנִ֤ים וַחֲמִשָּׁה֙ אִ֔ישׁ נֹשֵׂ֖א אֵפ֥וֹד בָּֽד

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
[לדויג]  Doeg 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
(לְדוֹאֵ֔ג)  to  Doeg 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דֹּאֵג 
Sense: an Edomite, chief of Saul’s herdsmen, who slew all the priests.
סֹ֣ב  turn 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: סָבַב  
Sense: to turn, turn about or around or aside or back or towards, go about or arou nd, surround, encircle, change direction.
וּפְגַ֖ע  and  kill 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: פָּגַע  
Sense: to encounter, meet, reach, entreat, make intercession.
בַּכֹּהֲנִ֑ים  the  priests 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וַיִּסֹּ֞ב  So  turned 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָבַב  
Sense: to turn, turn about or around or aside or back or towards, go about or arou nd, surround, encircle, change direction.
[דויג]  Doeg 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
(דּוֹאֵ֣ג)  Doeg 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דֹּאֵג 
Sense: an Edomite, chief of Saul’s herdsmen, who slew all the priests.
הָאֲדֹמִ֗י  the  Edomite 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲדֹומִי  
Sense: Edomite.
וַיִּפְגַּע־  and  struck 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּגַע  
Sense: to encounter, meet, reach, entreat, make intercession.
בַּכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים  the  priests 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וַיָּ֣מֶת ׀  and  killed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
בַּיּ֣וֹם  on  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַה֗וּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
שְׁמֹנִ֤ים  eighty 
Parse: Number, common plural
Root: שְׁמֹנִים  
Sense: eighty, fourscore.
וַחֲמִשָּׁה֙  and  five 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, masculine singular
Root: חָמֵשׁ  
Sense: five.
אִ֔ישׁ  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
נֹשֵׂ֖א  who  wore 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
אֵפ֥וֹד  ephod 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֵפֹד  
Sense: ephod.
בָּֽד  a  linen 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּד  
Sense: linen, white linen.