The Meaning of 1 Samuel 22:19 Explained

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.

YLT: 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.

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

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Samuel 22:19 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 22:19 mean?

And Nob the city of the priests he struck with the edge of the sword from men and to women from children nursing infants and oxen and donkeys and sheep of the sword
וְאֵ֨ת נֹ֤ב עִיר־ הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ הִכָּ֣ה לְפִי־ חֶ֔רֶב מֵאִישׁ֙ וְעַד־ אִשָּׁ֔ה מֵעוֹלֵ֖ל יוֹנֵ֑ק וְשׁ֧וֹר וַחֲמ֛וֹר וָשֶׂ֖ה חָֽרֶב

נֹ֤ב  Nob 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: נׄב  
Sense: a priestly city in the Benjamin situated on some eminence north but near Jerusalem.
עִיר־  the  city 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙  of  the  priests 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
הִכָּ֣ה  he  struck 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
לְפִי־  with  the  edge 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
חֶ֔רֶב  of  the  sword 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
מֵאִישׁ֙  from  men 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
וְעַד־  and  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
אִשָּׁ֔ה  women 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
מֵעוֹלֵ֖ל  from  children 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולֵל 
Sense: child, boy.
יוֹנֵ֑ק  nursing  infants 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָנַק 
Sense: to suckle, nurse, suck.
וְשׁ֧וֹר  and  oxen 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֹׁור  
Sense: ox, bull, a head of cattle.
וַחֲמ֛וֹר  and  donkeys 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲמֹור 
Sense: (he)ass.
וָשֶׂ֖ה  and  sheep 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׂה  
Sense: one of a flock, lamb, sheep, goat, young sheep, young goat.
חָֽרֶב  of  the  sword 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.