1 Samuel 22 · Verse 17

1 Samuel 22:17

And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the Lord; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the Lord.
1 Samuel 22:17, King James Version

1 Samuel 22:17 in other translations

BSBThen the king ordered the guards at his side, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too sided with David. For they knew he was fleeing, but they did not tell me.” But the king’s servants would not lift a hand to strike the priests of the LORD.
WEBThe king said to the guard who stood about him, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled and didn’t disclose it to me.” But the servants of the king wouldn’t put out their hand to fall on the priests of the LORD.
ASVAnd the king said unto the guard that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of Jehovah; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew that he fled, and did not disclose it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of Jehovah.
YLTAnd the king saith to runners, those standing by him, ‘Turn round, and put to death the priests of Jehovah, because their hand also is with David, and because they have known that he is fleeing, and have not uncovered mine ear;' and the servants of the king have not been willing to put forth their hand to come against the priests of Jehovah.
DARBYAnd the king said to the couriers that stood about him, Turn and put the priests of Jehovah to death; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not inform me. But the servants of the king were not willing to put forth their hand to fall on the priests of Jehovah.
BBEThen the king said to the runners who were waiting near him, Put the priests of the Lord to death; because they are on David's side, and having knowledge of his flight, did not give me word of it. But the king's servants would not put out their hands to make an attack on the Lord's priests.
WebsterAnd the king said to the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD: because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not show it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.

What does 1 Samuel 22:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Samuel 22:17-18
17-18. the footmen that stood about him--his bodyguard, or his runners (1Sa 8:11; 2Sa 15:1; 1Ki 1:5; 1Ki 14:28), who held an important place at court (2Ch 12:10). But they chose rather to disobey the king than to offend God by imbruing their hands in the blood of his ministering servants. A foreigner alone (Psa 52:1-3) could be found willing to be the executioner of this bloody and sacrilegious sentence. Thus was the doom of the house of Eli fulfilled [1Sa 2:30-36].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 17 But the servants of the king would not - They dared to disobey the commands of the king in a case of such injustice, inhumanity, and irreligion.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 22:6-19

See the nature of jealous malice and its pitiful arts. Saul looks upon all about him as his enemies, because they do not just say as he says. In Ahimelech's answer to Saul we have the language of conscious innocence. But what wickedness will not the evil spirit hurry men to when he gets the dominion! Saul alleges that which was utterly false and unproved. But the most bloody tyrants have found instruments of their…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 22:6-19 →

1 Samuel 22:17 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
הַמֶּ֡לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
לָרָצִים֩la.ra.Tzimto the runnersH7323
הַנִּצָּבִ֨יםha.ni.tza.Vimwho were standingH5324
עָלָ֜יו'a.Lavwith himH5921
סֹ֥בּוּSo.buturn roundH5437
וְהָמִ֣יתוּ\׀ve.ha.Mi.tuand put to deathH4191
כֹּהֲנֵ֣יko.ha.Nei[the] priests ofH3548
יְהוָ֗הYah.wehYahwehH3068
כִּ֤יkiforH3588
גַם\־gam-alsoH1571
יָדָם֙ya.Damhand theirH3027
עִם\־'im-[is] withH5973
דָּוִ֔דda.VidDavidH1732
וְכִ֤יve.Khiand forH3588
יָֽדְעוּ֙ya.de.'Uthey knewH3045
כִּֽי\־ki-thatH3588
בֹרֵ֣חַvo.Re.ach[was] fleeingH1272
ה֔וּאHu'heH1931
וְלֹ֥אve.Lo'and notH3808
גָל֖וּga.Luthey uncoveredH1540
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
אָזְנִ֑י'a.ze.niear myH241
וְלֹֽא\־ve.lo'-and notH3808
אָב֞וּ'a.Vuthey were willingH14
עַבְדֵ֤י'av.Dei[the] servants ofH5650
הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
לִשְׁלֹ֣חַlish.Lo.achto stretch outH7971
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
יָדָ֔םya.Damhand theirH3027
לִפְגֹ֖עַlif.Go.a'to fallH6293
בְּכֹהֲנֵ֥יbe.kho.ha.Neion [the] priests ofH3548
יְהוָֽה\׃\ \סYah.wehYahwehH3068

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 22:17

  • Exodus 1:17

    But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.

  • 1 Samuel 14:45

    And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.

  • 2 Kings 1:13-14

    And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight. Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight.

  • 2 Samuel 15:1

    And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

  • 2 Kings 10:25

    And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.

  • 1 Kings 18:4

    For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

  • 1 Samuel 22:13

    And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

  • 1 Kings 1:5

    Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

  • 1 Samuel 20:33

    And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.

  • Acts 4:19

    But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

  • 1 Samuel 25:17

    Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.

  • 1 Samuel 8:11

    And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
footmen. or, guard. Heb. runners.
8:11; 2Sa 15:1; 1Ki 1:5
slay the priests.
13; 20:33; 25:17; 1Ki 18:4
would not.
14:45; Ex 1:17; 2Ki 1:13,14; Ac 4:19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 22:16

    And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father’s house.

  • 1 Samuel 22:17

    And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the Lord; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the Lord.

  • 1 Samuel 22:18

    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.

Read all of 1 Samuel 22

1 Samuel 22:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Entonces dijo el rey á la gente de su guardia que estaba alrededor de él: Cercad y matad á los sacerdotes de Jehová; porque también la mano de ellos es con David, pues sabiendo ellos que huía, no me lo descubrieron. Mas los siervos del rey no quisieron extender sus manos para matar á los sacerdotes de Jehová.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et le roi dit aux coureurs qui se tenaient près de lui: Tournez-vous, et mettez à mort les sacrificateurs de l’ Éternel, parce que leur main aussi est avec David, et parce qu’ils ont bien su qu’il s’enfuyait, et qu’ils ne m’en ont point averti. Et les serviteurs du roi ne voulurent pas étendre leurs mains pour se jeter sur les sacrificateurs de l’ Éternel.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und der König sprach zu den Läufern, die bei ihm standen: Wendet euch und tötet die Priester Jehovas, weil auch ihre Hand mit David ist, und weil sie wußten, daß er floh und es meinem Ohre nicht eröffnet haben. Aber die Knechte des Königs wollten ihre Hand nicht ausstrecken, um über die Priester Jehovas herzufallen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et ait rex emissariis qui circumstabant eum: Convertimini, et interficite sacerdotes Domini, nam manus eorum cum David est: scientes quod fugisset, et non indicaverunt mihi. Noluerunt autem servi regis extendere manus suas in sacerdotes Domini.