1 Samuel 22 · Verse 19

1 Samuel 22:19

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.
1 Samuel 22:19, King James Version

1 Samuel 22:19 in other translations

BSBHe also put to the sword Nob, the city of the priests, with its men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.
WEBHe 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.
ASVAnd 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.
YLTand 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.
DARBYAnd 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.
BBEAnd Nob, the town of the priests, he put to the sword, all the men and women, children and babies at the breast, and oxen and asses and sheep.
WebsterAnd 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.

What does 1 Samuel 22:19 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
19. Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword--The barbarous atrocities perpetrated against this city seem to have been designed to terrify all the subjects of Saul from affording either aid or an asylum to David. But they proved ruinous to Saul's own interest, as they alienated the priesthood and disgusted all good men in the kingdom. 1Sa 22:20-23. Abiathar Escapes and Flees after David.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 19 And Nob - smote he with the edge of the sword - This is one of the worst acts in the life of Saul; his malice was implacable, and his wrath was cruel, and there is no motive of justice or policy by which such a barbarous act can be justified.

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 22:19 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.

וְאֵ֨תve.'Etand <obj.>H853
נֹ֤בnoNobH5011
עִיר\־'ir-[the] city ofH5892
הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ha.ko.ha.Nimthe priestsH3548
הִכָּ֣הhi.Kahhe struckH5221
לְפִי\־le.fi-to [the] mouth ofH6310
חֶ֔רֶבChe.rev[the] swordH2719
מֵאִישׁ֙me.'Ishfrom manH376
וְעַד\־ve.'ad-and untoH5704
אִשָּׁ֔ה'i.ShahwomanH802
מֵעוֹלֵ֖לme.'o.Lelfrom childH5768
וְעַד\־ve.'ad-and untoH5704
יוֹנֵ֑קyo.Neksuckling-childH3243
וְשׁ֧וֹרve.Shorand ox[en]H7794
וַחֲמ֛וֹרva.cha.Morand donkey[s]H2543
וָשֶׂ֖הva.Sehand sheepH7716
לְפִי\־le.fi-to [the] mouth ofH6310
חָֽרֶב\׃Cha.rev[the] swordH2719

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

Cross references for 1 Samuel 22:19

  • 1 Samuel 15:3

    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.

  • James 2:13

    For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

  • 1 Samuel 15:9

    But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

  • Joshua 6:21

    And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.

  • Joshua 6:17

    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 Beth–arbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children.

  • Nehemiah 11:32

    And at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,

  • 1 Samuel 22:11

    Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.

  • 1 Samuel 22:9

    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?

  • Isaiah 10:32

    As yet shall he remain at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Nob.
9,11; 21:1; Ne 11:32; Isa 10:32
men.
15:3,9; Jos 6:17,21; Ho 10:14; Jas 2:13
with the edge.This is one of the worst acts of Saul's life: his malice was implacable, and his wrath cruel; and there is no motive of justice or policy by which such a barbarous massacre can be justified.

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

Context

  • 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.

  • 1 Samuel 22:19

    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.

  • 1 Samuel 22:20

    And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.

Read all of 1 Samuel 22

1 Samuel 22:19 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y á Nob, ciudad de los sacerdotes, puso á cuchillo: así á hombres como á mujeres, niños y mamantes, bueyes y asnos y ovejas, todo á cuchillo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Saül frappa Nob, ville des sacrificateurs, par le tranchant de l’épée, homme et femme, enfant et celui qui tète, bœuf et âne, et mouton, par le tranchant de l’épée.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Nob, die Stadt der Priester, schlug er mit der Schärfe des Schwertes, vom Manne bis zum Weibe, vom Kinde bis zum Säugling, und Rind und Esel und Kleinvieh, mit der Schärfe des Schwertes.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Nobe autem civitatem sacerdotum percussit in ore gladii, viros et mulieres, et parvulos et lactentes, bovemque, et asinum, et ovem in ore gladii.