1Sa 22:6-10 | KD | STEP | Murder of the Priests by Saul. - 1Sa 22:6. When Saul heard that David and the men with him were known , i.e., that information had been received as to their abode or hiding-place, he said to his servants when they were gathered round him, “ Hear ,” etc. The words, “ and Saul was sitting at Gibeah under the tamarisk upon the height ,” etc., show that what follows took place in a solemn conclave of all the servants of Saul, who were gathered round their king to deliberate upon the more important affairs of the kingdom. This sitting took place at Gibeah, the residence of Saul, and in the open air “ under the tamarisk .” בּרמה, upon the height , not “under a grove at Ramah” ( Luther ); for Ramah is an appellative, and בּרמה, which belongs to האשׁל תּחת, is a more minute definition of the locality, which is indicated by the definite article ( the tamarisk upon the height) as the well-known place where Saul’s deliberative assemblies were held. From the king’s address (“ hear, ye Benjaminites; will the son of Jesse also give you all fields and vineyards? ”) we perceive that Saul had chosen his immediate attendants form the members of his own tribe, and had rewarded their services right royally. גּם־לכלּכם is placed first for the sake of emphasis, “ You Benjaminites also ,” and not rather to Judahites, the members of his own tribe. The second לכלּכם (before ישׂים) is not a dative; but ל tub merely serves to give greater prominence to the object which is placed at the head of the clause: As for all of you, will he make (you: see Ewald , §310, a .).

‏ 1 Samuel 22:6-10

Murder of the Priests by Saul. - 1Sa 22:6. When Saul heard that David and the men with him were known, i.e., that information had been received as to their abode or hiding-place, he said to his servants when they were gathered round him, “Hear,” etc. The words, “and Saul was sitting at Gibeah under the tamarisk upon the height,” etc., show that what follows took place in a solemn conclave of all the servants of Saul, who were gathered round their king to deliberate upon the more important affairs of the kingdom. This sitting took place at Gibeah, the residence of Saul, and in the open air “under the tamarisk.” בּרמה, upon the height, not “under a grove at Ramah” (Luther); for Ramah is an appellative, and בּרמה, which belongs to האשׁל תּחת, is a more minute definition of the locality, which is indicated by the definite article (the tamarisk upon the height) as the well-known place where Saul’s deliberative assemblies were held. From the king’s address (“hear, ye Benjaminites; will the son of Jesse also give you all fields and vineyards?”) we perceive that Saul had chosen his immediate attendants form the members of his own tribe, and had rewarded their services right royally. גּם־לכלּכם is placed first for the sake of emphasis, “You Benjaminites also,” and not rather to Judahites, the members of his own tribe. The second לכלּכם (before ישׂים) is not a dative; but ל tub merely serves to give greater prominence to the object which is placed at the head of the clause: As for all of you, will he make (you: see Ewald, §310, a.). 1Sa 22:8

“That you have all of you conspired against me, and no one informs me of it, since my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse.” בּכרת, lit. at the making of a covenant. Saul may possibly have heard something of the facts related in 1Sa 20:12-17; at the same time, his words may merely refer to Jonathan’s friendship with David, which was well known to him. ואין־חלה, “and no one of you is grieved on my account ... that my son has set my servant (David) as a lier in wait against me,” i.e., to plot against my life, and wrest the throne to himself. We may see from this, that Saul was carried by his suspicions very far beyond the actual facts. “As at this day:” cf. Deu 8:18, etc. 1Sa 22:9-10

The Edomite Doeg could not refrain from yielding to this appeal, and telling Saul what he had seen when staying at Nob; namely, that Ahimelech had inquired of God for David, and given him food as well as Goliath’s sword. For the fact itself, see 1Sa 21:1-10, where there is no reference indeed to his inquiring of God; though it certainly took place, as Ahimelech (1Sa 22:15) does not disclaim it. Doeg is here designated נצּב, “the superintendent of Saul’s servants,” so that apparently he had been invested with the office of marshal of the court.