1 Samuel 22:17

BSB · Public Domain (CC0)

“Then 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.”

What this verse means

A short, plain-language explanation of 1 Samuel 22:17 goes here — the kind of answer a reader (or an AI assistant) can quote in one breath. Original meaning coming soon.

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BSBPD

“Then 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.”

Berean Standard Bible · Public Domain (CC0)
KJVPD

“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.”

King James Version · Public Domain
ASVPD

“And 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.”

American Standard Version · Public Domain
YLTPD

“And the king saith to runners, those standing by him, `Turn round, and put to death the priests of Jehovah, because their hand also <FI>is<Fi> 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.”

Young's Literal Translation · Public Domain
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Cross references

Other passages that echo 1 Samuel 22:17 — 12 related verses from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  1. Exodus 1:17The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed; they let the boys live.
  2. 1 Samuel 8:11He said, “This will be the manner of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them to his own chariots and horses, to run in front of his chariots.
  3. 1 Samuel 14:45But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die—he who accomplished such a great deliverance for Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for with God’s help he has accomplished this today.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.
  4. 1 Samuel 20:33Then Saul hurled his spear at Jonathan to kill him; so Jonathan knew that his father was determined to kill David.
  5. 1 Samuel 22:13And Saul asked him, “Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me? You gave him bread and a sword and inquired of God for him so that he could rise up against me to lie in wait, as he is doing today.”
  6. 1 Samuel 25:17Now consider carefully what you must do, because disaster looms over our master and all his household. For he is such a scoundrel that nobody can speak to him!”
  7. 2 Samuel 15:1Some time later, Absalom provided for himself a chariot with horses and fifty men to run ahead of him.
  8. 1 Kings 1:5At that time Adonijah, David’s son by Haggith, began to exalt himself, saying, “I will be king!” And he acquired chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run ahead of him.
  9. 1 Kings 18:4for when Jezebel had slaughtered the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty men per cave, providing them with food and water.)
  10. 2 Kings 1:13So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. And the third captain went up, fell on his knees before Elijah, and begged him, “Man of God, may my life and the lives of these fifty servants please be precious in your sight.
  11. 2 Kings 10:25When he had finished making the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guards and officers, “Go in and kill them. Do not let anyone out.” So the guards and officers put them to the sword, threw the bodies out, and went into the inner room of the temple of Baal.
  12. Acts 4:19But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than God.

Cross-reference data: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain) via OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).

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