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.
He attacked Nob, the city where the priests lived, killing everyone with the sword, men and women, children and babies, as well as cattle, donkeys, and sheep. He destroyed everything with the sword.
This verse describes the complete destruction of Nob, the priestly city, where every person and animal was killed by the sword.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of 1 Samuel, King Saul was consumed by jealousy toward David, whom God had chosen as his successor, and falsely accused the priests of Nob of aiding David after they provided him with food and the sword of Goliath. This led to Saul ordering the total destruction of Nob, where Doeg the Edomite carried out the massacre of everyone and everything in the city, reflecting the brutality and moral corruption that marked the end of Saul's reign. The event highlights God's ongoing judgment on Saul for his prior disobedience, such as sparing the Amalekite king.
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