Doeg, the Traitor

By Mary Vee
I Samuel 22

Thoughts from a Servant of King Saul

Doeg the traitor reported Ahimelech to King Saul. He said Ahimelech helped David by giving him food, a weapon, and by asking God for new direction for David.

King Saul burst into anger and ordered his troops to bring Ahimelech to him.

When Ahimelech and his whole family arrived, he went before the king and said David had been a loyal servant for King Saul. Ahimelech said David didn't do anything wrong and neither had he.

King Saul stared at Ahimelech with a look of disbelief. He stood with his spear tightly held in his hand. "David loyal? For this, priest, you shall surely die. You and all your father's house."

I looked at all the priests who came with Ahimelech from Nob. Eighty-five men in all. Saul had ordered all of them killed because David received help from Ahimelech.

Saul paced as if plotting his next move. He turned to the troops and yelled, "Kill all the priests of the Lord because they chose to help David and because they knew when he ran away and yet, didn't tell me."

The troops looked at each other and raised their eyebrows. None of them moved. Not one would lift a weapon or a hand to kill the priests of the Lord.

Doeg looked at the king. Saul's anger burned again. He raised his fist and started screaming about David. Doeg grabbed a sword and killed every single priests standing in our presence. All eighty-five. When he finished killing them, he glanced to his left and right as if looking for someone else to kill.

He ran to Ahimilech's home city, Nob and killed the men women, children, oxen, donkeys, and sheep with his sword.

What he did was wrong. Yet none of us stopped him because we would have been killed by him too.

I couldn't stay in King Saul's service any longer. I tracked down David's hiding place and begged his forgiveness. I asked to join his troops. David hugged me and welcomed me into the group.

A little while later, Abiathar, one of Ahimelech's sons, managed to escape. He came to David's hiding place. Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the Lord's priests."

David shook his head and looked at the ground. "I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite was in Gath that he would tell Saul. His eyes showed he was a traitor."

He set his hands on Abiathar's shoulders. "These killings are my fault. I have caused the death of all the persons in your father's house. Please, stay with me. Don't be afraid. The man who seeks my life seeks  your life as well. But, with me....you will be safe.

After hearing this news, the Lord gave David this Psalm:

Psalm 52
The End of the Wicked and the Peace of the Godly

To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation^[a] of David when Doeg the Edomite went and told Saul, and said to him, “David has gone to the house of Ahimelech.”

Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man?
The goodness of God endures continually.
² Your tongue devises destruction,
Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
³ You love evil more than good,
Lying rather than speaking righteousness. Selah
⁴ You love all devouring words,
You deceitful tongue.

⁵ God shall likewise destroy you forever;
He shall take you away, and pluck you out of your dwelling place,
And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
⁶ The righteous also shall see and fear,
And shall laugh at him, saying,
⁷ “Here is the man who did not make God his strength,
But trusted in the abundance of his riches,
And strengthened himself in his wickedness.”

⁸ But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;
I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.
⁹ I will praise You forever,
Because You have done it;
And in the presence of Your saints
I will wait on Your name, for it is good.

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1.  How many priests came from Nob.

2. What did the traitor Doeg do to the priests?

3.  What did he do next in the city of Nob?

4.  Who escaped?

5. Where did he go?

6. What did he tell David

7. What did David say?

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