9 Then Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, answered and said, "I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul - In 1-Samuel 21:7 he is said to be the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul, and the Septuagint intimate that he was over the mules of Saul. Probably he was what we call the king's equery or groom.
Then answered Doeg the Edomite,.... Josephus (d) calls him a Syrian, and so the Septuagint version; see 1-Samuel 21:7; being full of enmity to David, and willing to curry favour with Saul, and eager of further preferment, which Saul seemed to promise; and being more forward than the rest of his servants, prevented them and spoke first:
(which was set over the servants of Saul): over his herdsmen; see 1-Samuel 21:7,
and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub; in imitation of Saul, he calls David by way of contempt the son of Jesse; and signifies that what he had to say of him was not by report, but he himself was an eyewitness of his coming to Nob, a city of the priests, and to Ahimelech the high priest there, and of what passed between them.
(d) Antiqu. l. 6. c. 12. sect. 1, 4.
DOEG ACCUSES AHIMELECH. (1-Samuel 22:9-16)
Doeg . . . set over the servants--Septuagint, "the mules of Saul."
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 1-Samuel 21:1-10, where there is no reference indeed to his inquiring of God; though it certainly took place, as Ahimelech (1-Samuel 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.
*More commentary available at chapter level.