Doig
Doig [1]
(Hebrews Doeg', דֹּאֵג , Fearful , 1 Samuel 21:7, Sept. Δωήγ v.r. Δωήκ ; or דּוֹאֵג , Psalms 52, title, Sept. Δωήκ ; in 1 Samuel 22:18; 1 Samuel 22:22, Doyeg' , דּוֹיֵג , after the Syrian pronunciation, Sept. Δωήγ ), an Edomite, and chief overseer of king Saul's flocks (Josephus, Δώηκος , "keeper of the king's mules," Ant. 6:12, 1), which is an important trust in Oriental courts. B.C. 1062. At Nob he was witness of the assistance which the high-priest Ahimelech seemed to afford to the fugitive David, by furnishing him with the sword of Goliath, and by supplying him with bread even from the sacred table ( 1 Samuel 21:7). Of this he failed not to inform the king, who, regardless of the explanation offered by Ahimelech, and finding that the chiefs censured him and hesitated to lay their hands upon a person so sacred, commanded Doeg to slay him and his priests (to the number of 85 persons), and to destroy all their families and property — a task which was executed with equal readiness and cruelty by the Edomite ( 1 Samuel 22:18 sq.). This truculent act called forth one of David's most severe imprecative prayers (Psalms 52), of which divine and human justice seem alike to have required the fulfillment. (See David); (See Psalms). A question has arisen on the nature of the business by which he was ' detained before the Lord" ( נֶעְצָר , Sept. Συνεχόμενος Νεεσσαράν ; Vulgate, Intus In Tabernaculo Domini ). The difficulty which lies in the idea that Doeg was a foreigner, and so incapable of a Nazarite vow ( Mischn. De Votis . 9:1, Surenh.), has been explained by the supposition that he was a proselyte, attending under some vow or some act of purification at the Tabernacle (compare 1 Samuel 20:18). Thenius ( Kurzg. Exeg. Handb . in loc.) has corrected Gesenius's interpretation ( Thesaur. page 1059) of the phrase as meaning "was assembled before Jehovah." Ephrem Syrus ( Opp . 1:376) explains the term as merely indicating that Doeg had introduced himself there secretly, whether by right or otherwise. With this agrees F Ü rst's rendering ( Hebr. Handw. page 175), that he had tarried behind ( Zuruickbleiben ) as a spy.
