Difference between revisions of "Doeg"

<p> An Idumean, chief of Saul's herdsmen. At [[Nob]] (&nbsp;1 Samuel 21:7) "detained before the Lord" by some act of purification or vow, which as a proselyte he was performing, when [[Ahimelech]] gave David Goliath's sword and the shewbread. With officious eagerness and talebearing exaggeration (marked in the title of Psalm 52 by the tautology "came and told and said") he gave information which he knew well his master Saul would keenly listen to. [[Doeg]] told substantially the fact; it was Saul who put on it the "lying" construction of treason on the part of the priests (compare &nbsp;Psalms 52:3-4 with &nbsp;1 Samuel 22:13). </p> <p> "The Edomite" in the title reminds us that herein Doeg represented Edom's and the world's undying enmity to [[Israel]] and the godly. He was but the accomplice and ready tool; Saul, the "mighty man" (&nbsp;Psalms 52:1) who "trusted in the abundance of his riches" (&nbsp;Psalms 52:7) as means of destroying David, was the real" boaster in mischief," for this was the very appeal that Saul made, and that induced Doeg to inform (&nbsp;1 Samuel 22:7): "Hear now, ye Benjamites, will the son of [[Jesse]] (as I can) give every one of you fields and vineyards?" (compare &nbsp;1 Samuel 8:14.) </p> <p> On Doeg's information, and by Doeg's own sacrilegious hand, at Saul's command, when the king's "footmen" declined in reverential awe to kill Jehovah's priests, eighty-five of them fell, and Saul "boasted" (&nbsp;Psalms 52:1) of it as a sample of the fate of all who should help David. The undesigned coincidences here noted, between the psalm and independent history, confirm the authenticity of both. The cruel sycophancy of Doeg was so well known to David that he said unto Abiathar, the only survivor of the slaughter, "I knew it that day, when Doeg the [[Edomite]] was there, that he would surely tell Saul;" therefore with characteristic sensitiveness of conscience David adds, "I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father's house." </p>

<p> [[Doeg]] (''Dô'Eg'' ), ''Fearful.'' An Edomite, the chief of Saul's herdsmen, "detained before the Lord," probably by a vow, or because it was the sabbath, when David fled to Nob. &nbsp;1 Samuel 21:7. Doeg afterwards falsely accused Abimelech, the high priest, to Saul; and, when none of the king's guard would execute the ferocious sentence to slay the priests of the Lord, he fell upon them and killed 80 persons, sacking also their city. &nbsp;1 Samuel 22:9-19; &nbsp;Psalms 52:1-9, title. </p>

<p> <strong> DOEG </strong> . An Edomite, and chief of the herdmen [or better, ‘runners,’ reading <em> hâ-râtsîm </em> for <em> hâ-rô‘îm </em> ] of king Saul. When David fled to Nob to Ahimelech (or Ahijah) the priest, Doeg was there ‘detained before the Lord.’ Upon his report Saul ordered Ahimelech and his companions to be slain. The order was carried out by Doeg, when the rest of the king’s guard shrank from obeying it (&nbsp; 1 Samuel 21:7; &nbsp; 1 Samuel 22:9-19 ). Doeg is mentioned in the title of &nbsp; Psalms 52:1-9 . </p>

<p> '''Do'eg.''' ''(Fearful).'' An Idumean, chief of Saul's herdmen. (B.C. 1062). He was at Nob when Ahimelech gave David the sword of Goliath, and not only gave information to Saul, but when others declined the office, himself executed the king's order to destroy the priests of Nob, with their families, to the number of 85 persons, together with all their property. &nbsp;1 Samuel 21:7; &nbsp;1 Samuel 22:9; &nbsp;1 Samuel 22:18; &nbsp;1 Samuel 22:22; Psalms 52. </p>

<p> A herdsman of Saul (1Sam. xxi. 7); a name applied by Dryden to [[Elkanah]] [[Settle]] in "Absalom and Achitophel." </p>