25: Saul executes the priests of the Lord ( 1Samuel 22:6 โ€“ 23)

Saul killed the priests of the Lord and, thus, made himself an enemy of the Lord.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Read 1Samuel 22:6 - 23


Q1. According to Saul's complaint (v.6-8), what did Jonathan do to protect David?

Jonathan made a covenant with David and arranged for someone to watch over Saul.


Q2. The King of Israel was a servant of God and needed to listen to God's words. Therefore, the king should not reign over prophets or priests. However, he used the priest of God as his personal servant (1 Sam. 14:4, 18-19). Saul exercised authority over the priests as pagan kings did. Find the supporting verses for this statement (from v.11-19).

v.12, v.13?, v.17.


Q3. Find verses from 1 Sam. 2:30-36 that foretold the massacre of Eli's family.

v.31, v.32.


Q4. Why did David feel guilty about their deaths?

David saw Doeg there and realized what might happen, yet he failed to take proper action.


Saul went too far by killing the priests of the Lord. The author highlights the seriousness of his wrongdoing by repeatedly referring to them as "the priests of the Lord." All his servants refused to strike them, but Doeg, "the Edomite," dared to do so and even destroyed the town of the priests.

His obsession with the throne led him to suspect everyone of conspiring against him, driving him to slay the anointed priests of the Lordโ€”an act clearly against the Lord. By setting himself against the Lord, his downfall became inevitable.

Meanwhile, the slaughter of Eliโ€™s entire family fulfilled the curse pronounced upon his household (1 Sam. 2:27โ€“36). But was it fair that innocent descendants of Eli became victims of Saulโ€™s madness? We'd better put this issue off for now.

Yet, the curse seemed to be held back while Abiathar remained with David (v 23). This foreshadows how the curse of sin is rendered powerless when we abide in the Lord Jesus.


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