Doeg the Edomite
Encyclopedia
Doeg was an Edomite, chief herdsman to Saul, King of Israel.
He is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible
book of First Samuel, chapters 21 and 22, where he is depicted as responsible for the deaths of a large number of priests
.
, David
fled from Saul's jealous anger and went to Nob. He went to Ahimelech
, the High Priest, claiming to be on a clandestine royal mission. Ahimelech fed David and his men with the showbread
, and gave David the sword of Goliath. Doeg was present and witnessed Ahimelech's service to David.
Later, Saul asked about the whereabouts of David, and his herdsman spoke up:
However, Doeg omitted to inform King Saul that David had pretended to be on a secret mission on behalf of the king. He did not inform the king that Ahimelech was deceived by David, and that Ahimelech provided support because he thought he was serving the king.
Therefore Saul, with only part of the story, summoned the High Priest and his entire company and, in a rage, ordered them all killed. His officials refused to raise their hands against the priests and Saul turned to Doeg, who carried out the executions. Saul followed that up with an attack on the city of Nob, the city of the priests, and the families of the priests – men, women, and children – were put to the sword. Only Abiathar
escaped, and fled to join David.
The death of Ahimelech, as the great-grandson of Eli, is seen as fulfilling part of the curse on the House of Eli that none of his male descendants would live to old age.
David later showed remorse for his part in the incident:
The heading above records that David wrote it after Doeg the Edomite betrayed Ahimelech to Saul.
, a Gentile who had converted to Judaism. He is the subject of many rabbinical legends, the origin of which is to be found in part in Psalm 52.
Though he died at the early age of thirty-four years, he is regarded by the rabbis as the greatest scholar of his time, a strong description being supposedly applied to him because he made every one with whom he disputed "blush". He could bring forward 300 different questions with reference to one single ritual case. But he was lacking in inward piety, so that God was "anxious" concerning his end, and "mourned" for him. His most unfortunate qualities, however, were his malice, jealousy, and calumnious tongue. He sounded the praise of David before Saul only in order to provoke his jealousy, ascribing to David qualities that Saul lacked. He cherished a grudge against David, whose opinion prevailed over his own in determining the site for the Temple at Jerusalem, and he had well-nigh succeeded in proving by his arguments that David, as a descendant of Ruth
the Moab
ite, could not, according to the Law, belong to the congregation of Israel, when the prophet Samuel
interposed in David's favor. He also declared David's marriage with Michal
to be invalid, and induced Saul to marry her to another.
Doeg not only disregarded the sanctity of marriage, but he also slew with his own hands the priests of Nob, after Abner
and Amasa
, Saul's lieutenants, had refused to do so. As it often happens with those who strive for something to which they are not entitled, he lost that which he possessed. God sent the three "angels of destruction" to Doeg; the first caused him to forget his learning, the second burned his soul, and the third scattered the ashes. According to some he was slain by his own pupils when they found that he had forgotten his learning; others maintain that he was slain by David when he (Doeg) informed him of the death of Saul and of Jonathan.
According to another Midrash, Doeg tried to preserve the life of Agag
, the king of the Amalek
ites-Edomites, by interpreting into a prohibition against the destruction of both the old and the young in war. Doeg is among those who have forfeited their portion in the future world by their wickedness. Doeg is an instance of the evil consequences of calumny, because by calumniating the priests of Nob he lost his own life, and caused the death of Saul, Abimelech, and Abner.
Later, Jehoash
(Joash) was the only one of David's male descendants to escape extermination at the hand of Athaliah
. The slaughter was considered a divine retribution for David's role in causing the death of the priests at Nob, but Jehoash escaped death because on that earlier occasion one priest, Abiathar, had survived.
He is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible
Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible is a term used by biblical scholars outside of Judaism to refer to the Tanakh , a canonical collection of Jewish texts, and the common textual antecedent of the several canonical editions of the Christian Old Testament...
book of First Samuel, chapters 21 and 22, where he is depicted as responsible for the deaths of a large number of priests
Kohen
A Kohen is the Hebrew word for priest. Jewish Kohens are traditionally believed and halachically required to be of direct patrilineal descent from the Biblical Aaron....
.
Biblical account
After parting from JonathanDavid and Jonathan
David and Jonathan were heroic figures of the Kingdom of Israel, whose covenant was recorded favourably in the books of Samuel. Jonathan was the son of Saul, king of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and David was the son of Jesse of Bethlehem and Jonathan's presumed rival for the crown...
, David
David
David was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
fled from Saul's jealous anger and went to Nob. He went to Ahimelech
Ahimelech
Ahimelech , the son of Ahitub and father of Abiathar , described in 2 Sam. 8:17 as the son of Abiathar and in four places in 1 Chronicles. He descended from Eli in the line of Ithamar. In 1 Chr. 18:16 his name is Abimelech according to the Masoretic Text, and is probably the same as Ahiah...
, the High Priest, claiming to be on a clandestine royal mission. Ahimelech fed David and his men with the showbread
Showbread
Showbread , in the King James Version: shewbread, in a biblical or Jewish context, refers to the cakes or loaves of bread which were always present on a specially dedicated table, in the Temple in Jerusalem as an offering to God...
, and gave David the sword of Goliath. Doeg was present and witnessed Ahimelech's service to David.
Later, Saul asked about the whereabouts of David, and his herdsman spoke up:
- Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of JesseJesseJesse, Eshai or Yishai, is the father of the David, who became the king of the Israelites. His son David is sometimes called simply "Son of Jesse" ....
coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
However, Doeg omitted to inform King Saul that David had pretended to be on a secret mission on behalf of the king. He did not inform the king that Ahimelech was deceived by David, and that Ahimelech provided support because he thought he was serving the king.
Therefore Saul, with only part of the story, summoned the High Priest and his entire company and, in a rage, ordered them all killed. His officials refused to raise their hands against the priests and Saul turned to Doeg, who carried out the executions. Saul followed that up with an attack on the city of Nob, the city of the priests, and the families of the priests – men, women, and children – were put to the sword. Only Abiathar
Abiathar
Abiathar , in the Hebrew Bible, son of Achimelech or Ahijah, High Priest at Nob, the fourth in descent from Eli and the last of Eli's House...
escaped, and fled to join David.
The death of Ahimelech, as the great-grandson of Eli, is seen as fulfilling part of the curse on the House of Eli that none of his male descendants would live to old age.
David later showed remorse for his part in the incident:
- And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father's house.
The heading above records that David wrote it after Doeg the Edomite betrayed Ahimelech to Saul.
In Rabbinical literature
Doeg is considered a proselyteProselyte
The biblical term "Proselyte", derives from the Koine Greek προσήλυτος/proselytos, as used in the Septuagint for "stranger", i.e. a "newcomer to Israel"; a "sojourner in the land", and in the New Testament for a convert to Judaism from Paganism...
, a Gentile who had converted to Judaism. He is the subject of many rabbinical legends, the origin of which is to be found in part in Psalm 52.
Though he died at the early age of thirty-four years, he is regarded by the rabbis as the greatest scholar of his time, a strong description being supposedly applied to him because he made every one with whom he disputed "blush". He could bring forward 300 different questions with reference to one single ritual case. But he was lacking in inward piety, so that God was "anxious" concerning his end, and "mourned" for him. His most unfortunate qualities, however, were his malice, jealousy, and calumnious tongue. He sounded the praise of David before Saul only in order to provoke his jealousy, ascribing to David qualities that Saul lacked. He cherished a grudge against David, whose opinion prevailed over his own in determining the site for the Temple at Jerusalem, and he had well-nigh succeeded in proving by his arguments that David, as a descendant of Ruth
Book of Ruth
The Book of Ruth is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible, Tanakh, or Old Testament. In the Jewish canon the Book of Ruth is included in the third division, or the Writings . In the Christian canon the Book of Ruth is placed between Judges and 1 Samuel...
the Moab
Moab
Moab is the historical name for a mountainous strip of land in Jordan. The land lies alongside much of the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. The existence of the Kingdom of Moab is attested to by numerous archeological findings, most notably the Mesha Stele, which describes the Moabite victory over...
ite, could not, according to the Law, belong to the congregation of Israel, when the prophet Samuel
Samuel
Samuel is a leader of ancient Israel in the Books of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible. He is also known as a prophet and is mentioned in the Qur'an....
interposed in David's favor. He also declared David's marriage with Michal
Michal
Michal was a daughter of Saul, king of Israel, who loved and became the wife of David, who later became king of Judah, and later still of the united Kingdom of Israel....
to be invalid, and induced Saul to marry her to another.
Doeg not only disregarded the sanctity of marriage, but he also slew with his own hands the priests of Nob, after Abner
Abner
In the Book of Samuel, Abner , is first cousin to Saul and commander-in-chief of his army...
and Amasa
Amasa
Amasa is a person in the Hebrew Bible. He was the son of Abigail , who was sister to King David and Zeruiah, the mother of Joab. Hence, Amasa was a nephew to David, a cousin to Joab, as well as a cousin to Absalom....
, Saul's lieutenants, had refused to do so. As it often happens with those who strive for something to which they are not entitled, he lost that which he possessed. God sent the three "angels of destruction" to Doeg; the first caused him to forget his learning, the second burned his soul, and the third scattered the ashes. According to some he was slain by his own pupils when they found that he had forgotten his learning; others maintain that he was slain by David when he (Doeg) informed him of the death of Saul and of Jonathan.
According to another Midrash, Doeg tried to preserve the life of Agag
Agag
Agag was the name of two kings of the Amalekites mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. It has been conjectured that the name was a standing title of the kings of the Amalekites...
, the king of the Amalek
Amalek
The Amalekites are a people mentioned a number of times in the Hebrew Bible. They are considered to be descended from an ancestor Amalek....
ites-Edomites, by interpreting into a prohibition against the destruction of both the old and the young in war. Doeg is among those who have forfeited their portion in the future world by their wickedness. Doeg is an instance of the evil consequences of calumny, because by calumniating the priests of Nob he lost his own life, and caused the death of Saul, Abimelech, and Abner.
Later, Jehoash
Jehoash of Judah
Jehoash or Joas , sometimes written Joash or Joás , was the eighth king of the southern Kingdom of Judah, and the sole surviving son of Ahaziah. His mother was Zibiah of Beersheba ....
(Joash) was the only one of David's male descendants to escape extermination at the hand of Athaliah
Athaliah
Athaliah was the queen of Judah during the reign of King Jehoram, and later became sole ruler of Judah for six years. William F. Albright has dated her reign to 842–837 BC, while Edwin R. Thiele's dates, as taken from the third edition of his magnum opus, were 842/841 to 836/835 BC...
. The slaughter was considered a divine retribution for David's role in causing the death of the priests at Nob, but Jehoash escaped death because on that earlier occasion one priest, Abiathar, had survived.