(16) And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house. (17) And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD. (18) And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod. (19) And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.
Observe, the awful height in iniquity to which Saul is now arrived! he calls Ahimelech and his companions Priests of the Lord: and yet dares to lay hands upon them. And observe, the awful character of Doeg: and in him mark the decided hatred in the hearts of all men, by nature, to the children of grace. This man is a lively type of it. But Reader! do not fail to remark, the fulfilment of God's threatened judgment upon the house of Eli, here visited on the children. See 1 Samuel 3:11-14. I do not know anything more awful, than the consideration that the threatenings of the Lord, as well as his promises, must be fulfilled. Jehovah is as truly engaged to the performance of the one, as he is to the other. And what an alarming consideration is the thought, that the days shall come when the wicked shall be driven from the presence of the Lord, with everlasting destruction. 2 Thessalonians 1:9.