1 Samuel 21:7Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before Yahweh; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the best of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul.
The setting
The tabernacle at Nob, Israel, ~1020 BC. While David receives help from the priest, an Edomite named Doeg - Saul's chief herdsman - is 'detained before Yahweh,' possibly fulfilling a vow or ritual purification...
The emotion here: dread while recording the presence of future betrayer
The original word
ne'etsar (נֶעֱצָר) — detained, restrained, held back for religious obligation
Why it matters
Doeg was an Edomite, a traditional enemy of Israel, working for King Saul
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Samuel 21:7
The narrator mentions Doeg ominously - this is foreshadowing the massacre that's coming
Common misconceptionPeople read this as background detail, but it's actually the narrator building suspense - Doeg will become David's most dangerous witness.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Samuel 21:7
Bible Genome reading
1 Samuel 21:7 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Samuel 21:7 comes from the book of 1 Samuel, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include danger, witness, foreboding. Notable phrases: Doeg the Edomite; detained before Yahweh.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does 1 Samuel 21:7 mean to you, today?
A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.
Speak your heart →Get 3 verses for "anxious"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.