Sunday, March 11, 2012

The bloody sword of Doeg

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For PsalmChallenge here is a dramatic painting illustrating Psalm 52.

You can enlarge the photo below and read the text in English and Hebrew.

I saw this beautiful copy of The Book of Psalms at a hotel art gallery (see more here).
In it each of the 150 psalms are illustrated by a different artist.
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The story of Doeg the Edomite referred to in our psalm is recorded in I Samuel 22.
In his flight from Saul, David was given refuge and supplies by Ahimelech, a priest at the city of Nob. A herdsman named Doeg reported this to Saul, who subsequently ordered the massacre of all the priests in the city.
None of Saul’s servants would carry out the order except the informant himself.

16 And the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father's house.” 17 And the king said to the guard who stood about him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with David, and they knew that he fled and did not disclose it to me.” But the servants of the king would not put out their hand to strike the priests of the Lord. 18 Then the king said to Doeg, “You turn and strike the priests.” And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests, and he killed on that day eighty-five persons who wore the linen ephod. 19 And Nob, the city of the priests, he put to the sword; both man and woman, child and infant, ox, donkey and sheep, he put to the sword.

I Samuel 22
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7 comments:

  1. how wonderful to have seen the book with the artwork...a treasure!

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  2. It is quite beautiful.

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  3. I really love that book! How many of the Psalms did you photograph while you had the chance?

    Thank you for sharing the story behind this psalm. Doeg's sword was very bloody indeed.

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  4. Wonderful book and art!
    Wish you have a blessed week:-)

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  5. What a wonderful book, really precious. Thanks for sharing, Dina.

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  6. A part that demands to be read and thought of for a while. Thank you very much for sharing the connection, which I did not know of.
    Please have a good new week.

    (As I am told that Psalm 53 is nearly like Psalm 14, guess we shall continue with the 55th next week.)

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