Seforno: Doeg the Edomite Was Bribed by the King to Smite Innocent People

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On the verse Deuteronomy/Dvarim 28:25 “Cursed be he who accepts a bribe in the case of the murder of an innocent person.—And all the people shall say, Amen”, Seforno comments “like the matter of Doeg the Edomite and the Ziphim to find favor in the eyes of Shaul/Saul or to profit”.

It would seem from the Seforno’s commentary that people who have close connections to the government have to be very careful to avoid unnecessarily harming good and innocent people in order to get power, money, and influence from a leader, who puts his own interests above the good of the people.

I Samuel/Shmuel Ch. 22 verses 5 to 19 as translated by Sefaria.org

5 But the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; go at once to the territory of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.
6 When Saul heard that David and the men with him had been located—Saul was then in Gibeah, sitting under the tamarisk tree on the height, spear in hand, with all his courtiers in attendance upon him—
7 Saul said to the courtiers standing about him, “Listen, men of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give fields and vineyards to every one of you? And will he make all of you captains of thousands or captains of hundreds?
8 Is that why all of you have conspired against me? For no one informs me when my own son makes a pact with the son of Jesse; no one is concerned for me and no one informs me when my own son has set my servant in ambush against me, as is now the case.”
9 Doeg the Edomite, who was standing among the courtiers of Saul, spoke up: “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob.
10 He inquired of the LORD on his behalf and gave him provisions; he also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
11 Thereupon the king sent for the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and for all the priests belonging to his father’s house at Nob. They all came to the king,
12 and Saul said, “Listen to me, son of Ahitub.” “Yes, my lord,” he replied.
13 And Saul said to him, “Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me? You gave him food and a sword, and inquired of God for him—that he may rise in ambush against me, as is now the case.”
14 Ahimelech replied to the king, “But who is there among all your courtiers as trusted as David, son-in-law of Your Majesty and obedient to your bidding, and esteemed in your household?
15 This is the first time that I inquired of God for him; I have done no wrong. Let not Your Majesty find fault with his servant [or] with any of my father’s house; for your servant knew nothing whatever about all this.”
16 But the king said, “You shall die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house.”
17 And the king commanded the guards standing by, “Turn about and kill the priests of the LORD, for they are in league with David; they knew he was running away and they did not inform me.” But the king’s servants would not raise a hand to strike down the priests of the LORD.
18 Thereupon the king said to Doeg, “You, Doeg, go and strike down the priests.” And Doeg the Edomite went and struck down the priests himself; that day, he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.
19 He put Nob, the town of the priests, to the sword: men and women, children and infants, oxen, asses, and sheep—[all] to the sword.