not sparing sex nor age: and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword; Saul, who was so tender hearted and merciful in the case of the Amalekites, when his orders from the Lord were utterly to destroy them, Sa1 15:2 , that he spared their king, and the best of their cattle, Sa1 15:7 ; yet now so cruel to a city of the priests, as to destroy all the inhabitants of it, and cattle in it; and yet this bloody affair of Saul's is not taken notice of afterwards, only his slaughter of the Gibeonites, Sa2 21:1 ; and Abarbinel is of opinion, that the inhabitants of this place were Gibeonites, who were hewers of wood, and drawers of water, to the house of the Lord here, Jos 9:23 . Now Saul was the more severe this city, to deter others from joining with David, who, if they did, must expect the same treatment. (i) Antiqu. l. 6. c. 12. sect. 6.