A horrific and unprecedented massacre unfolds in Israel as a king turns his sword against an entire city of God's servants. The total destruction of Nob, the city of priests, carried out by Doeg and his men, crossed every boundary of royal authority [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Saul was driven by several motives to order such an absolute eradication. Primarily, his goal was political deterrence. By making a terrifying example of the priests, he intended to strike fear into the hearts of the people so that if David ever sought shelter among them, the terrified citizens would immediately hand him over rather than risk the same fate [מלבי״ם, אברבנאל]. To justify his actions, Saul reasoned that these priests were descendants of the house of Eli, a family carrying an ancient divine curse, which in his mind marked them as sinners deserving of death. Additionally, the city was home to Gibeonites who served the Tabernacle by chopping wood and drawing water. Suspecting that they too were part of the conspiracy, Saul ordered their execution alongside the priests [אברבנאל].
The command to slaughter the city's animals was a calculated decision. By completely destroying all the property, Saul sent a clear message that this massacre was not driven by a desire for financial gain or loot. Instead, it was meant to be seen strictly as a severe punishment for rebellion against the crown [אברבנאל]. However, this total destruction highlights a tragic and ironic contrast in Saul's character. When previously commanded by God to wipe out the nation of Amalek, Saul showed misplaced mercy, sparing the enemy king and the best of the livestock. Yet, when dealing with a city of God's own priests, he acted with uncompromising cruelty, sparing no one, not even infants. This fulfills a profound principle: one who acts with mercy when cruelty is required will ultimately act with cruelty when mercy is needed [רד״ק, אברבנאל].
Even if the priests were ultimately destined to die due to the ancient curse on Eli's family, Saul was still held fully responsible for the bloodshed. He bore the total guilt for this atrocity, a crime for which he and his sons would eventually pay with their lives [רד״ק]. Looking back, the root of this entire tragedy can be traced to a seemingly minor detail: a lack of travel provisions. Had Jonathan simply provided David with a few loaves of bread before his escape, David would never have needed to stop in Nob for food. This single oversight set off a devastating chain reaction that led to the massacre of the priests, the moral ruin of Doeg, and ultimately the deaths of Saul and his three sons in battle [רד״ק, אברבנאל].