שמואל א, פרק כ״ב, פסוק ז׳

Standing before his inner circle, Saul feels deeply isolated and betrayed. To secure the loyalty of his men, he delivers a message fueled by bitter sarcasm and harsh political reality. Addressing his men as fellow members of the tribe of Benjamin, Saul highlights that the vast majority of his servants and officers share his own tribal lineage [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. He emphasizes this shared background to awaken their sense of family duty. Because they are his flesh and blood, they should have protected him and shared in his pain. Instead, he is left completely baffled as to why none of them warned him about the unfolding betrayal [רד״ק, אלשיך].

Beneath his emotional appeal lies a sharp political contrast between his men and the tribe of Judah. It makes sense for the men of Judah to support David, as they might naturally hope to receive properties and prestigious positions from a leader born of their own tribe. However, the men of Benjamin have absolutely no reason to expect such preferential treatment from a rival [מלבי״ם].

To drive this point home, Saul sarcastically challenges their silent hopes. He asks if David can truly provide fields, vineyards, and top military ranks to every single one of them [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The practical reality is that David simply lacks the land and resources to reward everyone. An army can only have a few commanders, meaning the vast majority of supporters would inevitably remain common citizens without wealth or status. Saul exposes the flaw in their quiet rebellion: he wonders why they would betray him or stand by idly, knowing full well that it is impossible for all of them to gain financial and political power by switching their loyalty [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם].