Berean Standard Bible
1 Samuel 21:1
1Then David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And when Ahimelech met David, he trembled and asked him, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?”
1 Samuel 21:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?
- New International Version (NIV)David went to Nob, to Ahimelek the priest. Ahimelek trembled when he met him, and asked, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech came to meet David, trembling, and said to him, "Why are you alone, and no one with you?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech was afraid when he met David, and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no one is with you?”
Context of 1 Samuel 21:1
Then David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And when Ahimelech met David, he trembled and asked him, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?” 2“The king has given me a mission,” David replied. “He told me no one is to know about the mission on which I am sending you. And I have directed my young men to meet me at a certain place. 3Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever can be found.”
Read all of 1 Samuel 211 Samuel 21:1 word by word
וַיָּבֹ֤א דָוִד֙ נֹ֔בֶה אֶל־אֲחִימֶ֖לֶךְ הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וַיֶּחֱרַ֨ד אֲחִימֶ֜לֶךְ לִקְרַ֣את דָּוִ֗ד וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ מַדּ֤וּעַ אַתָּה֙ לְבַדֶּ֔ךָ וְאִ֖ישׁ אֵ֥ין אִתָּֽךְ׃Read the interlinear
- Then Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- to Nobנֹבnôb · NobH5011
- toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- Ahimelechאֲחִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăchîymelek · AhimelechH288
- the priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
- metקָרָאqârâ' · to encounter: meetH7122
- he trembledחָרַדchârad · to trembleH2729
- and askedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Whyמַדּוּעַmaddûa‛ maddûa‛ · why?H4069
- youאַתָּ֫ה'attâh 'attâ 'ath 'attîy 'attem 'atten 'attênâh 'attênnâh · you(m.s.)H859
- aloneבַּדbad · aloneH905
- Why isאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- no oneאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
- with youאֵת'êth · withH854
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 21:1
- 1 Samuel 22:19He also put to the sword Nob, the city of the priests, with its men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.
- Nehemiah 11:32in Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,
- Isaiah 10:32Yet today they will halt at Nob, shaking a fist at the mount of Daughter Zion, at the hill of Jerusalem.
- 1 Samuel 14:3including Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was the son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli the priest of the LORD in Shiloh. But the troops did not know that Jonathan had left.
- 1 Samuel 22:9But Doeg the Edomite, who had stationed himself with Saul’s servants, answered: “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob.
- Mark 2:26During the high priesthood of Abiathar, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which was lawful only for the priests. And he gave some to his companions as well.”
- 1 Samuel 16:4So Samuel did what the LORD had said and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?”
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 21:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Then came David to Nob - There were two places of this name, one on this side, the second on the other side of Jordan; but it is generally supposed that Nob, near Gibeah of Benjamin, is the place here intended; it was about twelve miles from Jerusalem. Why art thou alone - Ahimelech probably knew nothing of the difference between Saul and David; and as he knew him to be the king's son-in-law, he wondered to see him come without any attendants.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Nob was a city of the priests, the high priest resided there, and the tabernacle was pitched there 1 Samuel 21:4, 1Samuel 21:6,1 Samuel 21:9; 1 Samuel 22:10. It was situated on the road from the north to Jerusalem, near Anathoth, and within sight of the holy city Isaiah 10:32; Nehemiah 11:32. But the site has not been identified with certainty.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1David with Ahimelech. (1-9) David at Gath feigns himself mad. (10-15) Verses 1-9 David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfort in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may open our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect direction. David told Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scripture does not conceal it, and we dare not justify it; it was ill done, and proved of bad consequence; for…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Nob was just north of Jerusalem, in southern Benjamin's territory. Ahimelech the priest was a descendant of the condemned family of Eli (1 Samuel 14:3; 22:9). The elders of Bethlehem were afraid when Samuel suddenly came to their city to anoint David as Saul’s replacement (1 Samuel 16:4). A similar fear appears here. In both situations, a well-known person who had problems with Saul arrived without warning. Both Ahimelech and the elders of Bethlehem…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-71Sa 21:1-7. David, at Nob, Obtains of Ahimelech Hallowed Bread. 1. Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech--Nob, a city of the priests (1Sa 22:19), was in the neighborhood of Jerusalem, on the Mount of Olives--a little north of the top, and on the northeast of the city. It is computed to have been about five miles distant from Gibeah. Ahimelech, the same as Ahiah, or perhaps his brother, both being sons of Ahitub (compare 1Sa 14:3, with 1Sa 22:4-11, 20). His…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 21:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
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