1 Samuel 21:1

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

David went to the priest Ahimelech at Nob. Ahimelech was afraid to meet David, so he said to him, “Why are you alone and no one is with you?” 2David answered the priest Ahimelech, “The king gave me a mission, but he told me, ‘Don’t let anyone know anything about the mission I’m sending you on or what I have ordered you to do.’ I have stationed my young men at a certain place. 3Now what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread or whatever can be found.”

1 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• to Nobנֹבnôb · NobH5011
• to Ahimelechאֲחִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăchîymelek · AhimelechH288
• the priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• was afraidחָרַדchârad · to trembleH2729
• at the meetingקִרְאָהqir'âh · befallH7125
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• thou alone, and no manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 21:1

• 1 Samuel 22:19He also struck down Nob, the city of the priests, with the sword — both men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.
• Nehemiah 11:32Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,
• Isaiah 10:32Today the Assyrians will stand at Nob, shaking their fists at the mountain of Daughter Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.
• 1 Samuel 14:3Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod, was also there. He was the son of Ahitub, the brother of Ichabod son of Phinehas, son of Eli the Lord’s priest at Shiloh. But the troops did not know that Jonathan had left.
• 1 Samuel 22:9Then Doeg the Edomite, who was in charge of Saul’s servants, answered, “I saw Jesse’s son come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob.
• Mark 2:26how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest and ate the bread of the Presence — which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests — and also gave some to his companions?”
• 1 Samuel 16:4Samuel did what the Lord directed 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

• Betrayal
• Confidence
• David
• Nob
• Tabernacle

In the dictionaries

• David
• Ahimelech
• Bread
• Judges, Book of
• Manner
• Mizpah
• Nob
• Quotations
• Require
• Shewbread

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