EasyEnglish Bible 2018
1 Samuel 21:1
1David went to visit Ahimelech the priest. He lived in the town of Nob. Ahimelech shook with fear when he saw David. He asked David, ‘Why are you alone? Why is nobody 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
David went to visit Ahimelech the priest. He lived in the town of Nob. Ahimelech shook with fear when he saw David. He asked David, ‘Why are you alone? Why is nobody with you?’ 2David answered, ‘The king has asked me to do something special. He said to me, “Do not tell anyone where I have sent you. Do not say what I have told you to do.” So I have sent my soldiers to wait for me at a certain place. 3Do you have anything to eat here? Give me five loaves of bread or anything else that you have.’
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
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 killed all the people in Nob, which was the town where the priests lived. He killed the men and women, children and babies. He also killed the cows, donkeys and sheep.
- Nehemiah 11:32Some of them lived in Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,
- Isaiah 10:32Today, the enemy has reached Nob and it stops there. He shakes his fist angrily at the people who live on Mount Zion in the city of Jerusalem.
- 1 Samuel 14:3The priest Ahijah was with Saul. Ahijah wore the priest's ephod. Ahijah was the son of Ichabod's brother, Ahitub. Ahitub was the son of Phinehas and the grandson of Eli. Eli was the priest who had served the Lord in Shiloh. Nobody knew that Jonathan had left.
- 1 Samuel 22:9Doeg, the man from Edom, was standing there with Saul's officers. He said, ‘I saw that son of Jesse when he came to Nob town. He visited Ahitub's son, Ahimelech.
- Mark 2:26David went into the temple. He ate the special bread that was there. He gave some of it to his men to eat as well. This happened during the time that Abiathar was the leader of the priests. It is against God's Law for anyone except the priests to eat that special bread.’
- 1 Samuel 16:4Samuel obeyed the Lord. He went to Bethlehem. The leaders of the town went to meet Samuel, but they were very afraid. They asked him, ‘Have you come to visit us as a friend?’
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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