1 Samuel 21 · Verse 1

1 Samuel 21:1

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?
1 Samuel 21:1, King James Version

1 Samuel 21:1 in other translations

BSBThen 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?”
WEBThen David came to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no man with you?”
ASVThen came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?
YLTAnd David cometh in to Nob, unto Ahimelech the priest, and Ahimelech trembleth at meeting David, and saith to him, ‘Wherefore art thou thyself alone, and no man with thee?'
DARBYAnd David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest; and Ahimelech trembled at meeting David, and said to him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?
BBEThen David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was full of fear at meeting David, and said to him, Why are you by yourself, having no man with you?
WebsterThen came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said to him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?

What does 1 Samuel 21:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
1Sa 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 object in fleeing to this place was partly for the supply of his necessities, and partly for comfort and counsel, in the prospect of leaving the kingdom. Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David--suspecting some extraordinary occurrence by his appearing so suddenly, and in such a style, for his attendants were left at a little distance.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

David comes to Ahimelech at Nob, receives provisions from him, and the sword of Goliath; and is noticed by Doeg, one of the servants of Saul, 1Sam 21:1-9. He leaves Nob, and goes to Achish, king of Gath, 1Sam 21:10. But on being recognised as the vanquisher of Goliath by the servants of Achish, he feigns himself deranged, and Achish sends him away, 1Sam 21:11-15. Verse 1 Then 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 21:1-9
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 it occasioned the death of the priests of the Lord. David thought upon it afterward with regret. David had great faith and courage, yet both failed him; he fell thus foully through fear and cowardice, and owing to the weakness of his faith. Had he trusted God aright, he would not have used such a sorry, sinful shift for his own preservation. It is written, not for us to do the like, no, not in the greatest straits, but for our warning. David asked of Ahimelech bread and a sword. Ahimelech supposed they might eat the shew-bread. The Son of David taught from it, that mercy is to be preferred to sacrifice; that ritual observances must give way to moral duties. Doeg set his foot as far within the tabernacle as David did. We little know with what hearts people come to the house of God, nor what use they will make of pretended devotion. If many come in simplicity of heart to serve their God, others come to observe their teachers and to prove accusers. Only God and the event can distinguish between a David and a Doeg, when both are in the tabernacle. (1Sa 21:10-15)

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

1 Samuel 21:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיָּבֹ֤אvai.ya.Vo'and he wentH935
דָוִד֙da.VidDavidH1732
נֹ֔בֶהNoehNob towardsH5011
אֶל\־'el-toH413
אֲחִימֶ֖לֶךְ'a.chi.Me.lekhAhimelechH288
הַכֹּהֵ֑ןha.ko.Henthe priestH3548
וַיֶּחֱרַ֨דvai.ye.che.Radand he trembledH2729
אֲחִימֶ֜לֶךְ'a.chi.Me.lekhAhimelechH288
לִקְרַ֣אתlik.Ratto meetH7122
דָּוִ֗דda.VidDavidH1732
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
לוֹ֙loto <the> him
מַדּ֤וּעַma.Du.a'why?H4069
אַתָּה֙'a.Tah[are] youH859
לְבַדֶּ֔ךָle.va.De.khato alone youH905
וְאִ֖ישׁve.'Ishand [is] anyoneH376
אֵ֥ין'einthere notH369
אִתָּֽךְ\׃'i.Takhwith youH854

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 21:1

  • Nehemiah 11:32

    And at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,

  • Mark 2:26

    How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?

  • Isaiah 10:32

    As yet shall he remain at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.

  • 1 Samuel 14:3

    And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, I–chabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.

  • 1 Samuel 16:4

    And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Beth–lehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?

  • 1 Samuel 22:9-19

    Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. And he enquired of the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king. And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 David at Nob obtains of Ahimelech hallowed bread.
7 Doeg is present.
8 David takes Goliath's sword.
10 David at Gath feigns himself mad.

Nob.Nob appears to have been a sacerdotal city of Benjamin or Ephraim. Jerome says, that in his time the ruins of it might be seen not far from Diospolis or Lydda. But the Rabbins assert that Jerusalem might be seen from this town. The tabernacle resided some time at Nob; and after it was destroyed, it was removed to Gibeon; "and the day of Nob and Gibeon were fifty-seven years." Maimonides in Bethhabbechirah, c. 1.
22:19; Ne 11:32; Isa 10:32
to Ahimelech.
14:3
called Ahiah.
22:9-19
called also Abiathar.
Mr 2:26
afraid.
16:4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 21:1

    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?

  • 1 Samuel 21:2

    And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.

Read all of 1 Samuel 21

1 Samuel 21:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y VINO David á Nob, á Ahimelech sacerdote: y sorprendióse Ahimelech de su encuentro, y díjole: ¿Cómo tú solo, y nadie contigo?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et David se leva et s’en alla; et Jonathan entra dans la ville.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und David kam nach Nob, zu Ahimelech, dem Priester. Und Ahimelech kam David ängstlich entgegen und sprach zu ihm: Warum bist du allein, und niemand ist bei dir?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Venit autem David in Nobe ad Achimelech sacerdotem: et obstupuit Achimelech, eo quod venisset David. Et dixit ei: Quare tu solus, et nullus est tecum?