Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Then the king sent for the priest Ahimelek son of Ahitub and all the men of his family, who were the priests at Nob, and they all came to the king. New Living Translation King Saul immediately sent for Ahimelech and all his family, who served as priests at Nob. English Standard Version Then the king sent to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests who were at Nob, and all of them came to the king. Berean Standard Bible Then the king sent messengers to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and his father’s whole family, who were priests at Nob. And all of them came to the king. Berean Literal Bible And the king sent to call Ahimelech son of Ahitub the priest, and all the house of his father, the priests who were in Nob. And they all came to the king. King James Bible 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. New King James Version So the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests who were in Nob. And they all came to the king. New American Standard Bible Then the king sent a messenger to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s household, the priests who were in Nob; and all of them came to the king. NASB 1995 Then the king sent someone to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s household, the priests who were in Nob; and all of them came to the king. NASB 1977 Then the king sent someone to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s household, the priests who were in Nob; and all of them came to the king. Legacy Standard Bible Then the king sent someone to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s household, the priests who were in Nob; and all of them came to the king. Amplified Bible Then the king sent someone to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s household, the priests who were at Nob; and all of them came to the king. Berean Annotated Bible Then the king sent messengers to summon Ahimelech (my brother is king) the priest, the son of Ahitub (my brother is goodness), and his father’s whole family, who were priests at Nob (high place). And all of them came to the king. Christian Standard Bible The king sent messengers to summon the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub, and his father’s whole family, who were priests in Nob. All of them came to the king. Holman Christian Standard Bible The king sent messengers to summon Ahimelech the priest, son of Ahitub, and his father’s whole family, who were priests in Nob. All of them came to the king. American Standard Version 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. Contemporary English Version Saul sent a message to Ahimelech and his whole family of priests at Nob, ordering them to come to him. When they came, English Revised Version 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. GOD'S WORD® Translation Then the king sent for the priest Ahimelech, who was Ahitub's son, and his entire family who were the priests in Nob. All of them came to the king. Good News Translation So King Saul sent for the priest Ahimelech and all his relatives, who were also priests in Nob, and they came to him. International Standard Version The king sent for Ahitub's son Ahimelech the priest and for all his father's family who were priests at Nob. All of them came to the king. NET Bible Then the king arranged for a meeting with the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and all the priests of his father's house who were at Nob. They all came to the king. New Heart English Bible Then the king sent to call Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests who were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king. Webster's Bible Translation 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. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThen the king sent messengers to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and his father’s whole family, who were priests at Nob. And all of them came to the king. World English Bible Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father’s house, the priests who were in Nob; and they all came to the king. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd the king sends to call Ahimelech son of Ahitub, the priest, and all the house of his father, the priests, who [are] in Nob, and all of them come to the king; Berean Literal Bible And the king sent to call Ahimelech son of Ahitub the priest, and all the house of his father, the priests who were in Nob. And they all came to the king. Young's Literal Translation And the king sendeth to call Ahimelech son of Ahitub, the priest, and all the house of his father, the priests, who are in Nob, and they come all of them unto the king; Smith's Literal Translation And the king will send to call Ahimelech, son of Ahitub the priest, and all his father's house, the priests which are in Nob: and all of them will come to the king. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleThen the king sent to call for Achimelech the priest the son of Achitob, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nobe, and they came all of them to the king. Catholic Public Domain Version Then the king sent to summon Ahimelech, the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all of his father’s house, the priests who were in Nob, and they all came before the king. New American Bible So the king summoned Ahimelech the priest, son of Ahitub, and all his family, the priests in Nob. They all came to the king. New Revised Standard Version The king sent for the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and for all his father’s house, the priests who were at Nob; and all of them came to the king. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThen the king summoned Ahimeleck the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Noh; and all of them came to the king. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And the King sent to call Akhimelek, son of Akhitub the Priest, and all the household of his father, the Priests who were in Nekakh, and they all came to the King OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Then 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. Brenton Septuagint Translation And the king sent to call Abimelech son of Achitob and all his father's sons, the priests that were in Nomba; and they all came to the king. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Saul Slays the Priests of Nob…10Ahimelech inquired of the LORD for him and gave him provisions. He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.” 11Then the king sent messengers to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and his father’s whole family, who were priests at Nob. And all of them came to the king. 12“Listen now, son of Ahitub,” said Saul. “Here I am, my lord,” he replied.… Cross References Then the king sent messengers 2 Kings 1:9 Then King Ahaziah sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. So the captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on top of a hill, and said to him, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down!’” 2 Kings 1:11 So the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men. And the captain said to Elijah, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down at once!’” 1 Kings 20:2 Then he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel, to summon Ahimelech the priest, 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 Samuel 8:17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was the scribe; 1 Samuel 14:18 Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (For at that time it was with the Israelites.) the son of Ahitub, 1 Samuel 14:3 including 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 Chronicles 18:16 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Shavsha was the scribe; 1 Chronicles 6:8 Ahitub was the father of Zadok, Zadok was the father of Ahimaaz, and his father’s whole family, 1 Samuel 2:31 Behold, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father’s house, so that no one in it will reach old age. 1 Samuel 3:12 On that day I will carry out against Eli everything I have spoken about his house, from beginning to end. 1 Samuel 3:13 I told him that I would judge his house forever for the iniquity of which he knows, because his sons blasphemed God and he did not restrain them. who were priests at Nob. 1 Samuel 21:4 “There is no common bread on hand,” the priest replied, “but there is some consecrated bread—provided that the young men have kept themselves from women.” 1 Samuel 21:6 So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there but the Bread of the Presence, which had been removed from before the LORD and replaced with hot bread on the day it was taken away. 1 Samuel 21:9 The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want, you may take it. For there is no other but this one here.” And David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.” And all of them came to the king. 1 Kings 3:16 At that time two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. Treasury of Scripture 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. sent to call Romans 3:15 Their feet are swift to shed blood: Jump to Previous Ahimelech Ahim'elech Ahitub Ahi'tub House Household Nob Priest Priests Someone Summon WholeJump to Next Ahimelech Ahim'elech Ahitub Ahi'tub House Household Nob Priest Priests Someone Summon Whole1 Samuel 22 1. Companies resort unto David at Adullam3. At Mizpeh he commends his parents unto the king of Moab 5. Admonished by Gad, he comes to Hareth, 6. Saul going to pursue him, complains of his servants' unfaithfulness 9. Doeg accuses Ahimelech 11. Saul commands to kill the priests 17. The footmen refusing, Doeg executes it 20. Abiathar escaping, brings David the news Then the king sent messengers This phrase indicates the authority and power of King Saul, who was reigning over Israel at the time. The use of messengers reflects the common practice of ancient monarchs to communicate and enforce their will. Saul's actions here are driven by his growing paranoia and fear of David, whom he sees as a threat to his throne. to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and his father’s whole family, who were priests at Nob. And all of them came to the king. Persons / Places / Events 1. King SaulThe first king of Israel, who is increasingly paranoid and sees David as a threat to his throne. 2. Ahimelech The high priest at Nob, who unknowingly aids David, leading to a tragic consequence. 3. Ahitub Father of Ahimelech, part of the priestly lineage. 4. Nob A city of priests, where the tabernacle was located at this time. 5. David The anointed future king of Israel, who is fleeing from Saul. Teaching Points The Consequences of Fear and ParanoiaSaul's fear leads to irrational decisions. Fear can cloud judgment and lead to sin. The Role of the Priesthood Ahimelech's role as a priest highlights the importance of spiritual leadership and the consequences when leaders are caught in political struggles. God's Sovereignty Amidst Human Actions Despite Saul's actions, God's plan for David continues. Trust in God's sovereignty even when circumstances seem dire. The Cost of Following God's Anointed Ahimelech's support of David, though innocent, leads to severe consequences, reminding us of the cost of standing with God's chosen. Mercy Over Ritual Jesus' reference to this event teaches us the importance of mercy and compassion over strict adherence to ritual. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of 1 Samuel 22:11?2. How does 1 Samuel 22:11 demonstrate Saul's leadership and decision-making challenges? 3. What does Saul's summoning of Ahimelech reveal about his spiritual discernment? 4. How can we guard against jealousy and paranoia as seen in Saul's actions? 5. Compare Saul's actions in 1 Samuel 22:11 with Proverbs 29:2 on righteous leadership. 6. How should Christians respond to unjust authority, as seen in 1 Samuel 22:11? 7. Why did King Saul summon Ahimelech and his family in 1 Samuel 22:11? 8. How does 1 Samuel 22:11 reflect Saul's leadership and character? 9. What historical evidence supports the events described in 1 Samuel 22:11? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from 1 Samuel 22? 11. Why did Doeg betray David to King Saul? 12. Why did Abiathar and Ahimelech face King Saul's wrath? 13. Who was high priest when David went into the House of GOD and ate the consecrated bread? Abiathar (Mark 2:26) Ahimelech, the father of Abiathar (I Samuel 1:1; 22:20) 14. Is there any archeological or historical evidence supporting the massacre at Nob or the existence of these 85 priests (1 Samuel 22:18-19)? What Does 1 Samuel 22:11 Mean Then the king sent messengers• Saul’s choice to send messengers shows the unchecked reach of royal authority after his rejection of God’s guidance (1 Samuel 15:23, 28). • The same pattern of dispatching agents appears in Saul’s earlier attempts to capture David (1 Samuel 19:11, 20–21), underscoring a ruler driven more by fear and jealousy than by faith. • Scripture consistently warns that human power divorced from divine obedience becomes destructive (Proverbs 16:14; Psalm 146:3). to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub • Ahimelech had recently aided David in good conscience, giving him consecrated bread (1 Samuel 21:1–6; Matthew 12:3–4). • As “son of Ahitub,” he stands in the priestly line descending from Eli (1 Samuel 14:3; 2 Samuel 8:17), a family already living under the shadow of the earlier prophecy of judgment on Eli’s house (1 Samuel 2:31–35). • Saul’s summons tests whether Ahimelech will fear God or man, echoing the tension faced by Peter and the apostles in Acts 5:29. and his father’s whole family, who were priests at Nob • Nob functioned as the central priestly city after Shiloh’s fall (1 Samuel 21:1; Jeremiah 7:12). • Bringing the entire priestly household mirrors Pharaoh’s move against Israelite male infants (Exodus 1:15–17) and foreshadows Haman’s plot against the Jews (Esther 3:6), revealing how enmity toward God’s anointed often broadens into hostility toward God’s servants. • The gathering of “the whole family” recalls the covenantal unity of the priesthood (Exodus 28:41) but also Eli’s foretold loss of protection (1 Samuel 2:33). And all of them came to the king • Their immediate obedience reflects respect for divinely instituted authority (Romans 13:1), even when that authority is misused. • The priests arrive without resistance, trusting the justice Saul should have upheld (Deuteronomy 17:8–13). • This willing appearance heightens the tragedy of the massacre that follows (1 Samuel 22:18–19), contrasting Saul’s violence with the Shepherd-King who lays down His own life for the flock (John 10:11). summary Verse 11 captures the ominous moment when Saul’s paranoia moves from pursuit of David to assault on the priesthood itself. The king’s commanding power, the innocent integrity of Ahimelech, the collective vulnerability of the priestly family, and their respectful compliance converge to set the stage for a grave injustice. The passage warns that rejecting God’s rule leads leaders to devastate those who faithfully serve Him, yet it also affirms that even such darkness fulfills God’s declared purposes and highlights the need for the true, righteous King. (11) Then the king sent to call Ahimelech.--This sending for all the priestly house to Gibeah when alone Ahimelech was to blame--if blame there was--looks as though Saul and Doeg had determined upon the wholesale massacre which followed.Verses 11-13. - All his father's house. Doeg's suggestion that the priests were David's allies at once arouses all Saul's worst passions. As if he had determined from the first upon the massacre of the whole body, he sends not merely for Ahimelech, but forevery priest at Nob. Shortly afterwards they arrived, for Nob was close to Gibeah, and Saul himself arraigns them before the court for treason, and recapitulates the three points mentioned by Doeg as conclusive proofs of their guilt.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Then the kingהַמֶּ֡לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4428: A king sent וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח (way·yiš·laḥ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out messengers to summon לִקְרֹא֩ (liq·rō) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read Ahimelech אֲחִימֶ֨לֶךְ (’ă·ḥî·me·leḵ) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 288: Ahimelech -- 'brother of a king', an Israelite name, also a Hittite name the priest, הַכֹּהֵ֗ן (hak·kō·hên) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3548: Priest the son בֶּן־ (ben-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 1121: A son of Ahitub, אֲחִיט֜וּב (’ă·ḥî·ṭūḇ) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 285: Ahitub -- 'my brother is goodness', two Israelites and his father’s אָבִ֛יו (’ā·ḇîw) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 1: Father whole כָּל־ (kāl-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every family, בֵּ֥ית (bêṯ) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 1004: A house who אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that were priests הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים (hak·kō·hă·nîm) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 3548: Priest at Nob. בְּנֹ֑ב (bə·nōḇ) Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 5011: Nob -- a priestly city, perhaps also a place North of Jerusalem And all כֻלָּ֖ם (ḵul·lām) Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every of them came וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ (way·yā·ḇō·’ū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go to אֶל־ (’el-) Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to the king. הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (ham·me·leḵ) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4428: A king Links 1 Samuel 22:11 NIV1 Samuel 22:11 NLT 1 Samuel 22:11 ESV 1 Samuel 22:11 NASB 1 Samuel 22:11 KJV 1 Samuel 22:11 BibleApps.com 1 Samuel 22:11 Biblia Paralela 1 Samuel 22:11 Chinese Bible 1 Samuel 22:11 French Bible 1 Samuel 22:11 Catholic Bible OT History: 1 Samuel 22:11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa) |
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