1 Samuel

1 Samuel 22:17–20

17Then the king ordered the guards at his side, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too sided with David. For they knew he was fleeing, but they did not tell me.”

But the king’s servants would not lift a hand to strike the priests of the LORD.

18So the king ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests!”

And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests himself. On that day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. 19He also put to the sword Nob, the city of the priests, with its men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.

20But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar, and he fled to David.

Read all of 1 Samuel 22

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Samuel 22:17

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then the kingהַמֶּ֡לֶךְham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
orderedוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
the guardsלָרָצִים֩lā·rā·ṣîmPreposition-l, Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralH7323 run
at his sideהַנִּצָּבִ֨יםhan·niṣ·ṣā·ḇîmArticle; Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine pluralH5324 take one's stand, stand
Turnסֹ֥בּוּsōb·būVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH5437 turn about, go around, surround
and killוְהָמִ֣יתוּ׀wə·hā·mî·ṯūConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine pluralH4191 die
the priestsכֹּהֲנֵ֣יkō·hă·nêNoun - masculine plural constructH3548 priest
of the LORDיְהוָ֗הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
becauseכִּ֤יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
they tooגַם־ḡam-ConjunctionH1571 also, moreover, yea
sided withעִם־‘im-PrepositionH5973 with
Davidדָּוִ֔דdā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
Forוְכִ֤יwə·ḵîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
they knewיָֽדְעוּ֙yā·ḏə·‘ūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH3045 know
heה֔וּאhūPronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
was fleeingבֹרֵ֣חַḇō·rê·aḥVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH1272 go through, flee
but they did notוְלֹ֥אwə·lōConjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
tellגָל֖וּḡā·lūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH1540 uncover, remove
meאָזְנוֹʾå̄·zə·nōNoun - feminine singular construct; first person common singularH241 ear
But the king’sהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
servantsעַבְדֵ֤י‘aḇ·ḏêNoun - masculine plural constructH5650 slave, servant
wouldאָב֞וּ’ā·ḇūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH14 be willing, consent
notוְלֹֽא־wə·lō-Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
liftלִשְׁלֹ֣חַliš·lō·aḥPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH7971 send
a handיָדָ֔םyā·ḏāmNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine pluralH3027 hand
to strikeלִפְגֹ֖עַlip̄·ḡō·a‘Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH6293 meet, encounter, reach
the priestsבְּכֹהֲנֵ֥יbə·ḵō·hă·nêPreposition-b; Noun - masculine plural constructH3548 priest
of the LORDיְהוָֽה׃סYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh

1 Samuel 22:18

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So the kingהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
orderedוַיֹּ֤אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Doegלְדוֹיֵגlə·ḏō·yēḡPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH1673 Doeg
Youאַתָּ֔ה’at·tāhPronoun - second person masculine singularH859 thou
turnסֹ֣בsōḇVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH5437 turn about, go around, surround
and strike downוּפְגַ֖עū·p̄ə·ḡa‘Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH6293 meet, encounter, reach
the priestsבַּכֹּהֲנִ֑יםbak·kō·hă·nîmPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine pluralH3548 priest
And Doegדּוֹיֵגdō·yēḡNoun - proper - masculine singularH1673 Doeg
the Edomiteהָאֲדֹמִ֗יhā·’ă·ḏō·mîArticle; Noun - proper - masculine singularH130 Edomite
turnedוַיִּסֹּ֞בway·yis·sōḇConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH5437 turn about, go around, surround
and struck downוַיִּפְגַּע־way·yip̄·ga‘-Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH6293 meet, encounter, reach
the priestsבַּכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔יםbak·kō·hă·nîmPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine pluralH3548 priest
himselfהוּא֙hūPronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
On thatהַה֗וּאha·hūArticle; Pronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
dayבַּיּ֣וֹםbay·yō·wmPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singularH3117 day
he killedוַיָּ֣מֶת׀way·yā·meṯConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH4191 die
eighty-fiveשְׁמֹנִ֤יםšə·mō·nîmNumber - common pluralH8084 an eighty
menאִ֔ישׁ’îšNoun - masculine singularH376 man
who woreנֹשֵׂ֖אnō·śêVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH5375 lift, take, carry
the linenבָּֽד׃bāḏNoun - masculine singularH906 white linen
ephodאֵפ֥וֹד’ê·p̄ō·wḏNoun - masculine singular constructH646 ephod

1 Samuel 22:19

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
He also putהִכָּ֣הhik·kāhVerb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singularH5221 smite
to the swordחֶ֔רֶבḥe·reḇNoun - feminine singularH2719 sword
Nobנֹ֤בnōḇNoun - proper - feminine singularH5011 Nob
the cityעִיר־‘îr-Noun - feminine singular constructH5892 excitement
of the priestsהַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙hak·kō·hă·nîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH3548 priest
with its menמֵאִישׁ֙mê·’îšPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singularH376 man
andוְעַד־wə·‘aḏ-Conjunctive waw; PrepositionH5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
womenאִשָּׁ֔ה’iš·šāhNoun - feminine singularH802 woman, wife, female
childrenמֵעוֹלֵ֖לmê·‘ō·w·lêlPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singularH5768 child
andוְעַד־wə·‘aḏ-Conjunctive waw; PrepositionH5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
infantsיוֹנֵ֑קyō·w·nêqVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH3243 suck
oxenוְשׁ֧וֹרwə·šō·wrConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH7794 head of cattle
donkeysוַחֲמ֛וֹרwa·ḥă·mō·wrConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH2543 heap
and sheepוָשֶׂ֖הwā·śehConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH7716 one of a flock, a sheep (or goat)

1 Samuel 22:20

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
But oneאֶחָ֗ד’e·ḥāḏNumber - masculine singularH259 one
of the sonsבֵּן־bên-Noun - masculine singularH1121 son
of Ahimelechלַאֲחִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙la·’ă·ḥî·me·leḵPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH288 Achimelek
sonבֶּן־ben-Noun - masculine singular constructH1121 son
of Ahitubאֲחִט֔וּב’ă·ḥi·ṭūḇNoun - proper - masculine singularH285 Achitub
escapedוַיִּמָּלֵ֣טway·yim·mā·lêṭConjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH4422 slip away
His nameוּשְׁמ֖וֹū·šə·mōwConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH8034 name
was Abiatharאֶבְיָתָ֑ר’eḇ·yā·ṯārNoun - proper - masculine singularH54 Ebjathar
and he fledוַיִּבְרַ֖חway·yiḇ·raḥConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH1272 go through, flee
toאַחֲרֵ֥י’a·ḥă·rêPrepositionH310 behind
Davidדָוִֽד׃ḏā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

1 Samuel 22:17 Exodus 1:17 · 1 Samuel 14:45

1 Samuel 22:18 Acts 26:10–11

1 Samuel 22:19 1 Samuel 15:3 · James 2:13

1 Samuel 22:20 1 Samuel 23:6 · 1 Samuel 30:7 · 1 Samuel 2:33 · 1 Kings 2:26–27 · 1 Samuel 23:9 · 1 Samuel 4:12 · Job 1:19

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.