1 Samuel 22:21
New International Version
He told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD.

New Living Translation
When he told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD,

English Standard Version
And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible
And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD.

King James Bible
And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the LORD'S priests.

New King James Version
And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the LORD’s priests.

New American Standard Bible
Abiathar informed David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD.

NASB 1995
Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD.

NASB 1977
And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of Yahweh.

Amplified Bible
Abiathar told David that Saul had murdered the LORD’S priests.

Christian Standard Bible
Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD.

American Standard Version
And Abiathar told David that Saul had slain Jehovah's priests.

Contemporary English Version
and told him, "Saul has murdered the LORD's priests at Nob!"

English Revised Version
And Abiathar told David that Saul had slain the LORD'S priests.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the LORD's priests.

Good News Translation
He told him how Saul had slaughtered the priests of the LORD.

International Standard Version
Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD.

Majority Standard Bible
And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD.

NET Bible
Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD.

New Heart English Bible
Abiathar told David that Saul had slain the LORD's priests.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Abiathar showed David that Saul had slain the LORD'S priests.

World English Bible
Abiathar told David that Saul had slain Yahweh’s priests.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and Abiathar declares to David that Saul has slain the priests of YHWH.

Young's Literal Translation
and Abiathar declareth to David that Saul hath slain the priests of Jehovah.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Abiathar will announce to David that Saul slew the priests of Jehovah.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And told him that Saul had slain the priests of the Lord.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he reported to him that Saul had slain the priests of the Lord.

New American Bible
When Abiathar told David that Saul had slain the priests of the LORD,

New Revised Standard Version
Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Abiathar told David that Saul had slain the priests of God.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Abiathar showed to David that Shaul had killed the Priests of God
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Abiathar told David that Saul had slain the LORD'S priests.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Abiathar told David that Saul had slain all the priests of the Lord.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Saul Slays the Priests of Nob
20But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar, and he fled to David. 21And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD. 22Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew that Doeg the Edomite was there that day, and that he was sure to tell Saul. I myself am responsible for the lives of everyone in your father’s house.…

Cross References
Psalm 52:1-9
For the choirmaster. A Maskil of David. After Doeg the Edomite went to Saul and told him, “David has gone to the house of Ahimelech.” Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The loving devotion of God endures all day long. / Your tongue devises destruction like a sharpened razor, O worker of deceit. / You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking truth. Selah ...

Matthew 23:34-35
Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town. / And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

Luke 11:50-51
As a result, this generation will be charged with the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the foundation of the world, / from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, all of it will be charged to this generation.

1 Samuel 2:31-33
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. / You will see distress in My dwelling place. Despite all that is good in Israel, no one in your house will ever again reach old age. / And every one of you that I do not cut off from My altar, I will cause your eyes to fail and your heart to grieve. All your descendants will die by the sword of men.

1 Kings 2:26-27
Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. Even though you deserve to die, I will not put you to death at this time, since you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David, and you suffered through all that my father suffered.” / So Solomon banished Abiathar from the priesthood of the LORD and thus fulfilled the word that the LORD had spoken at Shiloh against the house of Eli.

2 Samuel 21:1-9
During the reign of David there was a famine for three successive years, and David sought the face of the LORD. And the LORD said, “It is because of the blood shed by Saul and his family, because he killed the Gibeonites.” / At this, David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not Israelites, but a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them, but in his zeal for Israel and Judah, Saul had sought to kill them.) / So David asked the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? How can I make amends so that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?” ...

Hebrews 11:37-38
They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated. / The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and hid in caves and holes in the ground.

Acts 7:52
Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—

Jeremiah 26:20-23
Now there was another man prophesying in the name of the LORD, Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim. He prophesied against this city and against this land the same things that Jeremiah did. / King Jehoiakim and all his mighty men and officials heard his words, and the king sought to put him to death. But when Uriah found out about it, he fled in fear and went to Egypt. / Then King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt: Elnathan son of Achbor along with some other men. ...

2 Chronicles 24:20-22
Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has forsaken you.’” / But they conspired against Zechariah, and by order of the king, they stoned him in the courtyard of the house of the LORD. / Thus King Joash failed to remember the kindness that Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had extended to him. Instead, Joash killed Jehoiada’s son. As he lay dying, Zechariah said, “May the LORD see this and call you to account.”

Matthew 5:10-12
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. / Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. / Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.

Revelation 6:9-11
And when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony they had upheld. / And they cried out in a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge those who dwell upon the earth and avenge our blood?” / Then each of them was given a white robe and told to rest a little while longer until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers, were killed, just as they had been killed.

1 Samuel 3:12-14
On that day I will carry out against Eli everything I have spoken about his house, from beginning to end. / 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. / Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, ‘The iniquity of Eli’s house shall never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”

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 Samuel 16:2
“How can I go?” Samuel asked. “Saul will hear of it and kill me!” The LORD answered, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’


Treasury of Scripture

And Abiathar showed David that Saul had slain the LORD's priests.

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Abiathar Abi'athar David Death Declareth Informed Jehovah's Killed LORD's News Priests Saul Showed Slain
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Abiathar Abi'athar David Death Declareth Informed Jehovah's Killed LORD's News Priests Saul Showed Slain
1 Samuel 22
1. Companies resort unto David at Adullam
3. 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














And Abiathar
Abiathar, whose name means "father of abundance" or "my father excels," was the son of Ahimelech, the high priest. His survival from the massacre of the priests at Nob marks him as a significant figure in David's life. Abiathar's presence with David symbolizes the continuation of the priestly line and God's providence in preserving a remnant. Historically, Abiathar's alignment with David foreshadows the eventual establishment of David's kingdom, where Abiathar would serve as a priest, highlighting the divine orchestration in leadership and worship.

told David
The act of telling or reporting is significant in biblical narratives, often serving as a means of transferring crucial information that influences decisions and actions. Abiathar's report to David is not just a transfer of information but a pivotal moment that strengthens the bond between the future king and the priestly line. This communication underscores the importance of truth and transparency in leadership, as well as the role of divine guidance through human messengers.

that Saul
Saul, the first king of Israel, represents a tragic figure whose disobedience to God led to his downfall. His actions against the priests reflect his increasing paranoia and departure from God's will. Saul's reign, marked by initial promise but eventual failure, serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of pride and disobedience. The mention of Saul in this context highlights the contrast between his failing kingship and the rising promise of David, a man after God's own heart.

had killed
The act of killing, especially of the LORD's priests, is a grave sin that underscores the severity of Saul's actions. In Hebrew, the word used for killing often implies a violent and unjust act, reflecting the brutality of Saul's command. This massacre is a turning point that further alienates Saul from God's favor and sets the stage for David's rise. It serves as a reminder of the sanctity of God's anointed and the severe consequences of violating divine law.

the priests of the LORD
The priests were not just religious functionaries but were seen as mediators between God and His people. Their murder by Saul is an affront to God Himself, as they were His chosen servants. This phrase emphasizes the sacredness of their office and the sacrilege of Saul's actions. Historically, the priesthood was central to Israel's identity and worship, and this event marks a significant breach in the nation's spiritual integrity. It also foreshadows the eventual establishment of a new order under David, where the priesthood would be restored and honored.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And Abiathar
אֶבְיָתָ֖ר (’eḇ·yā·ṯār)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 54: Abiathar -- 'the great one is father', an Israelite priest

told
וַיַּגֵּ֥ד (way·yag·gêḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5046: To be conspicuous

David
לְדָוִ֑ד (lə·ḏā·wiḏ)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

that
כִּ֚י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

Saul
שָׁא֔וּל (šā·’ūl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7586: Saul -- first king of Israel, also an Edomite and two Israelites

had killed
הָרַ֣ג (hā·raḡ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2026: To smite with deadly intent

the priests
כֹּהֲנֵ֥י (kō·hă·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3548: Priest

of the LORD.
יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel


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OT History: 1 Samuel 22:21 Abiathar told David that Saul had slain (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 22:20
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