And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.
Parallel translations
- WEB One of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.
- BSB But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar, and he fled to David.
- NKJV Now one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David.
- NASB But one son of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled to David.
- NLT Only Abiathar, one of the sons of Ahimelech, escaped and fled to David.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Abiathar, a son of Ahimelech, escapes the massacre and flees to David.
Overview
One priest, Abiathar, survives the slaughter at Nob and flees for refuge to David. His escape preserves the line of Eli's priesthood and brings the ephod and priestly ministry into David's company. God's providence keeps a remnant of His priesthood alive even amid Saul's bloody purge.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- 1 Sam 23:6And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.
- 1 Sam 30:7And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.
- 1 Sam 2:33And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.
- 1 Sam 23:9And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.
- 1 Kgs 2:26–27And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the LORD God before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.
- 1 Sam 4:12And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.
- Job 1:19And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
- 2 Sam 20:25And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:
- Job 1:15–17And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 22:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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