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Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and Seraiah was scribe.
2 Samuel 8:17 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, Seraiah was scribe,
  • KJV And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe;
  • BSB Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was the scribe;
  • NKJV Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests; Seraiah was the scribe;
  • NLT Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were the priests. Seraiah was the court secretary.

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

Zadok and Ahimelech served as priests and Seraiah as scribe. David's kingdom had ordered worship and record-keeping.

Overview

The mention of priests and a scribe shows that David's reign maintained proper religious leadership and administration. Zadok in particular would become significant in the later priestly line. The inclusion of priests in the list underscores that David's kingdom centered worship of the LORD alongside its civil order.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 5

  • 1 Chr 18:16Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar, were priests; Shavsha was scribe;
  • 1 Chr 6:8Ahitub became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Ahimaaz.
  • 1 Chr 16:39and Zadok the priest, and his brothers the priests, before Yahweh’s tabernacle in the high place that was at Gibeon,
  • 1 Chr 24:3–4David with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to their ordering in their service.
  • 1 Chr 6:53Zadok his son, and Ahimaaz his son.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (8)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — 2 Samuel videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on 2 Samuel 8:17YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on 2 SamuelMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.

How 2 Samuel 8:17 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

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.