1 Samuel 22:20
in 1 Samuel 22But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar, and he fled to David.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.
KJV
And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 22
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Abiathar - He may have remained at Nob to take care of the sanctuary when the other priests went to Saul, and so escaped. He continued David’s faithful friend throughout his reign 1Sa 23:9; 1Sa 30:7; 2Sa 15:24, 2Sa 15:29, 2Sa 15:35, but gave offence by taking Adonijah’s part against Solomon 1Ki 1:7, 1Ki 1:19, 1Ki 1:42, and in consequence was deprived of the high priesthood 1Ki 2:26-27. In Mar 2:26, he is spoken of as the High Priest who gave the showbread to David.
This site's exposition
named Abiathar, escaped
on 1 Samuel 22:20-21
One son of Ahimelech, Abiathar, escapes the slaughter and flees to David, carrying word of what Saul has done to the Lord's priests. He is the last of Eli's line left standing, and Barnes traces his service through the rest of David's reign until he backs Adonijah and is put out of the priesthood at 1 Kings 2:26 to 27, the verse that closes the word spoken over Eli's house by name. He will bring an ephod down to David at Keilah in the next chapter, the office surviving in exile where the city at Nob no longer does.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
One son of Ahimelech escaped, Abiathar, etc. Just as Doeg the Edomite, one who struck down the priests, symbolized the sword of all executioners, so Abiathar, the one who escaped the sword of the striker, represents all the confessors of Christ who could survive that …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
1 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him. 2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
Let those that suffer for the Son of David commit the keeping of their souls to him, 1 Pet. iv. David's resentment of the melancholy tidings he brought. He gave David an account of the bloody work Saul had made among the priests of the Lord (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
On hearing his sad tale, David declared that he had dreaded such a fatal result from the malice and intriguing ambition of Doeg; and, accusing himself as having been the occasion of all the disaster to Abiathar's family, David invited him to remain, because, firmly trusting himself in the accomplishment of the divine promise, David could guarantee protection to him.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Abiathar, escaped - This man carried with him his sacerdotal garments, as we find from 1Sa 23:6, 1Sa 23:9.
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּמָּלֵ֣ט | vaiyimalet | and he escaped | H4422 → | 95 times |
| בֵּן־ | ben- | a son | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| אֶחָ֗ד | ʾechad | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| לַאֲחִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙ | laachimelekh | of Ahimelech | H288 → | 16 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| אֲחִט֔וּב | ʾachituv | Ahitub | H285 → | 15 times |
| וּשְׁמ֖וֹ | ushemo | and name his | H8034 → | 864 times |
| אֶבְיָתָ֑ר | ʾevyatar | [was] Abiathar | H54 → | 30 times |
| וַיִּבְרַ֖ח | vaiyivrach | and he fled | H1272 → | 63 times |
| אַחֲרֵ֥י | ʾacharei | after | H310 → | 715 times |
| דָוִֽד׃ | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
וַיִּמָּלֵ֣טand he escaped
vaiyimaletH4422 →95 times
בֵּן־a son
ben-H1121 →4930 times
אֶחָ֗דone
ʾechadH259 →971 times
לַאֲחִימֶ֙לֶךְ֙of Ahimelech
laachimelekhH288 →16 times
בֶּן־[the] son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
אֲחִט֔וּבAhitub
ʾachituvH285 →15 times
וּשְׁמ֖וֹand name his
ushemoH8034 →864 times
אֶבְיָתָ֑ר[was] Abiathar
ʾevyatarH54 →30 times
וַיִּבְרַ֖חand he fled
vaiyivrachH1272 →63 times
אַחֲרֵ֥יafter
ʾachareiH310 →715 times
דָוִֽד׃David
davidH1732 →999 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Samuel 23:9When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.”
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 30:7
Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought it to him,
- 1 Samuel 14:18
Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (For at that time it was with the Israelites.)
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Samuel 23:6
(Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the ephod with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)
- Numbers 27:21
He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the LORD by the judgment of the Urim. At his command, he and all the Israelites with him—the entire congregation—will…
- 1 Samuel 30:7
Through
1 Samuel 2:33And every one of you that I do not cut off from My altar, your eyes will fail and your heart will grieve. All your descendants will die by the sword of men.
it leads to
- 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…
- 1 Kings 2:26–27
Through
1 Samuel 30:7Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought it to him,
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 22:20–21
But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar, and he fled to David.
- 1 Kings 2:26
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…
- 1 Samuel 22:20–21
Through
1 Samuel 23:6(Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the ephod with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)
it leads to
- Exodus 28:30–31
And place the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece of judgment, so that they will also be over Aaron’s heart whenever he comes before the LORD. Aaron will continually carry the judgment of the…
- Exodus 28:30–31
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Samuel

Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonUnited MonarchyDavidSecond king of united Israel, shepherd-turned-monarch, ancestor of the Messiah, and traditional author of many Psalms.
- PersonEarly monarchyAhimelechPriest of Nob who gave the fugitive David the showbread and Goliath's sword, not knowing the king's quarrel; slain with eighty-fiv…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Jamieson Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
