King James Version

1 Samuel 21:1

Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?

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Hebrew

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In the Hebrew text this line is 1 Samuel 21:2.

וַיָּבֹ֤אvayavoand to comeבּוֹאconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and to come”, the next action in the storyH935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat,…דָוִד֙davidDavidדָּוִדnoun, proper name — “David”H1732David, the youngest son of JesseDavid.נֹ֔בֶהnovehNobנֹבnoun, proper name, directional ending — “Nob”H5011Nob, a place in PalestineNob.אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).אֲחִימֶ֖לֶךְachimelekhAhimelechאֲחִימֶלֶךְnoun, proper name — “Ahimelech”H288Achimelek, the name of an Israelite and of a HittiteAhimelech.הַכֹּהֵ֑ןhakohenthe priestכֹּהֵןdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the priest”, the ordinary formH3548literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)chief ruler, [idiom] own, priest, prince, principal officer.וַיֶּחֱרַ֨דvayecheradand discomfitחָרַדconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and discomfit”, the next action in the storyH2729to shudder with terror; hence, to fear; also to hasten (with anxiety)be (make) afraid, be careful, discomfit, fray (away), quake, tremble.אֲחִימֶ֜לֶךְachimelekhAhimelechאֲחִימֶלֶךְnoun, proper name — “Ahimelech”H288Achimelek, the name of an Israelite and of a HittiteAhimelech.לִקְרַ֣אתliqratto befallקָרָאpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to befall”, the to-form of the verbH7122to encounter, whether accidentally or in a hostile mannerbefall, (by) chance, (cause to) come (upon), fall out, happen, meet.דָּוִ֗דdavidDavidדָּוִדnoun, proper name — “David”H1732David, the youngest son of JesseDavid.וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…לוֹ֙lvotoלוֹ֙preposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to”toמַדּ֤וּעַmaduawhyמַדּוּעַparticle, interrogative — “why”H4069what (is) known?; i.e. (by implication) (adverbially) why?how, wherefore, why.אַתָּה֙atahtheeאַתָּהpronoun, personal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “thee”H859thou and thee, or (plural) ye and youthee, thou, ye, you.לְבַדֶּ֔ךָlevadekhato apartבַּדpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “to apart”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH905properly, separation; by implication, a part of the body, branch of atree, bar forcarrying; figuratively, chief of a city; especially (with prepositional prefix) as an adverb, apart, only, besidesalone, apart, bar, besides, branch, by self, of each alike, except, only, part, staff, strength.וְאִ֖ישׁveishand a certainאִישׁconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and a certain”, the ordinary formH376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phra…אֵ֥יןeynelseאַיִןparticle, negative — “else”H369a non-entity; generally used as a negative particleelse, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן).אִתָּֽךְitakheamongאֵתpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, feminine, singular — “among”H854properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by, at, among, etc.against, among, before, by, for, from, in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional prefix.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(21-2) Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest; and Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said unto him: 'Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?

Young’s Literal Translation

And David cometh in to Nob, unto Ahimelech the priest, and Ahimelech trembleth at meeting David, and saith to him, 'Wherefore [art] thou thyself alone, and no man with thee?'

World English Bible

Then David came to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no man with you?”

Darby Translation

And David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest; and Ahimelech trembled at meeting David, and said to him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?

Douay-Rheims

And David came to Nobe to Achimelech the priest: and Achimelech was astonished at David’s coming. And he said to him: Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

(21-2) Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest; and Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said unto him: 'Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?'

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And David comes to Nomba to Abimelech the priest: and Abimelech was amazed at meeting him, and said to him, Why art thou alone, and nobody with thee?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἔρχεται Δαυὶδ εἰς Νομβᾶ πρὸς Ἀβιμέλεχ τὸν ἱερέα· καὶ ἐξέστη Ἀβιμέλεχ τῇ ἀπαντήσει αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, τί ὅτι σὺ μόνος, καὶ οὐθεὶς μετὰ σοῦ;