1 Samuel 22:16
New International Version
But the king said, “You will surely die, Ahimelek, you and your whole family.”

New Living Translation
“You will surely die, Ahimelech, along with your entire family!” the king shouted.

English Standard Version
And the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house.”

Berean Standard Bible
But the king replied, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!”

King James Bible
And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.

New King James Version
And the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!”

New American Standard Bible
But the king said, “You shall certainly die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s household!”

NASB 1995
But the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s household!”

NASB 1977
But the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s household!”

Legacy Standard Bible
But the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s household!”

Amplified Bible
But Saul said, “Be assured that you shall die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s household (extended family).”

Christian Standard Bible
But the king said, “You will die, Ahimelech—you and your father’s whole family! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But the king said, “You will die, Ahimelech—you and your father’s whole family!”

American Standard Version
And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.

Contemporary English Version
"Ahimelech," Saul said, "you and your whole family are going to die."

English Revised Version
And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Saul said, "Ahimelech, you and your entire family are going to die."

Good News Translation
The king said, "Ahimelech, you and all your relatives must die."

International Standard Version
The king said, "Ahimelech, you will surely die, you and all your father's family!"

Majority Standard Bible
But the king replied, ?You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father?s house!?

NET Bible
But the king said, "You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father's house!

New Heart English Bible
The king said, "You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you, and all your father's house."

Webster's Bible Translation
And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.

World English Bible
The king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the king says, “You surely die, Ahimelech, you and all the house of your father.”

Young's Literal Translation
And the king saith, 'Thou dost surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all the house of thy father.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And the king will say, Dying, thou shalt die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the king said: Dying thou shalt die, Achimelech, thou and all thy father's house.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the king said, “You shall die a death, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!”

New American Bible
But the king said, “You shall certainly die, Ahimelech, with all your family.”

New Revised Standard Version
The king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the king said, You shall surely die, Ahimeleck, you and all your father's house.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the King said: “You shall certainly die Akhimelek, you and all the household of your father!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the king said: 'Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And king Saul said, Thou shalt surely die, Abimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Saul Slays the Priests of Nob
15Was that day the first time I inquired of God for him? Far be it from me! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of my father’s household, for your servant knew nothing of this whole affair—not in part or in whole.” 16But the king replied, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!” 17Then the king ordered the guards at his side, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too sided with David. For they knew he was fleeing, but they did not tell me.” But the king’s servants would not lift a hand to strike the priests of the LORD.…

Cross References
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.

1 Kings 2:31-34
And the king replied, “Do just as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so remove from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood that Joab shed. / The LORD will bring his bloodshed back upon his own head, for without the knowledge of my father David he struck down two men more righteous and better than he when he put to the sword Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army. / Their blood will come back upon the heads of Joab and his descendants forever; but for David, his descendants, his house, and his throne, there shall be peace from the LORD forever.” ...

2 Samuel 1:14-16
So David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?” / Then David summoned one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him!” So the young man struck him down, and he died. / For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’”

2 Samuel 4:9-12
But David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress, / when someone told me, ‘Look, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was a bearer of good news, I seized him and put him to death at Ziklag. That was his reward for his news! / How much more, when wicked men kill a righteous man in his own house and on his own bed, shall I not now require his blood from your hands and remove you from the earth!” ...

2 Kings 10:11
So Jehu killed everyone in Jezreel who remained of the house of Ahab, as well as all his great men and close friends and priests, leaving him without a single survivor.

2 Kings 11:1
When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to annihilate all the royal heirs.

2 Chronicles 24:21-22
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.”

Esther 3:6
And when he learned the identity of Mordecai’s people, he scorned the notion of laying hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he sought to destroy all of Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the kingdom of Xerxes.

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. ...

Matthew 2:16
When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi.

Matthew 14:8-10
Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” / The king was grieved, but because of his oaths and his guests, he ordered that her wish be granted / and sent to have John beheaded in the prison.

Mark 6:24-27
Then she went out and asked her mother, “What should I request?” And her mother answered, “The head of John the Baptist.” / At once the girl hurried back to the king with her request: “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.” / The king was consumed with sorrow, but because of his oaths and his guests, he did not want to refuse her. ...

Luke 13:1-3
At that time some of those present told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. / To this He replied, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered this way? / No, I tell you. But unless you repent, you too will all perish.

John 11:49-53
But one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! / You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” / Caiaphas did not say this on his own. Instead, as high priest that year, he was prophesying that Jesus would die for the nation, ...

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—


Treasury of Scripture

And the king said, You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you, and all your father's house.

Thou shalt

1 Samuel 14:44
And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.

1 Samuel 20:31
For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.

1 Kings 18:4
For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

thou, and

Deuteronomy 24:16
The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

Esther 3:6
And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

Matthew 2:16
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.

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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














But the king replied
This phrase indicates a direct response from King Saul, highlighting his authority and decision-making power. Saul's kingship is marked by increasing paranoia and disobedience to God, contrasting with his earlier anointing by Samuel (1 Samuel 10:1). His reply here is a reaction to perceived betrayal, showcasing his deteriorating mental state and departure from God's guidance.

“You will surely die,
The phrase reflects a pronouncement of judgment, reminiscent of divine judgments in the Old Testament. Saul's declaration is absolute, echoing the certainty of God's judgments, yet it is driven by human anger and fear rather than divine justice. This moment foreshadows the eventual downfall of Saul's own house, as his actions lead to further alienation from God.

Ahimelech,
Ahimelech is the high priest at Nob, a descendant of Eli, whose house was previously cursed due to the sins of his sons (1 Samuel 2:31-36). His involvement with David, albeit unknowingly, places him in Saul's crosshairs. This highlights the tension between Saul and David, as well as the tragic consequences for those caught in their conflict.

you and all your father’s house!”
The inclusion of Ahimelech's entire family in the death sentence underscores the severity of Saul's wrath and the collective punishment often seen in ancient Near Eastern cultures. This act of retribution fulfills part of the prophecy against Eli's house, as seen in 1 Samuel 3:12-14. It also contrasts with the New Testament's emphasis on individual accountability before God (Ezekiel 18:20). Saul's actions here are a stark departure from the justice and mercy that characterize God's own dealings with humanity.

Persons / Places / Events
1. King Saul
The first king of Israel, who has become increasingly paranoid and disobedient to God. His jealousy and fear of David lead him to make rash and unjust decisions.

2. Ahimelech
The high priest at Nob, who unknowingly aids David by providing him with bread and Goliath's sword. He is accused of conspiracy against King Saul.

3. Nob
A city of priests, where Ahimelech serves. It becomes the site of a tragic massacre ordered by Saul.

4. David
The anointed future king of Israel, who is on the run from Saul. His visit to Ahimelech sets off a chain of events leading to the priest's death.

5. Doeg the Edomite
Saul's servant who witnesses David's interaction with Ahimelech and reports it to Saul, leading to the priest's execution.
Teaching Points
The Consequences of Disobedience
Saul's failure to obey God leads to a series of tragic events, illustrating the importance of obedience to God's commands.

The Dangers of Jealousy and Paranoia
Saul's jealousy of David blinds him to justice and righteousness, serving as a warning against allowing such emotions to take root in our hearts.

God's Sovereignty and Justice
Despite the apparent triumph of evil in the short term, God’s justice prevails. This encourages believers to trust in God's ultimate plan and justice.

The Cost of Following God
Ahimelech's fate reminds us that serving God can come with earthly costs, but eternal rewards await those who remain faithful.

The Role of Conscience and Courage
Ahimelech's actions, though leading to his death, demonstrate the importance of acting according to one's conscience and standing for what is right.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But the king
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

replied,
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“You will surely die,
מ֥וֹת (mō·wṯ)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

Ahimelech,
אֲחִימֶ֑לֶךְ (’ă·ḥî·me·leḵ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 288: Ahimelech -- 'brother of a king', an Israelite name, also a Hittite name

you
אַתָּ֖ה (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

and all
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

your father's
אָבִֽיךָ׃ (’ā·ḇî·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

house!”
בֵּ֥ית (bêṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house


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OT History: 1 Samuel 22:16 The king said You shall surely die (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
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