# Saul orders the killing at Nob United Kingdom · Draft · BSB Content revision: 534e2b20aee8326a · No editorial review date recorded [Citation / readable page](https://wilderness-scripture-atlas.pages.dev/reference/events/nob-priests-killed/) [Open interactive map](https://wilderness-scripture-atlas.pages.dev/?event=nob-priests-killed) [Markdown](https://wilderness-scripture-atlas.pages.dev/reference/events/nob-priests-killed/index.md) [JSON](https://wilderness-scripture-atlas.pages.dev/reference/events/nob-priests-killed/index.json) Date: David’s flight · After the visit to Nob Doeg reports David’s visit to Ahimelech. Saul accuses the priests of conspiracy, rejects Ahimelech’s defense and orders their deaths. Doeg carries out the killing and attacks Nob; Abiathar escapes to David. Saul’s guards refuse the command. The narrative includes the killing of the town’s families and livestock, not only its priests. David acknowledges that his visit has brought danger to Ahimelech’s household and offers Abiathar protection. ## Primary Scripture [1 Samuel 22:6–23 (BSB)](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Samuel%2022%3A6%E2%80%9323&version=BSB) 22:6 Soon Saul learned that David and his men had been discovered. At that time Saul was sitting under the tamarisk tree on the hill at Gibeah, with his spear in hand and all his servants standing around him. 22:7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Listen, men of Benjamin! Is the son of Jesse giving all of you fields and vineyards and making you commanders of thousands or hundreds? 22:8 Is that why all of you have conspired against me? Not one of you told me that my own son had made a covenant with the son of Jesse. Not one of you has shown concern for me or revealed to me that my son has stirred up my own servant to lie in wait against me, as is the case today.” 22:9 But Doeg the Edomite, who had stationed himself with Saul’s servants, answered: “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob. 22:10 Ahimelech inquired of the LORD for him and gave him provisions. He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.” 22:11 Then the king sent messengers to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and his father’s whole family, who were priests at Nob. And all of them came to the king. 22:12 “Listen now, son of Ahitub,” said Saul. “Here I am, my lord,” he replied. 22:13 And Saul asked him, “Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me? You gave him bread and a sword and inquired of God for him so that he could rise up against me to lie in wait, as he is doing today.” 22:14 Ahimelech answered the king, “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David, the king’s son-in-law, the captain of your bodyguard and honored in your house? 22:15 Was 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.” 22:16 But the king replied, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!” 22:17 Then 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. 22:18 So the king ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests!” And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests himself. On that day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. 22:19 He also put to the sword Nob, the city of the priests, with its men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep. 22:20 But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar, and he fled to David. 22:21 And Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD. 22:22 Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew that Doeg the Edomite was there that day, and that he was sure to tell Saul. I myself am responsible for the lives of everyone in your father’s house. 22:23 Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks your life is seeking mine as well. You will be safe with me.” ## Related Scripture [Deuteronomy 19:10–13 · teaching](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2019%3A10%E2%80%9313&version=BSB) Moses insists that innocent blood must not be shed or tolerated in the land. ## Location evidence Ras el-Mesharif is one proposed Nob site near Jerusalem. The interrogation occurs at Saul’s court; the marker represents the attacked town, not that court. Event map marker: Proposed site; \[longitude, latitude\] = \[35.244167, 31.7925\]. This is a teaching marker, not an exact event venue. Nob (one proposed site): Proposed site. Coordinates \[longitude, latitude\]: \[35.244167, 31.7925\]. Classification source: editorial. [OpenBible.info: Nob (one proposed site) (CC BY 4.0)](https://www.openbible.info/geo/ancient/afdda14/nob) [OpenBible.info: Nob (one proposed site) (CC BY 4.0)](https://www.openbible.info/geo/ancient/afdda14/nob) ## For the class What distinguishes the guards’ refusal from Doeg’s response to Saul’s command? ## Interpretation and reuse Narrative order is a reading arrangement, not a proven chronology. Dates retain their stated uncertainty. An identified locality does not establish the exact venue or prove an event. Region extents and routes are illustrative, not surveyed boundaries or ancient roads. Draft material has not completed editorial review. Record source: editorial (content/authored/united-kingdom.json) Place coordinates from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding Data, CC BY 4.0. Teaching stops, summaries and regional extents are original editorial content of this atlas. Berean Standard Bible (BSB), public domain. https://berean.bible/licensing.htm [Use this atlas with AI / data documentation](https://wilderness-scripture-atlas.pages.dev/reference/ai/)