Nob

A town in the territory of Benjamin; important religious center where many priests lived.

About Nob

A city located on the eastern slopes of Mount Scopus opposite the Mount of Olives and northeast of Jerusalem. An important religious center, 86 priests lived in Nob along with the ephod (1 Samuel 22:13–20). When the Philistines destroyed the sanctuary in Shiloh, Nob became the central sanctuary for the priests who fled Shiloh.

The events of David's visit to Nob bear witness to the ancient customs of the details of the table and the bread of the presence (Exodus 37:10–16; 1 Samuel 21:2–7). Jesus cites David’s hunger as a good reason for breaking the Sabbath (Mark 2:23–28). David, fleeing from Saul and needing food, went into the sanctuary at Nob and took the loaves laid out each Sabbath as an offering to the Lord.

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Key References

Isaiah 10:32

Yet today they will halt at Nob, shaking a fist at the mount of Daughter Zion, at the hill of Jerusalem.

1 Samuel 21:2

“The king has given me a mission,” David replied. “He told me no one is to know about the mission on which I am sending you. And I have directed my young men to meet me at a certain place.

All Scripture References (7)

1 Samuel (4)
1 Samuel 21:2

“The king has given me a mission,” David replied. “He told me no one is to know about the mission on which I am sending you. And I have directed my young men to meet me at a certain place.

1 Samuel 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.

1 Samuel 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.

1 Samuel 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.

2 Samuel (1)
2 Samuel 21:16

Then Ishbi-benob, a descendant of Rapha, whose bronze spear weighed three hundred shekels and who was bearing a new sword, resolved to kill David.

Nehemiah (1)
Nehemiah 11:32

in Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,

Isaiah (1)
Isaiah 10:32

Yet today they will halt at Nob, shaking a fist at the mount of Daughter Zion, at the hill of Jerusalem.