Nob was a city of priests near Jerusalem, known for a massacre ordered by King Saul and as a temporary location of the Ark of the Covenant.
Nob was a city of priests located near Jerusalem, possibly between the city and Anathoth (1Sam. 21:1; 22:9, 11, 19; Neh. 11:32; Isa. 10:32). It is most notable as the site where King Saul ordered the massacre of the priests who had assisted David when he was fleeing from Saul (1Sam. 22:11-19). Ahimelech, the priest at Nob, had provided David with the sacred bread of the Presence and the sword of Goliath (1Sam. 21:1-9). Nob was also one of the places where the Ark of the Covenant was kept for a time during its travels (2Sam. 6:1). The exact location of Nob is uncertain, but it was likely situated on a hill north of Jerusalem, possibly at Ras el-Mesharif or another nearby site that afforded a view of the city.
Approximate location: 31.800, 35.233 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
High place, a city of the priests, first mentioned in the history of David’s wanderings (1 Sam. 21:1). Here the tabernacle was then standing, and here Ahimelech the priest resided. (See AHIMELECH.) From Isa. 10:28-32 it seems to have been near Jerusalem. It has been identified by some with el-Isawiyeh, one mile and a half to the north-east of Jerusalem. But according to Isa. 10:28-32 it was on the south of Geba, on the road to Jerusalem, and within sight of the city. This identification does not meet these conditions, and hence others (as Dean Stanley) think that it was the northern summit of Mount Olivet, the place where David “worshipped God” when fleeing from Absalom (2 Sam. 15:32), or more probably (Conder) that it was the same as Mizpeh (q.v.), Judg. 20:1; Josh. 18:26; 1 Sam. 7:16, at Nebi Samwil, about 5 miles north-west of Jerusalem. After being supplied with the sacred loaves of showbread, and girding on the sword of Goliath, which was brought forth from behind the ephod, David fled from Nob and sought refuge at the court of Achish, the king of Gath, where he was cast into prison. (Comp. titles of Ps. 34 and 56.)
(high place) (1 Samuel 22:19; Nehemiah 11:32) a sacerdotal city in the tribe of Benjamin and situated on some eminence near Jerusalem. It was one of the places where the ark of Jehovah was kept for a time during the days of its wanderings. (2 Samuel 6:1) etc. But the event for which Nob was most noted in the Scripture annals was a frightful massacre which occurred there in the reign of Saul. (1 Samuel 22:17-19)
NOB (height), a city of the priests in Benjamin, near Jerusalem. 1 Sam 22:19; Isa 10:32; Neh 11:31-32. In the time of Saul the tabernacle and the ark were probably at this place. 1 Sam 21:1, 1 Sam 21:4. The city was destroyed by Saul. 1 Sam 22:9-19. Van de Velde proposed to identify Nob with el-Inawiyeh, 1 1/2 miles northeast of Jerusalem, on the road to Anathoth, and this view is favored by Tristram, Baedeker, and Grove; but Jerusalem cannot be seen from that point, which is against this identification. Porter suggests a site about half a mile south of Tuleil el-Ful (Gibeah), where are ruins of cisterns, a tower, and large hewn stones - a site which commands a distant view of Zion. Conder, however, considers Nob and the Mizpeh of Jud 20:1; Josh 18:26; 1 Sam 7:15 as the same place, locating both at Nebi Samwil, about 4 miles from Jerusalem, where he finds traces of a court of the tabernacle. The site of Nob may be there, but that there should be any trace of the ancient tabernacle is exceedingly improbable. Moreover, Wilson questions the proposed identification of Conder, and would place its site on the hill Scopus; while another writer suggests that Nob is Almon under another name, and proposes to place it 1 mile north-east of Anathoth.
NOB (height), a city of the priests in Benjamin, near Jerusalem. 1 Sam 22:19; Isa 10:32; Neh 11:31-32. In the time of Saul the tabernacle and the ark were probably at this place. 1 Sam 21:1, 1 Sam 21:4. The city was destroyed by Saul. 1 Sam 22:9-19. Van de Velde proposed to identify Nob with el-Inawiyeh, 1 1/2 miles northeast of Jerusalem, on the road to Anathoth, and this view is favored by Tristram, Baedeker, and Grove; but Jerusalem cannot be seen from that point, which is against this identification. Porter suggests a site about half a mile south of Tuleil el-Ful (Gibeah), where are ruins of cisterns, a tower, and large hewn stones - a site which commands a distant view of Zion. Conder, however, considers Nob and the Mizpeh of Jud 20:1; Josh 18:26; 1 Sam 7:15 as the same place, locating both at Nebi Samwil, about 4 miles from Jerusalem, where he finds traces of a court of the tabernacle. The site of Nob may be there, but that there should be any trace of the ancient tabernacle is exceedingly improbable. Moreover, Wilson questions the proposed identification of Conder, and would place its site on the hill Scopus; while another writer suggests that Nob is Almon under another name, and proposes to place it 1 mile north-east of Anathoth.
Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.
6 verses in 3 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H5011
Then David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And when Ahimelech met David, he trembled and asked him, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?”
But Doeg the Edomite, who had stationed himself with Saulʼs servants, answered: “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob.
Then the king sent messengers to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and his fatherʼs whole family, who were priests at Nob. And all of them came to the king.
He also put to the sword Nob, the city of the priests, with its men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep.
in Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,
Yet today they will halt at Nob, shaking a fist at the mount of Daughter Zion, at the hill of Jerusalem.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.