2 Samuel 20:25 — Word Study
WLCוּשְׁוָ֖א סֹפֵ֑ר וְצָד֥וֹק וְאֶבְיָתָ֖ר כֹּהֲנִֽים׃
BSAShevaShᵉyâʼ [the official secretary, scribe] was the scribeçâphar [one who records or inscribes information] ZadokTsâdôwq [the righteous priest] and AbiatharʼEbyâthâr [faithful follower of David] were priestskôhên [spiritual leaders, mediators between God and people]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וּשְׁוָ֖א | and Sheva | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| סֹפֵ֑ר | [was] secretary | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וְצָד֥וֹק | and Zadok | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| וְאֶבְיָתָ֖ר | and Abiathar | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| כֹּהֲנִֽים׃ | [were] priests | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Sheva was the scribe; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; |
| KJV | And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests: |
| ASV | and Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; |
| YLT | and Sheva [is] scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar [are] priests, |
| WEB | Sheva was scribe, Zadok and Abiathar were priests, |
| BBE | And Sheva was the scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; |
Where they part company is כֹּהֲנִֽים — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence consists of two main clauses connected by a conjunction, presenting the roles of Sheva, Zadok, and Abiathar clearly.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Trapp, Ellicott, AdamClarke & more — read them ›
clause
subjectשְׁוָא
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — 2 Samuel 20:25
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Leaders in David's Administrationgenerated
2 Samuel 20:25 presents a brief overview of key officials during King David's reign. Sheva is identified as the scribe, responsible for recording important information, while Zadok and Abiathar serve as priests, mediating between God and the people. This verse highlights the structure of leadership in ancient Israel as David established his kingdom.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 Samuel 8:17 | Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was the scribe; |
| 2 | 1 Kings 4:4 | Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in charge of the army; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; |
| 3 | 1 Chronicles 18:16 | Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Shavsha was the scribe; |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — סֹפֵר, so.Fergenerated
The noun סֹפֵר (*sofer*) refers to a scribe or secretary, someone tasked with recording or inscribing information. This role was essential for maintaining records and communicating important events in the kingdom.
The parsing indicates that it is a masculine singular noun, emphasizing the personal role of the scribe in David's administration. The word is derived from the root meaning 'to recount' or 'to count', which aligns with the duties of a scribe in documenting the affairs of the kingdom.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse centers around two main clauses: the first identifies Sheva as the scribe, and the second identifies Zadok and Abiathar as priests. The finite verb is implied in both clauses, creating a straightforward declarative statement about the roles of these individuals.
The word order emphasizes Sheva's role first, indicating his importance as the scribe, followed by the mention of the priests, which reflects the hierarchy within David's administration.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the term used for סֹפֵר is γραμματεύς, which also means 'scribe'. This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, indicating a consistent understanding of the role across both texts.
The use of ἱερεῖς for כֹּהֲנִֽים shows a direct translation of 'priests', maintaining the original context of spiritual leadership in Israel.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
2 Samuel 20:25 tells us that Sheva was the scribe, responsible for recording important information, while Zadok and Abiathar served as priests, mediating between God and the people. This verse highlights the roles of key officials in King David's reign.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
A scribe, or סֹפֵר, was responsible for recording and inscribing information, maintaining records, and ensuring that important events were documented.
Zadok and Abiathar were priests during King David's reign, serving as spiritual leaders and mediators between God and the people.
The name Sheva means 'Jehovah contends' and refers to a figure in the Old Testament who served as a scribe.
Priests, like Zadok and Abiathar, served as spiritual leaders and performed religious duties, while a scribe focused on recording and managing information.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What qualities do you think are important for a scribe or a leader in your community?
- How can understanding the roles of Sheva, Zadok, and Abiathar help us appreciate the structure of leadership in our own contexts?
- In what ways can we serve as mediators between God and others, similar to the priests?
- What responsibilities do we have in documenting or sharing important information in our lives?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 2 Samuel 20:25 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd Sheva [was] scribe,.... Either the same with Benaiah, or he was dead or removed, and Sheva was put in his place, see 2 Samuel 8:17; and Zadok and Abiathar [were] the priests; as before; [See comments on 2 Samuel 8:17].
Read John Gill on 2 Samuel 20 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments2 Samuel 20:25 And Sheva [was] scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar [were] the priests:Ver. 25. And Sheva was scribe.] The same with that Seraiah, or else some other succeeding him, being now dead.
Read John Trapp on 2 Samuel 20 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(25) Sheva.—This officer is called Seraiah in 2 Samuel 8:17. Nearly all the officers mentioned here are the same as in 2 Samuel 8:16-18, where see the Notes.
Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Samuel 20 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 25. Shevah was scribe] The king's secretary.
Read AdamClarke on 2 Samuel 20 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges25. Sheva] Or Sheya, apparently another name for the Seraiah of ch. 2 Samuel 8:17.
Read Cambridge on 2 Samuel 20 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible25. Sheva — Called Shisha, 1 Kings 4:3, and Shavsha, 1 Chronicles 18:16; but these are all either corruptions or abbreviations of the name Seraiah, which appears in the earlier list. 2 Samuel 8:17.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on 2 Samuel 20 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Sheva was the scribe; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
Sheva was scribe, Zadok and Abiathar were priests,
Sheva was the scribe; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
Sheva was the scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests.
Tyndale line
And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:
and Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
and Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were priests:
And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:
And Sheia was Scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar the Priests,
Strictly literal
and Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
and Sheva [is] scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar [are] priests,
and Sheva [is] scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar [are] priests,
And Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and Ebyathar were priests;
Sheva was scribe and Zadok and Abiathar were priests.
From the Latin
And Siva was scribe: and Sadoc and Abiathar, priests.
Simplified
Sheva was the secretary. Zadok and Abiathar were the priests,
And Sheva was the scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with all five words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls show one word in the leather and four supplied by an editor, indicating a partial preservation of the text.
וּשְׁוָ֖א סֹפֵ֑ר וְצָד֥וֹק וְאֶבְיָתָ֖ר כֹּהֲנִֽים׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
[ושושא] [סופר] [וצדוק] [ואביתר] כוהנים
1 word on the leather — 4 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in 2 Samuel 20:25
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word שְׁוָא (*sheva*) refers to a personal name, Sheva, which means 'Jehovah contends.' It denotes a man from the tribe of Judah, a son of Caleb and Maacah, and is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 2:49. Additionally, it refers to another individual from the time of David, who served as a secretary, also known as Shavsha or Sheya in different contexts.
שְׁוָא n.pr.m.
Calebite
secretary, David’s time
base
H7724 שְׁוָא
7724 Shva' shev-aw'
from the same as 7723; false; Sheva, an Israelite:--Sheva.
see HEBREW for 07723
שְׁוָא (she.va) — Sheva.
A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, only mentioned at 1Ch.2.49;
son of: Caleb (H3612H) and Maacah (H4601L);
brother of: Sheber (H7669), Tirhanah (H8647) and Shaaph (H8174H);
half-brother of: Hur (H2354), Jesher (H3475), Shobab (H7727H), Ardon (H0715), Mareshah@1Ch.2.42 (H4337), Haran (H2771B), Moza (H4162), Gazez (H1495), Jahdai (H3056) and Achsah (H5915H);
father of: Machbenah (H4343) and Gibea (H1388)
§ Sheva = "Jehovah contends"
Judaite, son of Caleb by his concubine Maachah and grandson of Hezron
שְׁוָא (she.va) — Sheva.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.8.17;
father of: Elihoreph (H0456) and Ahijah (H0281); also called Shavsha at 1Ch.18.16; Sheva(Ketiv: Sheya) at 2Sa.20.25; Shisha at 1Ki.4.3;
Another name of se.ra.yah (שְׂרָיָהוּ "Seraiah" H8304G)
HC/Npm — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
she'-va (shewa'; Codex Vaticanus Saou; Codex Alexandrinus Saoul, Lucian, Soue):
(1) A son of Caleb by his concubine Maacah (1Ch 2:49).
(2) See SHAVSHA.
Sheva
Heb. Shebher. (1.) The son of Caleb (1 Chr. 2:49).
(2.) Heb. Sheva’, one of David’s scribes (2 Sam. 20:25).
(Jehovah contends). The scribe or royal secretary of David. (2 Samuel 20:26) He is called elsewhere MERAIAH, (2 Samuel 8:17) SHISHA, (1 Kings 4:3) And SHANSHA. (1 Chronicles 18:16) (B.C. 1015.) Son of Caleb ben-Hezron by his concubine Maachah. (1 Chronicles 2:49) (B.C. about 1445.)
vanity; elevation; fame; tumult
סָפַר (safar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to count or recount, with various forms indicating actions like declaring or rehearsing. The noun form סֹפֵר (sofer) refers to a scribe or secretary. The entries highlight its use in contexts of enumeration and record-keeping, but do not present significant disagreement among lexicons.
סָפַר 107 vb. count, Pi. recount, relate
Qal 27
count things, to learn their number
number = take account of, carefully observe and consider, reckon
Niph. be counted, numbered
Pi. 67 recount, rehearse, declare
Pu. be recounted, related, rehearsed
base
סֹפֵר, סוֹפֵר n.m. enumerator, muster-officer, secretary, scribe
base
H5608a סָפַר count, Pi. recount, relate .. count things, to learn their number
. number = take account of, carefully observe and consider, reckon
. be counted, numbered
. recount, rehearse, declare
. be recounted, related, rehearsed
H5608b סֹפֵר, סוֹפֵר enumerator, muster-officer, secretary, scribe
5608 caphar saw-far'
a primitive root; properly, to score with a mark as a tally
or record, i.e. (by implication) to inscribe, and also to
enumerate; intensively, to recount, i.e. celebrate:--commune,
(ac-)count; declare, number, + penknife, reckon, scribe, shew
forth, speak, talk, tell (out), writer.
סָפַר (sa.phar) — to recount.
v
1) to count, recount, relate
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to count (things)
1a2) to number, take account of, reckon
1b) (Niphal) to be counted, be numbered
1c) (Piel) to recount, rehearse, declare
1c1) to recount (something), rehearse
1c2) to talk
1c3) to count exactly or accurately
1d) (Pual) to be recounted, be rehearsed, be related
סֹפֵר (so.pher) — secretary.
1) enumerator, muster-officer, secretary, scribe
1a) enumerator, muster-officer, secretary
1b) learned man, scribe
Aramaic equivalent: sa.pher (סָפִר "scribe" H5613)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
The Hebrew word צָדוֹק (Tsadowq) means 'righteous' and refers primarily to the name Zadok, associated with several notable figures in the Old Testament. This includes a high priest during King David's reign, who supported him and anointed Solomon. The entries detail various individuals named Zadok, including priests and wall-builders during the time of Nehemiah.
צָדוֹק, and צָדֹק 54 n.pr.m. (just, righteous)
48 priests
father-in-law of Uzziah
two wall-builders
base
H6659 צָדוֹק, צָדֹק
6659 Tsadowq tsaw-doke'
from 6663; just; Tsadok, the name of eight or nine
Israelites:--Zadok.
see HEBREW for 06663
צָדוֹק (tsa.doq) — Zadok.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.8.17;
son of: Ahitub (H0285H);
father of: Ahimaaz (H0290H)
§ Zadok = "righteous"
1) the high priest, son of Ahitub of the house of Eleazar the son of Aaron, and 11th in descent from Aaron; joined David after Saul's death and supported him against Absalom and Adonijah; anointed Solomon as king
2) a priest, son of Meraioth, father of Meshullam of the house of Ahitub; apparently a nephew of 1
3) father of Jerusha, the wife of king Uzziah and mother of king Jotham of Judah
4) son of Baana and repairer of the wall of Jerusalem in the time of Nehemiah
5) son of Immer and repairer of the wall of Jerusalem in the time of Nehemiah
6) a leader of the people in the time of Nehemiah
7) a scribe appointed by Nehemiah as one of the treasurers over the storehouse
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
za'-dok (tsadowq, once tsadhoq (1Ki 1:26), similar to tsaddiq, and tsadduq, post-Biblical, meaning justus, "righteous"; Septuagint Sadok): Cheyne in Encyclopedia Biblica suggests that Zadok was a modification of a Gentilic name, that of the Zidkites the Negeb, who probably derived their appellation from the root ts-d-q, a secondary title of the god they worshipped. At the same time Cheyne admits that cultivated Israelites may have interpreted Zadok as meaning "just," "righteous"--a much more credible supposition.
(1) Zadok the son of Ahitub (2Sa 8:17)--not of Ahitub the ancestor of Ahimelech (1Sa 14:3) and of Abiathar, his son (1Sa 22:20).
Zadok
Righteous. (1.) A son of Ahitub, of the line of Eleazer (2 Sam. 8:17; 1 Chr. 24:3), high priest in the time of David (2 Sam. 20:25) and Solomon (1 Kings 4:4). He is first mentioned as coming to take part with David at Hebron (1 Chr. 12:27, 28). He was probably on this account made ruler over the Aaronites (27:17). Zadok and Abiathar acted as high priests on several important occasions (1 Chr. 15:11; 2 Sam. 15:24-29, 35, 36); but when Adonijah endeavoured to secure the throne, Abiathar went with him, and…
(just). Son of Ahitub and one of the two chief priests in the time of David, Abiathar being the other. Zadok was of the house of Eleazar the son of Aaron, (1 Chronicles 24:3) and eleventh in descent from Aaron. (1 Chronicles 12:28) He joined David at Hebron after Saul’s death, (1 Chronicles 12:28) and thenceforth his fidelity to David was inviolable. When Absalom revolted and David fled from Jerusalem, Zadok and all the Levites bearing the ark accompanied him. When Absalom was dead, Zadok and Abiathar were the persons who persuaded the elders of Judah to invite David to return. (2 Samuel 19:11) When Adonijah, in David’s old age, set up for king, and had persuaded Joab…
אֶבְיָתָר (Ebyathar) refers to a biblical figure, specifically a priest and the son of Ahimelech. The name suggests a meaning related to abundance or greatness, and he is noted for his loyalty to David before later rebelling with Adonijah. He is first mentioned in 1 Samuel 22:20.
אֶבְיָתָר n.pr.m. (the Great One is father (?)) a priest, son of Ahimelech
base
H54 אֶבְיָתָר
54 'Ebyathar ab-yaw-thawr'
contracted from 1 and 3498; father of abundance (i.e.
liberal); Ebjathar, an Israelite:--Abiathar.
see HEBREW for 01
see HEBREW for 03498
אֶבְיָתָר (ev.ya.tar) — Abiathar.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.22.20;
son of: Ahimelech (H0288);
father of: Ahimelech (H0288I), Jonathan (H3083I)
Also named: Abiathar (Ἀβιαθάρ "Abiathar" G0008)
§ Abiathar = "my father is great"
priest, son of Ahitub (Ahimelech), faithful to David, but later rebelled with Adonijah
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
a-bi'-a-thar, ab-i-a'-thar ('ebhyathar, "father of super-excellence," or, "the super-excellent one is father." With changed phraseology these are the explanations commonly given, though "a father remains" would be more in accord with the ordinary use of the stem yathar. The pious Abiathar was still conscious that he had a Father, even after the butchery of his human relatives):
1. The Biblical Account:
The Scriptures represent that Abiathar was descended from Phinehas the son of Eli, and through him from Ithamar the son of Aaron; that he was the son of Ahimelech the head priest at Nob who, with his associates, was put to death by King Saul for alleged conspiracy with David; that he had two sons, Ahimelech and Jonathan, the former of whom was, in Abiathar's lifetime, prominent in the priestly service (1Sa 21:1-9; 22:7 ff;
Abiathar
Father of abundance, or my father excels, the son of Ahimelech the high priest. He was the tenth high priest, and the fourth in descent from Eli. When his father was slain with the priests of Nob, he escaped, and bearing with him the ephod, he joined David, who was then in the cave of Adullam (1 Sam. 22:20-23; 23:6). He remained with David, and became priest of the party of which he was the leader (1 Sam. 30:7). When David ascended the throne of Judah, Abiathar was appointed high priest (1 Chr. 15:11; 1 Kings 2:26) and the “king’s companion” (1 Chr. 27:34). Meanwhile Zadok, of the house of Eleazar, had been…
(father of abundance , i.e. liberal), High priest and fourth in descent from Eli. (B.C. 1060-1012.) Abiathar was the only one of the all the sons of Ahimelech the high priest who escaped the slaughter inflicted upon his father’s house by Saul, in revenge for his father’s house by Saul, in revenge of his having inquired of the Lord for David and given him the shew-bread to eat. (1 Samuel 22:1) ... Abiathar having become high priest fled to David, and was thus enabled to inquire of the Lord for him. (1 Samuel 23:9; 30:7; 2 Samuel 2:1; 5:19) etc. He adhered to David in his wanderings while pursued by Saul; he was with him while he reigned in Hebron, and afterwards in Jerusalem. (
Son of Ahimelech, and tenth high priest of the Jews. When Saul sent his emissaries to Nob, to destroy all the priests there, Abiathar, who was young, fled to David in the wilderness, 1Sa 22:11-23, with whom he continued in the character of priest, 1Sa 23:9 30:7. Being confirmed in the high priesthood on David’s accession to the throne, he aided in bringing up the ark to Jerusalem, 1Co 15:11,12, and adhered to David during the rebellion of Absalom, 2Sa 15:35, but afterwards was led to follow Adonijah, thus strangely betraying his royal friend in his old age. Solomon succeeding to the throne, degraded him from the priesthood, and sent him to Anathoth,
כֹּהֵן (kohen) means 'priest' and is derived from the active participle of a related root. It encompasses various types of priests, including Levitical, Aaronic, and even pagan priests, as well as chief rulers or principal officers. The term is used in contexts referring to both Jewish and non-Jewish priestly roles.
כֹּהֵן 750 n.m. priest
base
H3548 כֹּהֵן priest
3548 kohen ko-hane'
active participle of 3547; literally, one officiating, a
priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a
layman):--chief ruler, X own, priest, prince, principal
officer.
see HEBREW for 03547
כֹּהֵן (ko.hen) — priest.
1) priest, principal officer or chief ruler
1a) priest-king (Melchizedek, Messiah)
1b) pagan priests
1c) priests of Jehovah
1d) Levitical priests
1e) Zadokite priests
1f) Aaronic priests
1g) the high priest
Aramaic equivalent: ka.hen (כָּהֵן "priest" H3549)
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa