Bible Strands
2 Samuel 20:25
Sheva was the scribe; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator records a closing administrative roster for David’s court immediately after the account of Sheba’s rebellion. The text provides no dialogue but lists officials to mark the kingdom’s restored governance.
The words — The Hebrew סֹפֵר (sofer) translates literally as "secretary" or "scribe," indicating an official record-keeper. The term כּוֹהֲנִים (kohanim) formally designates Zadok and Abiathar as holding the recognized priestly office.
The thread — This roster parallels official listings in 2 Samuel 8:17, 1 Kings 4:4, and 1 Chronicles 18:16. Those passages document David’s administrative structure but vary in specific names and titles, reflecting different historical records of the same court system.
Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to note the documented bureaucracy that stabilized David’s government after civil unrest. It directs attention to how religious and civil offices were formally recorded rather than to doctrinal instruction.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:
Cross-references
- 2 Samuel 8:17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was the scribe;
- 1 Kings 4:4 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in charge of the army; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
- 1 Chronicles 18:16 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Shavsha was the scribe;