God’s Word Translation
1 Samuel 21:5
5David answered the priest, “Of course women have been kept away from us as usual when we go ⌞on a mission⌟. The young men’s bodies are kept holy even on ordinary campaigns. How much more then will their bodies be holy today?”
1 Samuel 21:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.
- New International Version (NIV)David replied, “Indeed women have been kept from us, as usual whenever I set out. The men’s bodies are holy even on missions that are not holy. How much more so today!”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And David answered the priest, "Truly women have been kept from us as always when I go on an expedition. The vessels of the young men are holy even when it is an ordinary journey. How much more today will their vessels be holy?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then David answered the priest, and said to him, “Truly, women have been kept from us about three days since I came out. And the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in effect common, even though it was consecrated in the vessel this day.”
Context of 1 Samuel 21:5
3⌞David added,⌟ “Now, what do you have ⌞to eat⌟? Give me five loaves of bread or whatever you can find.” 4“I don’t have any ordinary bread,” the chief priest answered David. “But there is holy bread for the young men if they haven’t had sexual intercourse ⌞today⌟.” David answered the priest, “Of course women have been kept away from us as usual when we go ⌞on a mission⌟. The young men’s bodies are kept holy even on ordinary campaigns. How much more then will their bodies be holy today?” 6So the priest gave him holy ⌞bread⌟ because he only had the bread of the presence which had been taken from the Lord’s presence and replaced with warm bread that day. 7That same day one of Saul’s servants who was obligated to stay in the Lord’s presence was there. His name was Doeg. A foreman for Saul’s shepherds, he was from Edom.
Read all of 1 Samuel 211 Samuel 21:5 word by word
וַיַּעַן֩ דָּוִ֨ד אֶת־הַכֹּהֵ֜ן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ כִּ֣י אִם־אִשָּׁ֤ה עֲצֻֽרָה־לָ֙נוּ֙ כִּתְמ֣וֹל שִׁלְשֹׁ֔ם בְּצֵאתִ֕י וַיִּהְי֥וּ כְלֵֽי־הַנְּעָרִ֖ים קֹ֑דֶשׁ וְהוּא֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ חֹ֔ל וְאַ֕ף כִּ֥י הַיּ֖וֹם יִקְדַּ֥שׁ בַּכֶּֽלִי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- answeredעוּן‛ânâh · to dwellH6030
- the priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto him, Of a truthאִם'im · ifH518
- womenאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
- keptעָצַר‛âtsar · to restrainH6113
- from us about these threeשִׁלְשֹׁםshilshôm shilshôm · three days agoH8032
- daysתְּמוֹלtemôl temôl · yesterdayH8543
- since I came outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- and the vesselsכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627
- of the young menנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- are holyקֹ֫דֶשׁqôdesh · holinessH6944
- in a mannerדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
- commonחֹלchôl · commonH2455
- yea, though it were sanctifiedקָדַשׁqâdash · to consecrate: consecateH6942
- this dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 21:5
- Acts 9:15The Lord told Ananias, “Go! I’ve chosen this man to bring my name to nations, to kings, and to the people of Israel.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:3It is God’s will that you keep away from sexual sin as a mark of your devotion to him.
- 2 Timothy 2:20In a large house there are not only objects made of gold and silver, but also those made of wood and clay. Some objects are honored when they are used; others aren’t.
- 1 Peter 3:17After all, if it is God’s will, it’s better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong.
- Leviticus 24:9The bread will belong to Aaron and his sons. They will eat it in a holy place. It is very holy, set apart from the Lord’s offering by fire. This is a permanent law.”
- Leviticus 8:26He took a loaf of unleavened bread, a ring of bread made with olive oil, and a wafer from the basket of unleavened bread which was in the Lord’s presence. He put them on the fat and the right thigh.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 21:5
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5The vessels of the young men - i. e., their clothes Deuteronomy 22:5 or wallets (marginal reference), or other articles which might be Levitically unclean and need cleansing (Leviticus 13:58; Exodus 19:10, etc.; Mark 7:4), as well as the person. And the bread - The meaning is; “Though it is treating it like common bread to give it to me and my young men, there is fresh showbread baked and put on the table in place of what you give us;” the day being…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. these three days--as required by law (Ex 19:15). David and his attendants seem to have been lurking in some of the adjoining caves, to elude pursuit, and to have been, consequently, reduced to great extremities of hunger. the bread is in a manner common--that is, now that it is no longer standing on the Lord's table. It is eaten by the priests, and may also, in our circumstances, be eaten by us. yea, though it were sanctified this day in the…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 21:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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