God’s Word Translation
Matthew 12:4
4Haven’t you read how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of the presence? He and his men had no right to eat those loaves. Only the priests have that right.
Matthew 12:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?
- New International Version (NIV)He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.
- English Standard Version (ESV)how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?
- New King James Version (NKJV)how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?
Context of Matthew 12:4
2When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing something that is not right to do on the day of rest—a holy day.” 3Jesus asked them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his men were hungry? Haven’t you read how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of the presence? He and his men had no right to eat those loaves. Only the priests have that right. 5Or haven’t you read in Moses’ Teachings that on the day of rest—a holy day, the priests in the temple do things they shouldn’t on the day of rest yet remain innocent? 6I can guarantee that something greater than the temple is here.
Read all of Matthew 12Matthew 12:4 word by word
πῶς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἄρτους τῆς προθέσεως ἔφαγον, ὃ οὐκ ἐξὸν ἦν αὐτῷ φαγεῖν οὐδὲ τοῖς μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ εἰ μὴ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν μόνοις;¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
- he enteredεἰσέρχομαιeiserchomai · to enterG1525
- intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- the houseὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the houseοἶκοςoikos · house: homeG3624
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- did eatφαγεῖνphagō · to eatG5315
- the shewbreadἄρτοςartos · breadG740
- the shewbreadπρόθεσιςprothesis · purposeG4286
- whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- notοὐou · noG3756
- lawfulἔξεστι, ἐξόνexesti · be permittedG1832
- for himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- neitherοὐδέoude · norG3761
- withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
- butεἰei · if: notG1487
- ·μήmē · notG3361
- onlyμόνοςmonos · aloneG3441
- for the priestsἱερεύςhiereus · priestG2409
Cross-references for Matthew 12:4
- Exodus 25:30Put the bread of the presence on this table so that it will be in front of me all the time.
- Leviticus 24:5“Also take flour and bake twelve rings of bread. Each ring will contain four quarts of flour.
- Exodus 29:32At the entrance to the tent of meeting, Aaron and his sons will eat the meat of the ram and the bread ⌞left⌟ in the basket.
- Leviticus 8:31Moses told Aaron and his sons: “Cook the meat at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Take the meat and the bread in the basket of the ordination offering. Eat them there as I commanded when I said, ‘Aaron and his sons will eat it.’
- 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.”
Commentaries on Matthew 12:4
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4How he entered into the house of God - That is, the “tabernacle,” the temple not being then built. Have ye not read in the law? - In the law, or in the books of Moses. Profane the Sabbath - He referred them to the conduct of the priests also. On the Sabbath days they were engaged, as well as on other days, in killing beasts for sacrifice, Numbers 28:9-10. Two lambs were killed on the Sabbath, in addition to the daily sacrifice. The priests must be engaged…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4Sometimes it was right to suspend ceremonial laws (1 Samuel 21:1–6).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?--No example could be more apposite than this. The man after God's own heart, of whom the Jews ever boasted, when suffering in God's cause and straitened for provisions, asked and obtained from the high priest what, according to the law, it was illegal for anyone save the priests to touch…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 12:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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