1 Samuel 21:2

1 Samuel 21:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.
• New International Version (NIV)David answered Ahimelek the priest, “The king sent me on a mission and said to me, ‘No one is to know anything about the mission I am sending you on.’ As for my men, I have told them to meet me at a certain place.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And David said to Ahimelech the priest, "The king has charged me with a matter and said to me, 'Let no one know anything of the matter about which I send you, and with which I have charged you.' I have made an appointment with the young men for such and such a place.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has ordered me on some business, and said to me, ‘Do not let anyone know anything about the business on which I send you, or what I have commanded you.’ And I have directed my young men to such and such a place.

Context of 1 Samuel 21:2

1(21:2) David went to Ahimelech the priest in Nob. Ahimelech was shaking with fear when he met David, and said to him, “Why are you by yourself with no one accompanying you?” David replied to Ahimelech the priest, “The king instructed me to do something, but he said to me, ‘Don’t let anyone know the reason I am sending you or the instructions I have given you.’ I have told my soldiers to wait at a certain place. 3Now what do you have at your disposal? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever can be found.” 4The priest replied to David, “I don’t have any ordinary bread at my disposal. Only holy bread is available, and then only if your soldiers have abstained from sexual relations with women.”

1 Samuel 21:2 word by word

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד לַאֲחִימֶ֣לֶךְ הַכֹּהֵ֗ן הַמֶּלֶךְ֮ צִוַּ֣נִי דָבָר֒ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֗י אִ֣ישׁ אַל־יֵ֧דַע מְא֛וּמָה אֶת־הַדָּבָ֛ר אֲשֶׁר־אָנֹכִ֥י שֹׁלֵֽחֲךָ֖ וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּיתִ֑ךָ וְאֶת־הַנְּעָרִ֣ים יוֹדַ֔עְתִּי אֶל־מְק֥וֹם פְּלֹנִ֖י אַלְמוֹנִֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto Ahimelechאֲחִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăchîymelek · AhimelechH288
• the priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• The kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• hath commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• me a businessדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
• unto me, Let no manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• any thingמְא֫וּמָהme'ûmâh · anythingH3972
• whereabout I sendשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• servantsנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• to suchפְּלֹנִיpelônîy · someoneH6423
• and suchאַלְמֹנִי'almônîy · someoneH492
• a placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 21:2

• 1 Samuel 19:17Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me this way by sending my enemy away? Now he has escaped!” Michal replied to Saul, “He said to me, ‘Help me get away or else I will kill you!’”
• 1 Samuel 22:22Then David said to Abiathar, “I knew that day when Doeg the Edomite was there that he would certainly tell Saul! I am guilty of all the deaths in your father’s house!
• Genesis 27:20But Isaac asked his son, “How in the world did you find it so quickly, my son?” “Because the Lord your God brought it to me,” he replied.
• 1 Kings 13:18The old prophet then said, “I too am a prophet like you. An angel told me with the Lord’s authority, ‘Bring him back with you to your house so he can eat and drink.’” But he was lying to him.
• Psalms 119:29Remove me from the path of deceit! Graciously give me your law!
• Galatians 2:12Until certain people came from James, he had been eating with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he stopped doing this and separated himself because he was afraid of those who were pro-circumcision.
• Colossians 3:9Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 21:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2The king hath commanded me a business - All said here is an untruth, and could not be dictated by the Spirit of the Lord; but there is no reason to believe that David was under the influence of Divine inspiration at this time. It is well known that from all antiquity it was held no crime to tell a lie, in order to save life. Thus Diphilus: - ̔ ͅ , . "I hold it right to tell a lie, in order to procure my personal safety; nothing should be avoided in order…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2A fresh instance of David‘s unscrupulous readiness of invention (compare 1 Samuel 20:6).Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2“The king has given me a mission,”: David lied to hide that he was an outlaw and to ease Ahimelech's concerns.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know--This was a direct falsehood, extorted through fear. David probably supposed, like many other persons, that a lie is quite excusable which is told for the sole purpose of saving the speaker's life. But what is essentially sinful, can never, from circumstances, change its immoral character; and David had to repent of this vice of lying (Psa 119:29).Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 21:2

• Betrayal
• Confidence
• David
• Tabernacle

In the dictionaries

• David
• Ahimelech
• Bread
• Judges, Book of
• Manner
• Quotations
• Require
• Shewbread
• Abiathar
• Business

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