New English Translation
1 Samuel 21:5
5David said to the priest, “Certainly women have been kept away from us, just as on previous occasions when I have set out. The soldiers’ equipment is holy, even on an ordinary journey. How much more so will they be holy today, along with their equipment!”
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
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.” David said to the priest, “Certainly women have been kept away from us, just as on previous occasions when I have set out. The soldiers’ equipment is holy, even on an ordinary journey. How much more so will they be holy today, along with their equipment!” 6So the priest gave him holy bread, for there was no bread there other than the bread of the Presence. It had been removed from before the Lord in order to replace it with hot bread on the day it had been taken away. 7(One of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the Lord. His name was Doeg the Edomite, who was in charge of Saul’s shepherds.)
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 9:15But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:3For this is God’s will: that you become holy, that you keep away from sexual immorality,
- 2 Timothy 2:20Now in a wealthy home there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also ones made of wood and of clay, and some are for honorable use, but others for ignoble use.
- 1 Peter 3:17For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it, than for doing evil.
- Leviticus 24:9It will belong to Aaron and his sons, and they must eat it in a holy place because it is most holy to him, a perpetual allotted portion from the gifts of the Lord.”
- Leviticus 8:26and from the basket of unleavened bread that was before the Lord he took one unleavened loaf, one loaf of bread mixed with olive oil, and one wafer, and placed them on the fat parts and on 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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries