1 Samuel 21:6

1 Samuel 21:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the Lord, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.
• New International Version (NIV)So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence that had been removed from before the Lord and replaced by hot bread on the day it was taken away.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So the priest gave him the holy bread, for there was no bread there but the bread of the Presence, which is removed from before the Lord, to be replaced by hot bread on the day it is taken away.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the showbread which had been taken from before the Lord, in order to put hot bread in its place on the day when it was taken away.

Context of 1 Samuel 21:6

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.” 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!” So 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.) 8David said to Ahimelech, “Is there no sword or spear here at your disposal? I don’t have my own sword or equipment in hand due to the urgency of the king’s instructions.”

1 Samuel 21:6 word by word

וַיִּתֶּן־ל֥וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן קֹ֑דֶשׁ כִּי֩ לֹא־הָ֨יָה שָׁ֜ם לֶ֗חֶם כִּֽי־אִם־לֶ֤חֶם הַפָּנִים֙ הַמּֽוּסָרִים֙ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה לָשׂוּם֙ לֶ֣חֶם חֹ֔ם בְּי֖וֹם הִלָּקְחֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• So the priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• gaveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• him hallowedקֹ֫דֶשׁqôdesh · holinessH6944
• for there was no breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• there but the shewbreadפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• that was takenסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: removeH5493
• from beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• to putשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
• hotחֹםchôm · heatH2527
• in the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• when it was taken awayלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 21:6

• Matthew 12:3He said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry –
• Mark 2:25He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry –
• Luke 6:3Jesus answered them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry –
• Leviticus 24:5“You must take choice wheat flour and bake twelve loaves; there must be two tenths of an ephah of flour in each loaf,

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 21:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6So the priest gave him hallowed bread - To this history our Lord alludes, Mark 2:25, in order to show that in cases of absolute necessity a breach of the ritual law was no sin. It was lawful for the priests only to eat the shew-bread; but David and his companions were starving, no other bread could be had at the time, and therefore he and his companions ate of it without sin.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6gave him the consecrated bread: Jesus referred to this event to show that helping people is more important than strict obedience to religious rules (see Matthew 12:1–8; Mark 2:23–28; Luke 6:1–5). The Bread of the Presence included twelve loaves, possibly one for each tribe. The priests placed them on a table in the Holy Place. They were replaced every Sabbath (see Exodus 25:30; Leviticus 24:5–9).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. there was no bread there--in the tabernacle. The removal of the old and the substitution of the new bread was done on the Sabbath (Le 24:8), the loaves being kept warm in an oven heated the previous day.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 21:6

• Betrayal
• Confidence
• David
• Nob
• Shewbread (Showbread)
• Tabernacle

In the dictionaries

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

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