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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)“The king has sent me on a private matter,” David said. “He told me not to tell anyone why I am here. I have told my men where to meet me later.

Context of 1 Samuel 21:2

1David went to Nob, to Ahimelek the priest. Ahimelek trembled when he met him, and asked, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?” 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. 3Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever you can find.” 4But the priest answered David, “I don’t have any ordinary bread on hand; however, there is some consecrated bread here—provided the men have kept themselves from 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 did you deceive me like this and send my enemy away so that he escaped?” Michal told him, “He said to me, ‘Let me get away. Why should I kill you?’ ”
• 1 Samuel 22:22Then David said to Abiathar, “That day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, I knew he would be sure to tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of your whole family.
• Genesis 27:20Isaac asked his son, “How did you find it so quickly, my son?” “The Lord your God gave me success,” he replied.
• 1 Kings 13:18The old prophet answered, “I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the Lord: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.’ ” (But he was lying to him.)
• Psalms 119:29Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me and teach me your law.
• Galatians 2:12For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.
• Colossians 3:9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self 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