1 Samuel 21:5

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.
• 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.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)“Don’t worry,” David replied. “I never allow my men to be with women when we are on a campaign. And since they stay clean even on ordinary trips, how much more on this one!”

Context of 1 Samuel 21:5

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.” 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!” 6So 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. 7Now one of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the Lord; he was Doeg the Edomite, Saul’s chief shepherd.

1 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 Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:3It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;
• 2 Timothy 2:20In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use.
• 1 Peter 3:17For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
• Leviticus 24:9It belongs to Aaron and his sons, who are to eat it in the sanctuary area, because it is a most holy part of their perpetual share of the food offerings presented to the Lord.”
• Leviticus 8:26And from the basket of bread made without yeast, which was before the Lord, he took one thick loaf, one thick loaf with olive oil mixed in, and one thin loaf, and he put these on the fat portions 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

• Betrayal
• Confidence
• David
• Tabernacle

In the dictionaries

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

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