New King James Version
1 Samuel 21:5
5Then 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.”
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 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 therefore, what have you on hand? Give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever can be found.” 4And the priest answered David and said, “There is no common bread on hand; but there is holy bread, if the young men have at least kept themselves from women.” 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.” 6So 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. 7Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord. And his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chief of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul.
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, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:3For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;
- 2 Timothy 2:20But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.
- 1 Peter 3:17For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
- Leviticus 24:9And it shall be for Aaron and his sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place; for it is most holy to him from the offerings of the Lord made by fire, by a perpetual statute.”
- Leviticus 8:26and from the basket of unleavened bread that was before the Lord he took one unleavened cake, a cake of bread anointed with oil, and one wafer, and put them on the fat 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 King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries