1 Samuel 21:4

And the priest answereth David, and saith, 'There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; if the youths have been kept only from women.'

Young's Literal Translation

In The King James Version

And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.

In Context

3and now, what is there under thy hand? five loaves give into my hand, or that which is found.'

5And David answereth the priest, and saith to him, 'Surely, if women have been restrained from us as heretofore in my going out, then the vessels of the young men are holy, and it [is] a common way: and also, surely to-day it is sanctified in the vessel.'

Read all of 1 Samuel 21

Cross References

Exodus 19:15and he saith unto the people, 'Be ye prepared for the third day, come not nigh unto a woman.'

Leviticus 15:18'And a woman with whom a man lieth with seed of copulation, they also have bathed with water, and been unclean till the evening.

1 Samuel 21:6And the priest giveth to him the holy thing, for there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence which is turned aside from the presence of Jehovah to put hot bread in the day of its being taken away.

Matthew 12:3And he said to them, 'Did ye not read what David did, when he was hungry, himself and those with him —

Matthew Henry on 1 Samuel 21:2-10

David Obtains the Show-Bread; David Gets the Sword of Goliath. ( b. c. 1057.) 1 Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee? 2 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. 3 Now therefore… Read the whole commentary →

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Study 1 Samuel 21:4