1 Samuel 21:3

3 Now therefore, what is under thine hand? Give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present."

1 Samuel 21:3 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 21:3

Now therefore what is under thine hand?
&c.] Meaning, what food had he in his house?

give [me] five [loaves of] bread in mine hand;
to take with him, for him and his servants in such a place:

or what there is present;
or to be found ^F7 in the tabernacle; if not five loaves, two, or three, or four, or what food soever he had by him.

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 (aumnh) "quicquid inveneris", V. L, "inventum", Montanus; "quicquid inventum fuerit", Tigurine version.

1 Samuel 21:3 In-Context

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 anything of the business about which I send thee and what I have commanded thee.' And I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.

3 Now therefore, what is under thine hand? Give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present."

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

5 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."