1 Samuel 21:6

6 So 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.

1 Samuel 21:6 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
6 So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.
English Standard Version (ESV)
6 So the priest gave him the holy bread, for there was no bread there but the bread of the Presence, which is removed from before the LORD, to be replaced by hot bread on the day it is taken away.
New Living Translation (NLT)
6 Since there was no other food available, the priest gave him the holy bread—the Bread of the Presence that was placed before the LORD in the Tabernacle. It had just been replaced that day with fresh bread.
The Message Bible (MSG)
6 So the priest gave them the holy bread. It was the only bread he had, Bread of the Presence that had been removed from God's presence and replaced by fresh bread at the same time.
American Standard Version (ASV)
6 So the priest gave him holy [bread]; for there was no bread there but the showbread, that was taken from before Jehovah, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
6 So the priest gave him holy [bread] because he only had the bread of the presence which had been taken from the LORD's presence and replaced with warm bread that day.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
6 So the priest gave him the consecrated [bread], for there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence that had been removed from before the Lord. When the bread was removed, it had been replaced with warm bread.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
6 So the priest gave him the holy bread. It was the only bread he had. It had been removed from the table that was in front of the Lord. On the same day, hot bread had been put in its place.

1 Samuel 21:6 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 21:6

So the priest gave him hallowed [bread]
Being satisfied with the account he gave of himself, and his young men, and of the lawfulness of it in case of necessity, acts of mercy being to be preferred to ritual services. Whether he gave him five loaves, as he desired, is not said; but the reason of his giving him such sort of bread is observed,

for there was no bread there;
in the tabernacle, whatever might be in the house of the priest:

but the shewbread that was taken from before the Lord;
from off of the shewbread table; and it seems to have been just taken off, it being sabbath day, and not as yet carried to the house of the priest, and divided among the other priests as usual; and which was then removed, to put hot bread, in the day that it was taken away; that is, new bread, twelve fresh cakes; for when the twelve, that had stood a week on the shewbread table were removed, twelve more were immediately put in their room, and it seems by this they were put hot there; but here arises a difficulty, how they could be put hot there, when it was not lawful to bake on a sabbath day. About this the Jews are divided; some say they were baked on the sabbath day, but the greater part say that baking did not drive away the sabbath, or it was lawful on the sabbath day; but others say that they were baked on the evening of the sabbath, and kept in the oven until the time of their being set upon the table {h}; and, as Abarbinel observes, the mouth of the oven might be stopped up till that time to keep in the heat; but others say F9 this heat was miraculous, or that a miracle was wrought for the sake of it; which is not probable.


FOOTNOTES:

F8 T. Bab. Menachot, fol. 95. 2.
F9 T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 2l. 1. Menachot, fol. 96. 2.

1 Samuel 21:6 In-Context

4 But 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.”
5 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!”
6 So 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.
7 Now one of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the LORD; he was Doeg the Edomite, Saul’s chief shepherd.
8 David asked Ahimelek, “Don’t you have a spear or a sword here? I haven’t brought my sword or any other weapon, because the king’s mission was urgent.”

Cross References 1

  • 1. Leviticus 24:8-9; S Exodus 25:30; 1 Samuel 22:10; Matthew 12:3-4; Mark 2:25-28; Luke 6:1-5
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