1 Samuel 21:8

8 David said to Ahimelech, "Now is there not a spear or a sword on hand? For I brought neither * my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's matter was urgent."

1 Samuel 21:8 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 21:8

And David said unto Ahimelech
After he had given him some of the loaves of the shewbread:

and is there not here under thine hand spear or sword?
any weapon, meaning in the tabernacle, and in his keeping, and at his disposal; he knew the sword of Goliath was there, and perhaps had a principal view to it, and put this question in order to get that in his possession:

for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me;
neither his sword, nor any part of his armour, but was come quite naked and unarmed and, as he pretended,

because the king's business required haste;
still continuing his lie; whereas the true reason was, he was let down in haste by his wife through a window of his house, and could not stay to take his armour with him; and had lain hid for some time, and passed incognito from place to place, and without armour, that he might be the less known and observed, and least suspected; though it may seem strange that Jonathan had not provided him with a sword.

1 Samuel 21:8 In-Context

6 So the priest gave him consecrated bread; for there was no bread there but the bread of the Presence which was removed from before the LORD , in order to put hot bread in its place when it was taken away.
7 Now one of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD ; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul's shepherds.
8 David said to Ahimelech, "Now is there not a spear or a sword on hand? For I brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's matter was urgent."
9 Then the priest said, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah, behold, it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod; if you would take it for yourself, take it. For there is no other except it here." And David said, "There is none like it; give it to me."
10 Then David arose and fled that day from Saul, and went to Achish king of Gath.

Footnotes 2

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