1 Samuel 21:4

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.

And the priest {H3548} answered {H6030} David {H1732}, and said {H559}, There is no common {H2455} bread {H3899} under mine hand {H3027}, but there is {H3426} hallowed {H6944} bread {H3899}; if the young men {H5288} have kept {H8104} themselves at least {H389} from women {H802}.

The cohen answered David, "I don't have any regular bread; however, there is consecrated bread - but only if the guards have abstained from women.

“There is no common bread on hand,” the priest replied, “but there is some consecrated bread—provided that the young men have kept themselves from women.”

And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; if only the young men have kept themselves from women.

Commentary

In 1 Samuel 21:4, we find David, a fugitive from King Saul, in a desperate situation, seeking sustenance from Ahimelech the priest at Nob. This verse captures a pivotal moment where the priest explains the limited provisions available and the conditions for their consumption.

Context

David, having fled from the increasingly paranoid King Saul (as recounted in 1 Samuel 20), arrives at Nob, the city of priests. He is accompanied by young men and is in urgent need of food. To secure provisions, David fabricates a story about being on a secret mission for the king. Ahimelech, having no ordinary provisions, offers the consecrated "hallowed bread," but only if David's men have maintained ritual purity.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Desperation vs. Divine Provision: David's urgent need for food highlights the extremities he faced while on the run. The provision of the hallowed bread, though unconventional, demonstrates God's care even in dire circumstances.
  • The Sacredness of the Showbread: The "hallowed bread" (also known as the Bread of the Presence or showbread) was consecrated bread placed before the Lord in the Tabernacle as a perpetual offering (Leviticus 24:5-9). It was typically reserved only for the priests.
  • Ritual Purity: Ahimelech's condition regarding the young men having "kept themselves from women" refers to a requirement for ritual purity, often associated with holy war or sacred service (Exodus 19:15). This underscores the sanctity of the bread and the seriousness with which the law was generally observed.
  • Mercy Over Sacrifice: This event is famously referenced by Jesus Christ in the New Testament (Matthew 12:3-4, Mark 2:25-26, Luke 6:3-4). Jesus uses David's actions to teach that human need and mercy can, in certain circumstances, take precedence over the strict letter of the ceremonial law.

Linguistic Insights

The term "hallowed bread" translates from the Hebrew lechem qodesh (לחם קדש), meaning "holy bread" or "bread of holiness." This emphasizes its sacred nature and separation from ordinary, "common bread." The phrase "kept themselves at least from women" signifies a state of ceremonial cleanness, a temporary abstinence required for entering into sacred service or participating in a holy endeavor, reflecting the Old Testament's emphasis on ritual purity in the presence of God.

Practical Application

This passage offers a profound lesson on the balance between law and grace. While God's laws are essential, His mercy and compassion for human need are paramount. It reminds us that rituals and regulations are given for our good, but they should not become a burden that negates compassion. For believers today, it highlights the principle that love and mercy often fulfill the spirit of the law, echoing the New Testament emphasis on love as the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:10).

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Cross-References

  • Exodus 19:15 (6 votes)

    And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at [your] wives.

  • Matthew 12:3 (6 votes)

    But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;

  • Matthew 12:4 (6 votes)

    How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

  • Exodus 25:30 (5 votes)

    And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway.

  • Leviticus 24:5 (3 votes)

    And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake.

  • Leviticus 24:9 (3 votes)

    And it shall be Aaron's and his sons'; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it [is] most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute.

  • 1 Corinthians 7:5 (3 votes)

    Defraud ye not one the other, except [it be] with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.