1 Samuel 21:5 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:1-9

Here, I. David, in distress, flies in the tabernacle of God, now pitched at Nob, supposed to be a city in the tribe of Benjamin. Since Shiloh was forsaken, the tabernacle was often removed, though the ark still remained at Kirjath-jearim. Hither David came in his flight from Saul's fury (1 Sam. 21:1), and applied to Ahimelech the priest. Samuel the prophet could not protect him, Jonathan the prince could not. He therefore has recourse next to Ahimelech the priest. He foresees he must now be an... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:5

And David answered the priest, and said unto him ,.... In reply to the case of the young men his servants, and of himself too, who also was intended by the priest, though out of reverence to him not mentioned: of a truth women have been kept from us these three days since I came out ; reckoning either from the time he fled from Saul at Naioth, or from the time he left Jonathan, during which time both he and his men could have no converse with women, and receive no pollution by them;... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:5-6

About these three days since I came out. This exactly agrees with the time during which David had lain concealed ( 1 Samuel 20:24 , 1 Samuel 20:27 , 1 Samuel 20:35 ), and explains the hunger under which he was suffering, as he had no doubt taken with him only feed sufficient for his immediate wants, he wishes, however, the high priest to believe that he had been engaged with his men during this time on public business, whereas they had been at home and some of them possibly were... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 21:5

The vessels of the young men ... - i. e., their clothes Deuteronomy 22:5 or wallets (marginal reference), or other articles which might be Levitically unclean and need cleansing (Leviticus 13:58; Exodus 19:10, etc.; Mark 7:4), as well as the person.And the bread ... - The meaning is; “Though it is treating it like common bread to give it to me and my young men, there is fresh showbread baked and put on the table in place of what you give us;” the day being Friday. as is indicated in the verse... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Samuel 21:5

1 Samuel 21:5. About these three days As long as the law required, Exodus 19:15. And so long, it seems, David and his men had hid themselves for fear of Saul, whereby they were kept both from their wives and from food convenient for them. The vessels of the young men are holy That Isaiah , 1 st, Either their garments, or other utensils for their journey; or, 2d, Their bodies. The bread (Hebrew, והוא , v ehu, and this) is in a manner common That is, the bread which had been taken... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:1-15

Flight from Saul (21:1-15)The first place to which David fled was Nob, which, since the destruction of Shiloh, had become the city of priests (21:1). About this time a few personal servants joined him, according to an arrangement he had made with them earlier. David obtained food for himself and his men by deceiving Ahimelech the priest concerning the purpose of his journey. Unfortunately for him, and for Ahimelech and the other priests, he was seen by someone sympathetic to Saul (2-9).From Nob... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Samuel 21:5

vessels = wallets. Compare 1 Samuel 17:40 . Word not used in O.T. in the N.T. sense of 2 Timothy 2:21 . 1 Thessalonians 4:4 , &. c. holy. See note on Exodus 3:5 . Compare "hallowed", 1 Samuel 21:4 . yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel = and the more so, when to-day [there are other loaves] to be hallowed in respect of their vessels, read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 Samuel 21:5

1 Samuel 21:5. And the vessels of the young men— i.e. their bodies; see 1 Thessalonians 4:4. Houbigant renders this verse, David answered the priest, We have indeed been absent from our wives these three days, since I came out; and the vessels of the young men are holy. But if any uncleanness had happened by the way, on this very day their vessels are clean; rightly observing, that the word כלי kelei, rendered vessels, cannot with any propriety be understood of the bodies of the young men in... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 21:5

5. these three days—as required by law (Exodus 19:15). David and his attendants seem to have been lurking in some of the adjoining caves, to elude pursuit, and to have been, consequently, reduced to great extremities of hunger. the bread is in a manner common—that is, now that it is no longer standing on the Lord's table. It is eaten by the priests, and may also, in our circumstances, be eaten by us. yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel—that is, though the hallowed bread had... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Samuel 21:1-9

David’s flight to Nob 21:1-9Nob stood one and one-half miles northeast of Jerusalem and two and one-half miles southeast of Gibeah. It stood on what is now called Mt. Scopus. There Ahimelech served as high priest. Priestly activity, and evidently the tabernacle, were now there (cf. 1 Samuel 17:54). It is significant that David’s first place of refuge was among God’s chosen representatives on earth. He wanted to get help from the Lord through them (cf. 1 Samuel 22:10) as he had done in the past... read more