1 Samuel 21 5

1 Samuel 21:5 kjv

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.

1 Samuel 21:5 nkjv

Then David answered the priest, and said to him, "Truly, women have been kept from us about three days since I came out. And the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in effect common, even though it was consecrated in the vessel this day."

1 Samuel 21:5 niv

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!"

1 Samuel 21:5 esv

And David answered the priest, "Truly women have been kept from us as always when I go on an expedition. The vessels of the young men are holy even when it is an ordinary journey. How much more today will their vessels be holy?"

1 Samuel 21:5 nlt

"Don't worry," David replied. "I never allow my men to be with women when we are on a campaign. And since they stay clean even on ordinary trips, how much more on this one!"

1 Samuel 21 verses

1 Samuel 21 5 Meaning

David replies to Ahimelech, asserting the ritual purity of his young men, stating that they have abstained from women as required for sacred service or military campaigns. He explains that despite their urgent and unforeseen journey being an unusual circumstance, their "vessels" (meaning their bodies, clothing, or equipment) are currently consecrated. Therefore, David argues that if even common food would be considered hallowed for them under these conditions, then consuming the holy bread of the Presence (shewbread) is permissible today, especially as their immediate need and "vessels" have a holy status.

1 Samuel 21 5 Context

This verse occurs as David flees from King Saul, who seeks to kill him. David, desperate for provisions for himself and his small group of loyal followers, arrives at Nob, the city of priests where the tabernacle was then located. He deceives the high priest Ahimelech, claiming to be on a secret, urgent mission for the king. Ahimelech, having no common bread, questions whether David and his men are ritually clean enough to eat the holy Bread of the Presence (shewbread), which was consecrated bread, usually only permitted for the priests. David’s reply in verse 5 is a direct response to Ahimelech's concern regarding the young men's ceremonial purity, especially in relation to their prior interactions with women, which could render them unclean. The immediate context is one of urgency, deception, and the conflict between ritual law and human necessity.

1 Samuel 21 5 Word analysis

• David answered Ahimelech and said to him: This highlights David's diplomatic skill and quick thinking in a moment of great pressure. His words are carefully chosen to persuade Ahimelech.
• "But indeed" (כִּי אִם - ki im): A strong affirmation or an emphatic particle, introducing David's reassurance and counter-argument. It suggests a firm certainty despite the unusual circumstances.
• "women have been kept from us" (שָׁמוּר הוּא הַיְלָדִים מֵאִשָּׁה - shamur hu hayeladim me'ishshah):
  • Shamur (שָׁמוּר): Kept, guarded, preserved. Implies deliberate abstention.
  • Ishshah (אִשָּׁה): Woman.
  • This refers to the traditional requirement of ritual purity, particularly abstinence from sexual intercourse, often commanded before engaging in holy war (Deut 23:9-14) or approaching God's presence (Exod 19:15). David is asserting that his men meet this stringent standard of purity.
• "as previously when I came out, and all the young men's vessels were holy" (וְגַם תְּמוֹל שִׁלְשׁוֹם בְּצֵאתִי וַיִּהְיוּ כְּלֵי הַנְּעָרִים קֹדֶשׁ - vegam temol shilshom betseti vayihyu kele hannĕ'arim qodesh):
  • Temol shilshom (תְּמוֹל שִׁלְשׁוֹם): "Yesterday, the day before yesterday"; idiom for "formerly" or "as in times past." David claims this has been their consistent practice.
  • Keli (כְּלֵי): Plural of keli (כְּלִי) meaning "vessel," "instrument," "article," or "equipment." In a figurative sense, especially in contexts of purity, it can refer to the human body as a vessel (e.g., 1 Thess 4:4).
  • Qodesh (קֹדֶשׁ): Holy, sacred, set apart. David states that the men, understood as "vessels," are consecrated, meaning they are ritually clean and set apart for a special, albeit undisclosed, mission.
• "even if the food is common, yet it is holy today in the vessel" (וְהוּא הָאֹכֶל חֹול אַף כִּי־קָדוֹשׁ הַיֹּום בַּכְּלִי - vehu ha'okhel chol af ki-kadosh hayom bakeli):
  • This phrase is highly debated by scholars, carrying significant nuance.
  • Ha'okhel chol (הָאֹכֶל חֹול): Literally "the food (is) common/profane." Chol (חֹול) refers to what is ordinary, unhallowed, in contrast to qodesh (holy). David introduces an a fortiori argument.
  • Af ki (אַף כִּי): "How much more," "indeed," "certainly." Intensifying particle.
  • Kadosh hayom bakeli (קָדוֹשׁ הַיֹּום בַּכְּלִי): "It is holy today in the vessel."
  • Interpretation of the full phrase: David argues that given his men's current state of ritual purity ("holy vessels"), if even common food were to be eaten, their sacred state would sanctify its consumption. Therefore, it is much more permissible to eat the holy Bread of the Presence because their "vessels" (bodies/purposes) are uniquely consecrated "today" for an urgent, quasi-holy mission, making its consumption justifiable by divine provision rather than strict ritual compliance. The emphasis is on the men's extraordinary, mission-driven purity enabling them to partake.

1 Samuel 21 5 Bonus section

• Polemics against strict legalism: This passage serves as an early biblical narrative challenging the idea that ritual law must always override all other considerations. It suggests divine understanding and leniency in extreme circumstances, particularly for those performing what they believe to be God's urgent work. This foreshadows Jesus' later clashes with the Pharisees over similar issues.
• David's Strategic Deception: While his reasoning for purity is biblically sound, it's layered over a deception (1 Sam 21:2) about his mission. This raises a moral tension within the narrative, demonstrating that David was capable of calculated deceit when under duress, yet God still providentially used him.
• The Law as Means, Not End: The incident implicitly teaches that the Mosaic Law, while divinely given, served as a means to achieve holiness and order within the covenant community, rather than being an end in itself to be followed without regard for context or higher principles. God's concern extends beyond mere outward ritual to the heart and genuine human necessity.

1 Samuel 21 5 Commentary

1 Samuel 21:5 reveals David's astute response to Ahimelech's dilemma, balancing the rigid requirements of Mosaic law with the exigencies of an immediate, life-threatening situation. David does not deny the sacredness of the shewbread nor its restrictions, but argues for dispensation based on the men's extreme need and self-proclaimed ritual purity. His reference to abstaining from women demonstrates awareness of the requirements for sacred service, presenting his men as ritually fit, effectively elevating their desperate flight to the status of a divinely sanctioned mission.

This episode later gains profound theological significance in the New Testament. Jesus Christ Himself references David's actions (Matt 12:3-4; Mark 2:25-26; Luke 6:3-4) to justify His disciples plucking grain on the Sabbath, illustrating the principle that human need and the Spirit of the Law can, in certain dire circumstances, take precedence over rigid ritual observance. Jesus highlights the truth that "mercy I desire, not sacrifice" (Hos 6:6), underscoring that God values compassionate care and urgent righteous service over absolute adherence to ceremonial regulations when life or higher divine purposes are at stake. David's words here foreshadow the liberating truth that while ritual laws were important, they were not meant to oppress or endanger human life when fulfilling God's broader will. It highlights a divine precedent for flexibility in law application during critical junctures for God's chosen instruments.