1 Samuel 21:8 — Meaning and Application

King James Version

“And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste.”

1 Samuel 21:8

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Understanding the surrounding verses prevents misinterpretation:

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.

Now a certain man of the servants of Saul {was} there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name {was} Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that {belonged} to Saul.

And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste.

And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it {is here} wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take {it}: for {there is} no other save that here. And David said, {There is} none like that; give it me.

And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

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From This Chapter

1 Samuel 21:1

"Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why {art} thou alone, and no man with thee? {Ahimelech: also called Ahiah}"

1 Samuel 21:2

"And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed {my} servants to such and such a place."

1 Samuel 21:3

"Now therefore what is under thine hand? give {me} five {loaves of} bread in mine hand, or what there is present. {present: Heb. found}"

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."

1 Samuel 21:5

"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. {yea...: or, especially when this day there is other sanctified in the vessel}"

1 Samuel 21:6

"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."

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