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1 Samuel 21:3

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does 1 Samuel 21:3 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Now therefore what is under thy hand? give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatsoever there is present.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Now therefore what is under thy hand? give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatsoever there is present.
1 Samuel 21:3 — American Standard Version

Context — 1 Samuel 21

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?
2And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know anything of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed the young men to such and such a place.
3Now therefore what is under thy hand? give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatsoever there is present.
4And 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.
5And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days; when I came out, the vessels of the young men were holy, though it was but a common journey; how much more then to-day shall their vessels be holy?
6So the priest gave him holy [bread]; for there was no bread there but the showbread, that was taken from before Jehovah, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.
← 1 Samuel 21:21 Samuel 21:4 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Now therefore what is under thine hand? etc.] Meaning, what food had he in his house? give [me] five [loaves of] bread in mine hand; to take with him, for him and his servants in such a place: or what there is present; or to be found f434 in the tabernacle; if not five loaves, two, or three, or four, or what food soever he had by him.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“under thine: Sa1 21:4; Jdg 9:29; Isa 3:6 present: Heb. found 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 21:4”
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Related study paths

Read 1 Samuel 21 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification