Tyndale Open Study Notes on 1 Samuel 21:4

A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.

Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Modern study notes
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.

21:4 Only priests were permitted to partake of holy bread (see Exod 25:22-30; Lev 24:5-9), and only within the sacred precincts. • slept with any women: The consecrated bread was to be eaten only by the ritually pure, so the priest verified that David’s men were free from ritual impurity caused by sexual activity (see Lev 15:16-18). Typically, such bread would not be available for consumption by laity. The priest made an exception in this case probably because he sensed the men’s physical needs and he believed they were on a royal mission.

Read 1 Samuel 21:4 →Read the full chapter →John Gill's Exposition →Jamieson, Fausset & Brown →Barnes' Notes →Wesley's Explanatory Notes →Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge →

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