The Meaning of 1 Samuel 21:5 Explained

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.

YLT: And David answereth the priest, and saith to him, 'Surely, if women have been restrained from us as heretofore in my going out, then the vessels of the young men are holy, and it is a common way: and also, surely to-day it is sanctified in the vessel.'

Darby: And David answered the priest and said to him, Yes indeed, 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, and the more so, because to-day new is hallowed in the vessels.

ASV: And 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?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Samuel 21:5 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 21:1-15 - Food And Weapon: A Side Step
David fled to Nob, at the north of the Mount of Olives, where Ahimelech presided over the relics of the ancient sanctuary. His suspicions were removed by an evasion on David's part, which he must have regretted to the end of his life. If we are right with God and know ourselves to be on the predestined path, we need not resort to deceit nor subterfuge-if we adopt such means, the results are likely to be disastrous to ourselves and others, our innocent fellow-sufferers.
It was the Sabbath day, for the show-bread had just been removed from the table, Leviticus 24:8. This was the perquisite of the priest, but, in subordinating the ceremonial to the urgency of human need, Ahimelech acted in strict harmony with the spirit of the Mosaic legislation. This is the distinct teaching of Mark 2:25, and of our Lord's insistence on his right to heal on the Sabbath day. Read Psalms 34:1-22; Psalms 56:1-13 with the closing paragraph of 1 Samuel 21:1-15. David's behavior was unworthy, yet, in his heart, he was hiding in God. We must not judge by appearances, but with discerning judgment. There is a large measure of humanity in all God's saints. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 21

1  David at Nob obtains Ahimelech's hallowed bread
7  Doeg is present
8  David takes Goliath's sword
10  David at Gath feigns himself insane

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 21:5 mean?

And answered the priest - David and said [There is] no bread common under on hand surely but bread consecrated there is if have kept themselves the young men at least from women -
וַיַּ֨עַן הַכֹּהֵ֤ן אֶת־ דָּוִד֙ וַיֹּ֔אמֶר אֵֽין־ לֶ֥חֶם חֹ֖ל אֶל־ תַּ֣חַת יָדִ֑י כִּֽי־ אִם־ לֶ֤חֶם קֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ יֵ֔שׁ אִם־ נִשְׁמְר֥וּ הַנְּעָרִ֖ים אַ֥ךְ מֵאִשָּֽׁה פ

וַיַּ֨עַן  And  answered 
Parse:
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
הַכֹּהֵ֤ן  the  priest 
Parse:
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
אֶת־  - 
Parse:
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
דָּוִד֙  David 
Parse:
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
וַיֹּ֔אמֶר  and  said 
Parse:
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵֽין־  [There  is]  no 
Parse:
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
לֶ֥חֶם  bread 
Parse:
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
חֹ֖ל  common 
Parse:
Root: חֹל  
Sense: profaneness, commonness, unholy, profane, common, sand.
אֶל־  under 
Parse:
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
יָדִ֑י  hand 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
כִּֽי־  surely 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
לֶ֤חֶם  bread 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
קֹ֙דֶשׁ֙  consecrated 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.
יֵ֔שׁ  there  is 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יֵשׁ  
Sense: being, existence, substance, there is or are.
נִשְׁמְר֥וּ  have  kept  themselves 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
הַנְּעָרִ֖ים  the  young  men 
Parse: Preposition
Root: נַעַר  
Sense: a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer.
אַ֥ךְ  at  least 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אַךְ  
Sense: indeed, surely (emphatic).
מֵאִשָּֽׁה  from  women 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
פ  - 
Parse: Conjunction