The Meaning of 1 Samuel 21:9 Explained

1 Samuel 21:9

KJV: 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.

YLT: And the priest saith, 'The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou didst smite in the valley of Elah, lo, it is wrapped in a garment behind the ephod, if it thou dost take to thyself, take; for there is none other save it in this place.' And David saith, 'There is none like it -- give it to me.'

Darby: And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of terebinths, 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.

ASV: And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the vale 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Samuel 21:9 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 21:9 mean?

And said David to Ahimelech and not is there here on hand a spear or a sword for - my sword nor my weapons neither I have brought with me because required business of the king haste -
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙ לַאֲחִימֶ֔לֶךְ וְאִ֛ין יֶשׁ־ פֹּ֥ה תַֽחַת־ יָדְךָ֖ חֲנִ֣ית אוֹ־ ؟ חָ֑רֶב כִּ֣י גַם־ חַרְבִּ֤י וְגַם־ כֵּלַי֙ לֹֽא־ לָקַ֣חְתִּי בְיָדִ֔י כִּֽי־ הָיָ֥ה דְבַר־ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ נָחֽוּץ ס

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse:
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
דָּוִד֙  David 
Parse:
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
לַאֲחִימֶ֔לֶךְ  to  Ahimelech 
Parse:
Root: אֲחִימֶלֶךְ  
Sense: a priest murdered by Doeg at Saul’s command, for supposedly assisting David.
וְאִ֛ין  and  not 
Parse:
Root: אִין  
Sense: Is there not?, Have you not?.
יֶשׁ־  is  there 
Parse:
Root: יֵשׁ  
Sense: being, existence, substance, there is or are.
פֹּ֥ה  here 
Parse:
Root: פֹּה  
Sense: here, from here, hither.
יָדְךָ֖  hand 
Parse:
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
חֲנִ֣ית  a  spear 
Parse:
Root: חֲנִית  
Sense: spear.
؟ חָ֑רֶב  a  sword 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
גַם־  - 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
חַרְבִּ֤י  my  sword 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
וְגַם־  nor 
Parse: Adverb
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
כֵּלַי֙  my  weapons 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כְּלִי  
Sense: article, vessel, implement, utensil.
לֹֽא־  neither 
Parse: Preposition
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
לָקַ֣חְתִּי  I  have  brought 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
בְיָדִ֔י  with  me 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
כִּֽי־  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
הָיָ֥ה  required 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
דְבַר־  business 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ  of  the  king 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
נָחֽוּץ  haste 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נָחַץ  
Sense: (Qal) to urge.
ס  - 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction

What are the major concepts related to 1 Samuel 21:9?

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