SEV Biblia, Chapter 21:4
Y el sacerdote respondió a David, y dijo: No tengo pan común a la mano; solamente tengo pan sagrado; mas lo daré si los criados se han guardado a lo menos de mujeres.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 4. And the priest answered David, and said, [there is] no common bread under mine hand , etc.] In the tabernacle, though he might have such in his own house; which was common for any man to eat of, even such as were not priests; but he had none there, and David was in haste to be gone because of Doeg, and could not stay till such was fetched: but there is hallowed bread ; such as was devoted to sacred use. Kimchi’s father thinks this was the bread of the thank offering, to which Ben Gersom inclines; otherwise the Jewish writers in general understand it of the shewbread; and it is clear it was that from ( 1 Samuel 21:6) and from what our Lord says, ( Matthew 12:4). Now this the priest had under his hand, being just taken off of the shewbread table, and was the perquisite of the priests; and which, though it was not lawful for any but priests to eat of, yet in this case of necessity he seemed willing to give it to David and his men, on this condition: if the young men have kept themselves at least from women; from their wives or others, and from any pollution by them, in any way or manner; but as this was also only of a ceremonial kind, it might as well have been dispensed with, had this been the case, as the other.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-9 - David, in distress, fled to the tabernacle of God. It is great comfor in a day of trouble, that we have a God to go to, to whom we may ope our cases, and from whom we may ask and expect direction. David tol Ahimelech a gross untruth. What shall we say to this? The Scriptur does not conceal it, and we dare not justify it; it was ill done, an proved of bad consequence; for it occasioned the death of the priest of the Lord. David thought upon it afterward with regret. David ha great faith and courage, yet both failed him; he fell thus foull through fear and cowardice, and owing to the weakness of his faith. Ha he trusted God aright, he would not have used such a sorry, sinfu shift for his own preservation. It is written, not for us to do the like, no, not in the greatest straits, but for our warning. David aske of Ahimelech bread and a sword. Ahimelech supposed they might eat the shew-bread. The Son of David taught from it, that mercy is to be preferred to sacrifice; that ritual observances must give way to mora duties. Doeg set his foot as far within the tabernacle as David did. We little know with what hearts people come to the house of God, nor what use they will make of pretended devotion. If many come in simplicity of heart to serve their God, others come to observe their teachers and to prove accusers. Only God and the event can distinguish between a Davi and a Doeg, when both are in the tabernacle. (1Sa 21:10-15)
Original Hebrew
ויען 6030 הכהן 3548 את 853 דוד 1732 ויאמר 559 אין 369 לחם 3899 חל 2455 אל 413 תחת 8478 ידי 3027 כי 3588 אם 518 לחם 3899 קדשׁ 6944 ישׁ 3426 אם 518 נשׁמרו 8104 הנערים 5288 אך 389 מאשׁה׃ 802
