1st Samuel Chapter 21 verse 3 Holy Bible
Now therefore what is under thy hand? give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatsoever there is present.
read chapter 21 in ASV
So now, if you have here five cakes of bread, give them into my hand, or whatever you have.
read chapter 21 in BBE
And now what is under thy hand? give me five loaves in my hand, or what may be found.
read chapter 21 in DARBY
Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.
read chapter 21 in KJV
Now therefore what is under thy hand? give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or what there is present.
read chapter 21 in WBT
Now therefore what is under your hand? give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever there is present.
read chapter 21 in WEB
and now, what is there under thy hand? five loaves give into my hand, or that which is found.'
read chapter 21 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerses 3, 4. - What is under thine hand? This does not mean that Ahimelech was himself carrying the shewbread out of the tabernacle, but simply, "What hast thou? The sense of the whole verse is, "Now, therefore, what hast thou at hand? Give me five loaves, or whatever there may be." Ahimelech answers, "There is no common bread at hand." I have no ordinary food; there is only hallowed bread, that is, the shewbread, which, after remaining in Jehovah's presence from sabbath to sabbath, was then to be eaten by the priests in the holy place (Leviticus 24:8, 9). As Ahimelech could not venture to refuse David's request, he asks if his attendants are at least ceremonially clean, as in that case the urgency of the king's business might excuse the breach of the letter of the commandment. Our Lord in Matthew 12:3 cites this as a case in which the inward spirit of the law was kept, and the violation of its literal precept thereby justified.
