Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 21:6
So the priest gave him hallowed [bread]: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.
6. the shewbread ] Lit. “the bread of the Presence” (Sept. ), so called because it was solemnly placed as an offering in the Presence of Jehovah. The mention of it implies that the Tabernacle with its furniture was at Nob. The directions for making the Table of Shewbread are given in Exo 25:23-30; and the form of the table, as it existed in Herod’s Temple, is preserved in the sculptures on the Arch of Titus at Rome. For the instructions concerning the bread itself, see Lev 24:5-9. It was to be renewed every Sabbath, and the loaves then removed were to be eaten by the priests in the Holy Place.
Our Lord refers to this as an instance of the great principle that where moral and ceremonial obligations come into conflict, it is the latter which must give way, because the rite is only the means and the moral duty the end. The high priest was bound to preserve David’s life, even at the expense of a ceremonial rule. See Mat 12:3-4; Mar 2:25-26; Luk 6:3-5. In St Mark the high priest is called Abiathar, perhaps by an accidental error; perhaps because he was associated with his father as Hophni and Phinehas were with Eli.
from before the Lord ] From the table on which they had lain in the Presence of Jehovah in the Tabernacle. It seems probable that the shewbread had just been renewed and consequently that the day was the Sabbath; otherwise there would have been no difficulty in preparing ordinary bread for David’s use.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 6. So the priest gave him hallowed bread] To this history our Lord alludes, Mr 2:25, in order to show that in cases of absolute necessity a breach of the ritual law was no sin. It was lawful for the priests only to eat the shew-bread; but David and his companions were starving, no other bread could be had at the time, and therefore he and his companions ate of it without sin.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
There was no bread there, to wit, in the tabernacle, where David and the priest now were.
In the day when it was taken away, which was done upon the sabbath day, Lev 24:8; for though they might not then kindle a fire to heat the bread in, yet they might and did keep it hot in an oven that had been heated before the sabbath.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. there was no bread thereinthe tabernacle. The removal of the old and the substitution of thenew bread was done on the Sabbath (Le24:8), the loaves being kept warm in an oven heated the previousday.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
So the priest gave him hallowed [bread],…. Being satisfied with the account he gave of himself, and his young men, and of the lawfulness of it in case of necessity, acts of mercy being to be preferred to ritual services. Whether he gave him five loaves, as he desired, is not said; but the reason of his giving him such sort of bread is observed,
for there was no bread there; in the tabernacle, whatever might be in the house of the priest:
but the shewbread that was taken from before the Lord; from off of the shewbread table; and it seems to have been just taken off, it being sabbath day, and not as yet carried to the house of the priest, and divided among the other priests as usual; and which was then removed, to put hot bread, in the day that it was taken away; that is, new bread, twelve fresh cakes; for when the twelve, that had stood a week on the shewbread table were removed, twelve more were immediately put in their room, and it seems by this they were put hot there; but here arises a difficulty, how they could be put hot there, when it was not lawful to bake on a sabbath day. About this the Jews are divided; some say they were baked on the sabbath day, but the greater part say that baking did not drive away the sabbath, or it was lawful on the sabbath day; but others say that they were baked on the evening of the sabbath, and kept in the oven until the time of their being set upon the table h; and, as Abarbinel observes, the mouth of the oven might be stopped up till that time to keep in the heat; but others say i this heat was miraculous, or that a miracle was wrought for the sake of it; which is not probable.
h T. Bab. Menachot, fol. 95. 2. i T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 2l. 1. Menachot, fol. 96. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
6. That was taken from before the Lord, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away This was done every sabbath day, (Lev 24:8-9,) and it is therefore probable that this incident of David’s life occurred on the sabbath. On this supposition our Lord’s appeal to this incident, as a vindication of his plucking the ears of corn on the sabbath, has double force. See Mat 12:1-4. Kitto remarks: “As it was not lawful to travel on the sabbath day, it seems to us that, seeing it was not safe for him to remain at Gibeah, and that the little time which remained before the commencement of the sabbath would preclude further travelling, he had concluded to go to Nob as a place of safety, till the termination of the holy day should enable him to resume his journey.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
shewbread
(See Scofield “Exo 25:30”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
gave him: Mat 12:3, Mat 12:4, Mar 2:25-27, Luk 6:3, Luk 6:4
hot bread: Lev 24:5-9
Reciprocal: Exo 25:30 – General Lev 22:10 – General Lev 24:9 – Aaron’s 1Sa 21:4 – hallowed bread 1Sa 22:10 – him victuals