The Meaning of 1 Samuel 21:4 Explained

1 Samuel 21:4

KJV: And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.

YLT: And the priest answereth David, and saith, 'There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; if the youths have been kept only from women.'

Darby: And the priest answered David and said, There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.

ASV: And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; if only the young men have kept themselves from women.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the priest  answered  David,  and said,  [There is] no common  bread  under mine hand,  but there is  hallowed  bread;  if the young men  have kept  themselves at least  from women. 

What does 1 Samuel 21:4 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 21:4 mean?

Therefore now what have you on hand five [loaves of] bread Give [me] in my hand or whatever can be found
וְעַתָּ֗ה מַה־ יֵּ֧שׁ תַּֽחַת־ ؟ יָדְךָ֛ חֲמִשָּׁה־ לֶ֖חֶם תְּנָ֣ה בְיָדִ֑י א֖וֹ הַנִּמְצָֽא

וְעַתָּ֗ה  Therefore  now 
Parse:
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
יֵּ֧שׁ  have  you 
Parse:
Root: יֵשׁ  
Sense: being, existence, substance, there is or are.
؟ יָדְךָ֛  hand 
Parse:
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
חֲמִשָּׁה־  five  [loaves  of] 
Parse:
Root: חָמֵשׁ  
Sense: five.
לֶ֖חֶם  bread 
Parse:
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
תְּנָ֣ה  Give  [me] 
Parse:
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
בְיָדִ֑י  in  my  hand 
Parse:
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
הַנִּמְצָֽא  whatever  can  be  found 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.