The Meaning of 1 Samuel 21:7 Explained

1 Samuel 21:7

KJV: Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.

YLT: And there is a man of the servants of Saul on that day detained before Jehovah, and his name is Doeg the Edomite, chief of the shepherds whom Saul hath.

Darby: (Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before Jehovah; and his name was Doeg, the Edomite, chief of the shepherds that belonged to Saul.)

ASV: Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before Jehovah; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chiefest of the herdsmen that belonged to Saul.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now a certain man  of the servants  of Saul  [was] there that day,  detained  before  the LORD;  and his name  [was] Doeg,  an Edomite,  the chiefest  of the herdmen  that [belonged] to Saul. 

What does 1 Samuel 21:7 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 21:7 mean?

So gave him the priest holy [bread] for no there was there bread for but the show bread the bread of the Presence which had been taken from before Yahweh in order to put [in its place] bread hot on the day when it was taken away
וַיִּתֶּן־ ל֥וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן קֹ֑דֶשׁ כִּי֩ לֹא־ הָ֨יָה שָׁ֜ם לֶ֗חֶם כִּֽי־ אִם־ לֶ֤חֶם הַפָּנִים֙ הַמּֽוּסָרִים֙ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה לָשׂוּם֙ לֶ֣חֶם חֹ֔ם בְּי֖וֹם הִלָּקְחֽוֹ

וַיִּתֶּן־  So  gave 
Parse:
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
הַכֹּהֵ֖ן  the  priest 
Parse:
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
קֹ֑דֶשׁ  holy  [bread] 
Parse:
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.
לֹא־  no 
Parse:
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הָ֨יָה  there  was 
Parse:
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לֶ֗חֶם  bread 
Parse:
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
לֶ֤חֶם  the  show  bread 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
הַפָּנִים֙  the  bread  of  the  Presence 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הַמּֽוּסָרִים֙  which  had  been  taken 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.
מִלִּפְנֵ֣י  from  before 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לָשׂוּם֙  in  order  to  put  [in  its  place] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
לֶ֣חֶם  bread 
Parse: Adverb
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
חֹ֔ם  hot 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹם  
Sense: heat, hot.
בְּי֖וֹם  on  the  day 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הִלָּקְחֽוֹ  when  it  was  taken  away 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.