King James Version

1 Samuel 21:2

And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.

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Hebrew

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In the Hebrew text this line is 1 Samuel 21:3.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶרvayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…דָּוִ֜דdavidDavidדָּוִדnoun, proper name — “David”H1732David, the youngest son of JesseDavid.לַאֲחִימֶ֣לֶךְlaachimelekhto Ahimelechאֲחִימֶלֶךְpreposition, noun, proper name — “to Ahimelech”H288Achimelek, the name of an Israelite and of a HittiteAhimelech.הַכֹּהֵ֗ןhakohenthe priestכֹּהֵןdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the priest”, the ordinary formH3548literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)chief ruler, [idiom] own, priest, prince, principal officer.הַמֶּלֶךְ֮hamelekhthe kingמֶלֶךְdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the king”, the ordinary formH4428a kingking, royal.צִוַּ֣נִיtsivaniappointצָוָהverb, piel, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “appoint”, a completed actionH6680(intensively) to constitute, enjoinappoint, (for-) bid, (give a) charge, (give a, give in, send with) command(-er, -ment), send a messenger, put, (set) in order.דָבָר֒davarcauseדָּבָרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “cause”, the ordinary formH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…אֵלַ֗יelayamongאֵלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).אִ֣ישׁisha certainאִישׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “a certain”, the ordinary formH376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phra…אַלalnotאַלparticle, negative — “not”H408not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothingnay, neither, [phrase] never, no, nor, not, nothing (worth), rather than.יֵ֧דַעyedaknowיָדַעverb, qal, jussive, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “know”, a wish or indirect commandH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…מְא֛וּמָהmeumahfaultמְאוּמָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “fault”, the ordinary formH3972properly, a speck or point, i.e. (by implication) something; with negative, nothingfault, [phrase] no(-ught), ought, somewhat, any (no-)thing.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).הַדָּבָ֛רhadavarthe causeדָּבָרdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the cause”, the ordinary formH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…אֲשֶׁרasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, relative — “because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…אָנֹכִ֥יanokhimeאָנֹכִיpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “me”H595II, me, [idiom] which.שֹׁלֵֽחֲךָ֖sholechakhasendשָׁלַחverb, qal, participle, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “send”, a verb used as a describing wordH7971to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)[idiom] any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, [idiom] earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, ou…וַאֲשֶׁ֣רvaasherand becauseאֲשֶׁרconjunction, particle, relative — “and because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…צִוִּיתִ֑ךָtsivitikhaappointצָוָהverb, piel, perfect, 1st person, common, singular, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “appoint”, a completed actionH6680(intensively) to constitute, enjoinappoint, (for-) bid, (give a) charge, (give a, give in, send with) command(-er, -ment), send a messenger, put, (set) in order.וְאֶתveetand object markerאֵתconjunction, particle, direct object marker — “and object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).הַנְּעָרִ֣יםhanarimthe boyנַעַרdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the boy”, the ordinary formH5288(concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a servant; also (by interch. of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age)babe, boy, child, damsel (from the margin), lad, servant, young (man).יוֹדַ֔עְתִּיyodatiknowיָדַעverb, poel, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “know”, a completed actionH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).מְק֥וֹםmeqomcountryמָקוֹםnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “country”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4725properly, a standing, i.e. a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific); also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or mind)country, [idiom] home, [idiom] open, place, room, space, [idiom] whither(-soever).פְּלֹנִ֖יpelonisuchפְּלֹנִיpronoun, indefinite — “such”H6423such a one, i.e. a specified personsuch.אַלְמוֹנִֽיalmonioneאַלְמֹנִיadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “one”, the ordinary formH492some one (i.e. so and so, without giving the name of the person or place)one, and such.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(21-3) And David said unto Ahimelech the priest: 'The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me: Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee; and the young men have I appointed to such and such a place.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know anything of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed the young men to such and such a place.

Young’s Literal Translation

And David saith to Ahimelech the priest, 'The king hath commanded me a matter, and he saith unto me, Let no man know anything of the matter about which I am sending thee, and which I have commanded thee; and the young men I have caused to know at such and such a place;

World English Bible

David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has commanded me to do something, and has said to me, ‘Let no one know anything about the business about which I send you, and what I have commanded you. I have sent the young men to a certain place.’

Darby Translation

And David said to Ahimelech the priest, The king has commanded me a business, and has said to me, Let no man know anything of the business whereon I send thee, and what I have commanded thee; and I have directed the young men to such and such a place.

Douay-Rheims

And David said to Achimelech the priest: The king hath commanded me a business, and said: Let no man know the thing for which thou art sent by me, and what manner of commands I have given thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And David said to the priest, The king gave me a command to-day, and said to me, Let no one know the matter on which I send thee, and concerning which I have charged thee: and I have charged my servants to be in the place that is called, The faithfulness of God, phellani maemoni.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ τῷ ἱερεῖ, ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐντέταλταί μοι ῥῆμα σήμερον, καὶ εἶπέ μοι, μηδεὶς γνώτω τὸ ῥῆμα περὶ οὗ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω σε, καὶ ὑπὲρ οὗ ἐγὼ ἐντέταλμαί σοι· καὶ τοῖς παιδαρίοις διαμεμαρτύρημαι ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τῷ λεγομένῳ, Θεοῦ πίστις φελλανὶ μαεμωνί.