But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
Parallel translations
- WEB But he said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him;
- BSB Jesus replied, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?
- NKJV But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:
- NASB But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions—
- NLT Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus appeals to David's example when he and his men were hungry. Scripture itself shows mercy taking precedence in cases of need.
Overview
Jesus answers the Pharisees from their own Scriptures, citing 1 Samuel 21:1-6. By invoking David, he prepares to show that human need can rightly override ceremonial restriction. The rebuke 'Haven't you read?' exposes the Pharisees' failure to grasp the heart of the law they claimed to guard.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- 1 Sam 21:3–6Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.
- Luke 6:3And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;
- Mark 2:25–26And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?
- Mark 12:10And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:
- Matt 21:16And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
- Matt 22:31But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
- Mark 12:26And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
- Matt 12:5Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
- Matt 19:4And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
- Luke 10:26He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 12:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.