Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
there is hallowed bread—There would be plenty of bread in his house; but there was no time to wait for it. "The hallowed bread" was the old shew-bread, which had been removed the previous day, and which was reserved for the use of the priests alone (Leviticus 24:9). Before entertaining the idea that this bread could be lawfully given to David and his men, the high priest seems to have consulted the oracle (I Samuel 22:10) as to the course to be followed in this emergency. A dispensation to use the hallowed bread was specially granted by God Himself.
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing 1 Samuel 21:4:
Leviticus 24:5-9
1 Samuel 21:1
Psalms 52:1
Matthew 12:3
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