What Does Mark 2:25 Mean in the King James?

And 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 2:25 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

Jesus makes hunger part of the reading itself: the story cannot be read without the need it names.

THE MEANING

David is remembered with hunger still attached to his story. As you read this now, the need named in the text remains part of its meaning; it cannot be trimmed away while keeping the passage intact.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

It undoes the belief that a reading can be faithful while treating the need named in the text as irrelevant.

THE ROOT

χρείαν

chreian

GROWS FROM

χρει-

Need, necessity; something needed.

The word places David’s need directly inside the story Jesus asks them to read. It is part of what the account preserves, not a detail to set aside.

ALSO GROWS

chreia: Need, necessity

χρεία

This is the noun used for David’s need in the verse.

chrēizō: To need, to have need of

χρῄζω

The related verb keeps the same condition visible as something a person experiences.

ἀνέγνωτε

anegnōte

GROWS FROM

γινώσκω

Know, recognize.

The verb means “read” here and belongs to the ⁨γινώσκω⁩ family of knowing and recognizing. Jesus’ question turns reading toward recognition: the story includes the person’s need.

ALSO GROWS

ginōskō: Know, recognize

γινώσκω

This related verb makes visible the knowing beneath the word for reading.

anagnōsis: Reading, reading aloud

ἀνάγνωσις

This noun from the same word family names the act of reading.

ἐπείνασεν

epeinasen

GROWS FROM

πειν-

Hunger, the experience of needing food.

“hungered” in this verse is epeinasen. The Greek names bodily hunger directly. The question keeps that hunger attached to David’s story, so the remembered account cannot be reduced to a rule without the person living through it.

ALSO GROWS

peinaō: To hunger

πεινάω

This is the verb in its dictionary form, naming the experience expressed in the verse.

peina: Hunger

πεῖνα

This related noun names the condition itself.

THE PATTERN

Scripture keeps human need visible within its account of sacred provision.

So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.

1 Samuel 21:6 · KJVDavid receives bread set apart for the LORD while his need remains present in the story.

Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:

Psalm 146:7 · KJVThe verse places feeding the hungry alongside justice for the oppressed and release for prisoners.

And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

Mark 2:27 · KJVThe Sabbath’s purpose is expressed in relation to human life.

THE THREAD

But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

1 John 3:17 · KJV

The same Greek word, ⁨χρεία⁩ (chreia, “need”), names David’s condition here and a brother’s need in 1 John. In one verse the need is remembered in a story; in the other it is seen in the person before you.

Read the SDV Bible.

Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.

Get Selah Verse

The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.

Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us