Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?
What shall we bring the man? According to Eastern notions, it would be considered a want of respect for any person to go into the presence of a superior man of rank or of official station, without a present of some kind in his hand, however trifling in value.
The bread is spent in our vessels. Shepherds going in quest of their cattle put up in a bag as much flour for making bread as will last sometimes for thirty days. It appears that Saul thought of giving the man of God a cake from his traveling bag, and this would have been sufficient to render the indispensable act of civility-the customary tribute to official dignity.