New Living Translation
1 Samuel 22:15
15This was certainly not the first time I had consulted God for him! May the king not accuse me and my family in this matter, for I knew nothing at all of any plot against you.”
1 Samuel 22:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.
- New International Version (NIV)Was that day the first time I inquired of God for him? Of course not! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of his father’s family, for your servant knows nothing at all about this whole affair.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Is today the first time that I have inquired of God for him? No! Let not the king impute anything to his servant or to all the house of my father, for your servant has known nothing of all this, much or little."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? Far be it from me! Let not the king impute anything to his servant, or to any in the house of my father. For your servant knew nothing of all this, little or much.”
Context of 1 Samuel 22:15
13“Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me?” Saul demanded. “Why did you give him food and a sword? Why have you consulted God for him? Why have you encouraged him to kill me, as he is trying to do this very day?” 14“But sir,” Ahimelech replied, “is anyone among all your servants as faithful as David, your son-in-law? Why, he is the captain of your bodyguard and a highly honored member of your household! This was certainly not the first time I had consulted God for him! May the king not accuse me and my family in this matter, for I knew nothing at all of any plot against you.” 16“You will surely die, Ahimelech, along with your entire family!” the king shouted. 17And he ordered his bodyguards, “Kill these priests of the Lord, for they are allies and conspirators with David! They knew he was running away from me, but they didn’t tell me!” But Saul’s men refused to kill the Lord’s priests.
Read all of 1 Samuel 221 Samuel 22:15 word by word
הַיּ֧וֹם הַחִלֹּ֛תִי לִשְׁאָל ל֥וֹ בֵאלֹהִ֖ים חָלִ֣ילָה לִּ֑י אַל־יָשֵׂם֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ בְּעַבְדּ֤וֹ דָבָר֙ בְּכָל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֔י כִּ֠י לֹֽא־יָדַ֤ע עַבְדְּךָ֙ בְּכָל־זֹ֔את דָּבָ֥ר קָטֹ֖ן א֥וֹ גָדֽוֹל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Did I thenיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- beginחָלַלchâlal · to profane/begin: beginH2490
- to enquireשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
- of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- for him? be it far from meחָלִ֫ילָהchâlîylâh châlilâh · forbidH2486
- let not the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- imputeשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
- thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- unto his servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- to all the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- of my fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- of all this, lessקָטֹןqâţân qâţôn · smallH6996
- or moreגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 22:15
- Genesis 20:5Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘Yes, he is my brother.’ I acted in complete innocence! My hands are clean.”
- 2 Samuel 15:11He took 200 men from Jerusalem with him as guests, but they knew nothing of his intentions.
- 2 Corinthians 1:12We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you.
- 1 Peter 3:16But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.
- 1 Samuel 25:36When Abigail arrived home, she found that Nabal was throwing a big party and was celebrating like a king. He was very drunk, so she didn’t tell him anything about her meeting with David until dawn the next day.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 22:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Did I then begin to inquire of God - He probably means that his inquiring now for David was no new thing, having often done so before, and without ever being informed it was either wrong in itself, or displeasing to the king. Nor is it likely that Ahimelech knew of any disagreement between Saul and David. He knew him to be the king's son-in-law, and he treated him as such.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Did I then begin - Some lay the stress upon the word “begin,” as though Ahimelech‘s justification was that he had often before inquired of the Lord for David when employed on the king‘s affairs. But it is much better to understand the words as Ahimelech‘s solemn denial of having inquired of the Lord for David, a duty which he owed to Saul alone as king of Israel. The force of the word “begin” lies in this, that it would have been his first act of…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-19Verses 6-19 See the nature of jealous malice and its pitiful arts. Saul looks upon all about him as his enemies, because they do not just say as he says. In Ahimelech's answer to Saul we have the language of conscious innocence. But what wickedness will not the evil spirit hurry men to when he gets the dominion! Saul alleges that which was utterly false and unproved. But the most bloody tyrants have found instruments of their cruelty as barbarous as…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-23Saul’s character is clear here. He could not take revenge on David himself. Instead, Saul killed those he believed had helped David.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 22:15
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries