Revised Webster's Bible
1 Samuel 22:15
15Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing to his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.1
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
13And Saul said to him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 14Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, who is the king’s son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thy house? Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing to his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more. 16And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father’s house. 17And the king said to the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not show it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD.
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
- thenיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- beginחָלַלchâlal · to profane/begin: beginH2490
- enquireשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- meחָלִ֫ילָהchâlîylâh châlilâh · forbidH2486
- kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- imputeשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
- thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- lessקָטֹןqâţân qâţôn · smallH6996
- moreגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 22:15
- Genesis 20:5Said he not to me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.
- 2 Samuel 15:11And with Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem, that were invited; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing.
- 2 Corinthians 1:12For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.
- 1 Peter 3:16Having a good conscience; that, though they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good behaviour in Christ.
- 1 Samuel 25:36And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk: therefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.
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
Notes
- 1. 1 Samuel 22:15 less...: Heb. little or great ↩
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
Revised Webster's Bible — 1833 — Public Domain
Commentaries