Tree of Life Version
1 Samuel 22:15
15Just today I began to inquire of God for him? Far be it from the king to accuse his servant or to anyone of my father’s house. For your servant knows nothing of all this, whether little or much.”
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
13Then Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me—you and the son of Jesse—by giving him bread and a sword, and by inquiring of God for him, that he should rise against me by lying in ambush, as is the case today?” 14Then Ahimelech answered the king saying, “Who among all your servants is as trusted as David, the king’s son-in-law, a captain of the royal guard, and honored in your house? Just today I began to inquire of God for him? Far be it from the king to accuse his servant or to anyone of my father’s house. For your servant knows nothing of all this, whether little or much.” 16But the king said, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house.” 17Then the king ordered the guards attending him, “Turn around and kill the kohanim of Adonai, for they are in cahoots with David, for they knew that he was running away but did not inform me.” But the servants of the king were not willing to raise their hand to assault the kohanim of Adonai.
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 he say to me, ‘She’s my sister’? And she herself even said, ‘He’s my brother.’ I did this with integrity of my heart and guiltlessness of my hands.”
- 2 Samuel 15:11Now 200 men from Jerusalem went with Absalom, who were invited and were going innocently, knowing nothing of the situation.
- 2 Corinthians 1:12For our reason for boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world, and most especially toward you, with simplicity and godly sincerity—not by human wisdom but by the grace of God.
- 1 Peter 3:16yet with humility and reverence—keeping a clear conscience so that, whatever you are accused of, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Messiah may be put to shame.
- 1 Samuel 25:36Then Abigail went to Nabal, and there he was holding a banquet in his house like that of a king—Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was quite drunk. So she told him nothing at all until daybreak.
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
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