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1 Samuel 22:14

in 1 Samuel 22

Ahimelech answered the king, “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David, the king’s son-in-law, the captain of your bodyguard who is honored in your house?

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who among all thy servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, and is taken into thy council, and is honorable in thy house?

KJV

Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king’s son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?

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This verse in 1 Samuel 22

Commentary

7 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

And who is so faithful - The word נאמן neeman, which we here translate faithful, is probably the name of an officer. See the note on Num 12:7.

This site's exposition

call Ahimelech the priest

on 1 Samuel 22:11-15

Saul summons Ahimelech and all his father's house from Nob and charges them by name with conspiracy for the bread, the sword, and the enquiry of God given to David. Ahimelech answers that David was, and so far as he knew still was, the most faithful of all Saul's servants, the king's own son in law who went at his bidding and was honourable in his house. He denies this was any new act of allegiance against Saul, for he had enquired of the Lord for David many times before on the king's own business, and knew nothing of a quarrel between them.

This site's exposition

Who among all your servants is as faithful

Clarke takes faithful, neeman, the word used of Moses at Numbers 12:7, as the title of an officer. Barnes reads captain of your bodyguard as a man admitted to the king's private council, comparing 2 Samuel 23:23. Wesley says Ahimelech speaks of David's past service in Saul's house.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

And said - He doth not determine the difference between Saul and David; nor affirm what David now was: but only declared what David formerly had been, and what he was still, for anything he knew to the contrary.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Could any man plead with more evidences of sincerity? Had he been tried by a jury of honest Israelites, he would certainly have been acquitted, for who can find any fault in him? Saul himself gives judgment against him (

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Goeth at thy bidding - Better, “has access to thy (private) audience,” or council (compare 2Sa 23:23, margin).

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

Who bows to your bidding. As in "And they turned [ וַיָסֻרוּ ] to him," 6 Bereishis:3. meaning that he is near to service you and to obey your orders. How then was I to know that he was not going on your mission?
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on I Samuel 22:14:1, via Sefaria, The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
And inquiring of God for him. [By allowing him to consult the Urim and Tumim], you have made him a king, because no inquiry may be made of the Urim and Tumim for a commoner.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on I Samuel 22:13:1, via Sefaria, The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

17 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וַיַּ֧עַןand he answered

    vaiyaanH6030 →331 times

  • אֲחִימֶ֛לֶךְAhimelech

    ʾachimelekhH288 →16 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • הַמֶּ֖לֶךְthe king

    hamelekhH4428 →2525 times

  • וַיֹּאמַ֑רand he said

    vaiyomarH559 →5305 times

  • וּמִ֤יand who?

    umiH4310 →423 times

  • בְכָל־among all

    vekhol-H3605 →5413 times

  • עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙servants your

    ʾavadeikhaH5650 →799 times

  • כְּדָוִ֣ד[is] like David

    kedavidH1732 →999 times

  • נֶאֱמָ֔ןfaithful

    neemanH539 →106 times

  • וַחֲתַ֥ןand [the] son-in-law of

    vachatanH2860 →

  • הַמֶּ֛לֶךְthe king

    hamelekhH4428 →2525 times

  • וְסָ֥רand [one who] turns aside

    vesarH5493 →299 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • מִשְׁמַעְתֶּ֖ךָbodyguard your

    mishma'tekhaH4928 →

  • וְנִכְבָּ֥דand honored

    venikhbadH3513 →113 times

  • בְּבֵיתֶֽךָ׃in household your

    beveitekhaH1004 →2046 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Proverbs 28:20A faithful man will abound with blessings, but one eager to be rich will not go unpunished.5 works1 Samuel 19:4–5Then Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul and said to him, “The king should not sin against his servant David; he has not sinned against you. In fact, his actions have been highly beneficial to you.3 works1 Samuel 20:32“Why must he be put to death?” Jonathan replied. “What has he done?”3 worksTitus 2:10not stealing from them, but showing all good faith, so that in every respect they will adorn the teaching about God our Savior.3 worksPsalms 7:4if I have rewarded my ally with evil, if I have plundered my foe without cause,3 works2 Samuel 22:23–25For all His ordinances are before me; I have not disregarded His statutes.2 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
1 Samuel 21:2“The king has given me a mission,” David replied. “He told me no one is to know about the mission or charge. And I have directed my young men to meet me at a certain place.2 works1 Samuel 18:13Therefore Saul sent David away and gave him command of a thousand men. David led the troops out to battle and back,2 works1 Samuel 24:11See, my father, look at the corner of your robe in my hand. For I cut it off, but I did not kill you. See and know that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands. I have not sinned against you, even though you are hunting me down to take my life.2 works1 Samuel 22:13And Saul asked him, “Why have you and the son of Jesse conspired against me? You gave him bread and a sword and inquired of God for him so that he could rise up against me to lie in wait, as he is doing today.”2 works1 Samuel 17:25Now the men of Israel had been saying, “Do you see this man who keeps coming out to defy Israel? To the man who kills him the king will give great riches. And he will give him his daughter in marriage and exempt his father’s house from taxation in Israel.”2 works1 Samuel 18:27David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as payment in full to become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David in marriage.2 works1 Samuel 26:23May the LORD repay every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. For the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed.2 worksProverbs 31:8–9Open your mouth for those with no voice, for the cause of all the dispossessed.2 worksProverbs 24:11–12Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.2 works2 Samuel 23:23He was most honored among the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. And David appointed him over his guard.2 worksPsalms 101:2I will ponder the way that is blameless— when will You come to me? I will walk in my house with integrity of heart.2 worksDaniel 6:4Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    1 Samuel 18:13

    Therefore Saul sent David away and gave him command of a thousand men. David led the troops out to battle and back,

    it leads to

    • 2 Samuel 5:2

      Even in times past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them back. And to you the LORD said, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel,…

    • Psalms 121:8

      The LORD will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore.

  • Through

    1 Samuel 20:32

    “Why must he be put to death?” Jonathan replied. “What has he done?”

    it leads to

    • Matthew 27:23

      “Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”

    • 1 Samuel 19:5

      He took his life in his hands when he struck down the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced, so why would you sin against…

    • Genesis 31:36

      Then Jacob became incensed and challenged Laban. “What is my crime?” he said. “For what sin of mine have you so hotly pursued me?

    • Luke 23:22

      A third time he said to them, “What evil has this man done? I have found in Him no offense worthy of death. So after I punish Him, I will release Him.”

  • Through

    1 Samuel 21:2

    “The king has given me a mission,” David replied. “He told me no one is to know about the mission or charge. And I have directed my young men to meet me at a…

    it leads to

    • Galatians 2:12

      For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself, for fear of those in the circumcision group.

    • Colossians 3:9

      Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices,

Where this verse is studied

About 1 Samuel

David Slays Goliath, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
David Slays Goliath, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
1 Samuel: the study guide →Read 1 Samuel 22 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 1 Samuel 22 →