Bible Strands
1 Samuel 22:14
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 and honored in your house?
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Ahimelech addresses King Saul during a direct interrogation regarding David’s flight. This exchange follows Saul’s accusation that the priest conspired with the king’s son-in-law.
The words — The Hebrew phrase וּ/מִ֤י בְ/כָל\־ עֲבָדֶ֙י/ךָ֙ (u./Mi ve./khol- 'a.va.Dei./kha) translates literally as “and who among all your servants.” This rhetorical structure sets up a direct comparison of loyalty within the royal court.
The thread — The defense of David’s standing aligns with Jonathan’s appeals in 1 Samuel 19:4 and 1 Samuel 20:32. The tension between David’s official honors and Saul’s suspicion repeats across the narrative.
Why it lands — The text records a factual defense of David’s titles and position before Saul’s court. It requires the reader to confront how political fear overrides documented loyalty.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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?
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 19:4 Then 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.
- 1 Samuel 20:32 “Why must he be put to death?” Jonathan replied. “What has he done?”
- 1 Samuel 17:25 Now the men of Israel had been saying, “Do you see how this man 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.”
- 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,
- 1 Samuel 18:27 David 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.
- 1 Samuel 21:2 “The king has given me a mission,” David replied. “He told me no one is to know about the mission on which I am sending you. And I have directed my young men to meet me at a certain place.
- 1 Samuel 22:13 And 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.”
- 1 Samuel 24:11 See, my father, look at the corner of your robe in my hand. For I cut it off, but I did not kill you. Know and see 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.
- 1 Samuel 26:23 May the LORD repay every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. For the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not extend my hand against the LORD’s anointed.
- 2 Samuel 22:23 For all His ordinances are before me; I have not disregarded His statutes.