1 Samuel 22 14

1 Samuel 22:14 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 honorable in thine house?

1 Samuel 22:14 nkjv

So Ahimelech answered the king and said, "And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, who goes at your bidding, and is honorable in your house?

1 Samuel 22:14 niv

Ahimelek answered the king, "Who of all your servants is as loyal as David, the king's son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard and highly respected in your household?

1 Samuel 22:14 esv

Then Ahimelech answered the king, "And who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and captain over your bodyguard, and honored in your house?

1 Samuel 22:14 nlt

"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!

1 Samuel 22 verses

1 Samuel 22 14 Meaning

Ahimelech, the high priest, responds to King Saul's accusation of conspiracy by highlighting David's unquestionable loyalty and close relationship with the king. He posits a rhetorical question asserting that no one among Saul's servants is more faithful than David. He then substantiates this by citing four well-known facts: David is Saul's trusted son-in-law, has privileged access to the king's intimate counsel, holds a respected position within Saul's own household, and has a widely recognized reputation for faithfulness. Ahimelech's defense is an appeal to evident truths about David's character and standing, seeking to clarify what he perceived as a misunderstanding rather than an intentional act of rebellion.

1 Samuel 22 14 Context

1 Samuel 22:14 occurs during a period of intense persecution of David by King Saul. Following David's defeat of Goliath and subsequent popularity, Saul's deep-seated jealousy and paranoia began to manifest as an irrational desire to kill David. David fled from Saul and eventually sought refuge in Nob, where the Tabernacle was located, and Ahimelech served as the high priest. Unaware of the severity of Saul's rage against David, Ahimelech provided David with the consecrated showbread and Goliath's sword, under the assumption that David was on a secret royal mission for Saul. Doeg the Edomite, a chief herdsman of Saul, witnessed this interaction and later informed Saul. King Saul, twisted by suspicion and a vengeful spirit, interpreted Ahimelech's actions as an act of treason and a conspiracy with David against him. Verse 14 is Ahimelech's earnest, logical, and desperate defense in response to Saul's unfounded accusations, attempting to appeal to the king's reason by stating known facts about David's impeccable character and loyal standing within the kingdom and the royal family. Tragically, Saul rejected this defense, leading to the brutal massacre of the priests of Nob by Doeg.

1 Samuel 22 14 Word analysis

• Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, This opening establishes a direct address from the high priest to the reigning monarch, signifying a formal, yet charged, exchange within a legal or judicial context.
• Who among all your servants (Hebrew: מִי בְכָל עֲבָדֶיךָ, mi b'chol avadeykha): This is a powerful rhetorical question designed to convey astonishment and incredulity. "All your servants" encompasses everyone in Saul's employment or allegiance, from high officials to common retainers. Ahimelech is not just saying David is faithful, but that his faithfulness is unparalleled.
• is so faithful as David, (Hebrew: נֶאֱמָן כְּדָוִד, ne'eman k'David):
  • faithful (ne'eman): Derived from the root אָמַן ('aman), meaning "to be firm, trustworthy, sure, reliable, steady, loyal, true." It speaks of character, integrity, and constancy. This word directly counters Saul's accusation of David's disloyalty and conspiracy, emphasizing David's known reputation for unwavering allegiance. This faithfulness is implicitly compared to God's own nature (e.g., Deut 7:9).
  • as David: Highlighting David as the standard by which all other faithfulness should be measured, from Ahimelech's perspective.
• who is the king’s son-in-law, (Hebrew: וְחָתָן הַמֶּלֶךְ, v'chatan ha'melekh): This refers to David's marriage to Michal, Saul's daughter (1 Sam 18:27). This fact placed David firmly within the royal family, bound by kinship ties that traditionally implied loyalty and protection, making an act of betrayal against his father-in-law virtually unthinkable and socially scandalous.
• and has access to your private council, (Hebrew: וְסָר אֶל מִשְׁמַעְתֶּךָ, v'sar el mishma'tekha):
  • v'sar el: "turns aside to," or "comes aside to," indicating special access.
  • mishma'tekha: Can mean "your obedience," "your hearing," or "that which you give heed to." This phrase implies David had a privileged position where he was trusted with intimate discussions, was privy to royal affairs, and whose advice was sought or at least listened to. He was not an outsider plotting against the king but an insider to whom the king himself listened.
• and is honored in your house? (Hebrew: וְנִכְבָּד בְּבֵיתֶךָ, v'nikhbad b'veitekha):
  • honored (nikhbad): Passive participle of כָּבַד (kavad), meaning "to be weighty, heavy, honored, glorious, respected." This indicates that David was esteemed not just by the general populace, but specifically within Saul's own household. This likely includes Jonathan (David's staunch friend), Michal (his wife), and potentially even the royal servants who recognized his upright character and conduct, making the idea of him conspiring with a priest against Saul preposterous to Ahimelech. It speaks of his good standing and high reputation among those who knew him best within the inner circle.
  • in your house: This detail specifically refutes the idea that David was an external threat, showing he was respected internally.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:
  • "Who among all your servants is so faithful as David,": This collective rhetorical question sets the stage, expressing disbelief and presenting David's loyalty as a universally acknowledged superlative. It's an appeal to what should be an undeniable fact for Saul himself.
  • "who is the king’s son-in-law, and has access to your private council, and is honored in your house?": This tri-part enumeration provides concrete, unassailable evidence of David's close relationship and high standing. Each point serves to deepen the paradox of Saul's accusation:
    • Son-in-law: Denotes a deep family bond and a right to inherit or support.
    • Access to private council: Indicates a trusted, inner circle confidant.
    • Honored in your house: Shows a revered position within the immediate royal family and staff.
    Together, these clauses paint a picture of someone so intricately interwoven into the fabric of Saul's kingdom and personal life that betrayal would be unfathomable, a stark contrast to Saul's delusion.

1 Samuel 22 14 Bonus section

The four aspects Ahimelech emphasizes about David—his faithfulness, his royal familial tie, his privy counsel access, and his esteemed status—represent a fourfold cord of loyalty. To Ahimelech, any one of these would typically negate the possibility of treachery, let alone all four. His defense, while appearing calm and logical, is undergirded by deep conviction and possibly a degree of bewilderment that Saul could entertain such an outlandish notion. It subtly highlights how far Saul had fallen from sound judgment. The very strength of David's known character, ironically, becomes a catalyst for the unjust wrath against Ahimelech. This incident is a crucial point in the narrative arc demonstrating Saul's utter depravity and his complete rejection of God's ways by shedding innocent blood, especially that of God's consecrated priests, mirroring the king's prior rebellion (1 Sam 15).

1 Samuel 22 14 Commentary

Ahimelech's defense in 1 Samuel 22:14 is a masterpiece of logic and earnest appeal to widely known facts, starkly contrasting with Saul's paranoid unreasonableness. The priest did not merely deny the accusation but turned it into a rhetorical question implying David's unparalleled faithfulness. He then offered three irrefutable evidences of David's fidelity and integrated position within Saul's kingdom: his status as the king's son-in-law, his privileged access to Saul's most intimate circle of advisors, and his universal respect and honor within the very walls of Saul's royal residence. These were not debatable points but common knowledge. Ahimelech genuinely believed he was dealing with a misunderstanding, seeking to remind Saul of David's true character and relationship with him. The tragic irony is that Ahimelech, by simply stating the truth and reflecting the general sentiment towards David, unknowingly condemned himself and his priestly family. Saul, consumed by a spirit of malice and jealousy, had become incapable of discerning truth, illustrating the destructive power of sin and an unrighteous heart in leadership. This defense, though sound, highlights that reason and fact are often futile against deep-seated paranoia and spiritual blindness.