What is the meaning of 1 Samuel 22:15? Was That Day the First Time I Inquired of God for Him? “Was that day the first time I inquired of God for him?” Ahimelech opens with a rhetorical question. He reminds Saul that seeking the LORD for David was not a one-off favor but part of a long-standing pattern. • Priests regularly asked God for guidance on behalf of Israel’s leaders (1 Samuel 9:9; Deuteronomy 33:8). • David, already known as “a man after God’s own heart,” often sought divine direction (1 Samuel 23:2–4; 30:7-8). • By pointing to that history, Ahimelech highlights David’s proven loyalty (1 Samuel 18:13-16) and underscores that nothing about the consultation should look suspicious. Far Be It From Me! “Far be it from me!” This strong protest signals both innocence and reverence. Similar phrases mark outrage at the very thought of wrongdoing (Genesis 44:17; 1 Samuel 12:23; 1 Kings 21:3). Ahimelech cannot imagine defying God’s anointed king or conspiring against him. Let Not the King Accuse Your Servant or Any of My Father’s Household “Let not the king accuse your servant or any of my father’s household…” • Ahimelech appeals to Saul’s sense of justice, pleading that the whole priestly family not be condemned (compare Exodus 23:7; Psalm 7:8). • His respectful address—“your servant”—shows submission to the throne while begging Saul to pause before acting (Proverbs 18:13). • The coming verses reveal Saul’s refusal and the tragic slaughter of the priests (1 Samuel 22:17-19), fulfilling earlier warnings about what rejection of God’s ways would cost Israel (1 Samuel 2:30-33). For Your Servant Knew Nothing of This Whole Affair—Not in Part or in Whole “…for your servant knew nothing of this whole affair—not in part or in whole.” Ahimelech utterly disavows knowledge of the conflict between Saul and David. • Just as the innocent men who accompanied Absalom “went in simplicity, knowing nothing” (2 Samuel 15:11), the priest had no idea David was fleeing. • Ignorance, however, will not spare him; Saul’s paranoia blinds him to reason (Proverbs 28:1). • The verse reminds us that human rulers may misjudge, but God sees true motives (1 Chronicles 28:9; Hebrews 4:13). summary 1 Samuel 22:15 records Ahimelech’s earnest defense: consulting God for David was routine priestly service, not treason. His emphatic “Far be it from me!” and plea for his household spotlight his innocence and Saul’s unjust rage. The verse calls readers to trust the LORD’s perfect justice even when earthly authorities distort it, and to keep serving faithfully, knowing God ultimately vindicates those who walk uprightly (Psalm 37:5-6). |
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