1 Samuel 22:14

THE MESSAGE

Ahimelech answered the king, "There's not an official in your administration as true to you as David, your own son-in-law and captain of your bodyguard. None more honorable either. Do you think that was the first time I prayed with him for God's guidance? Hardly! But don't accuse me of any wrongdoing, me or my family. I have no idea what you're trying to get at with this ‘outlaw' talk."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Ahimelech replied to the king: “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David? He is the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard, and honored in your house.

Hebrew Names Version
Then Achimelekh answered the king, and said, Who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and is taken into your council, and is honorable in your house?

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?

Lexham English Bible
But Ahimelech answered the king and said, "And who among all your servants is as faithful as David? He is the son-in-law of the king who moves quickly to safeguard you and is honored in your house.

English Standard Version
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?

New Century Version
Ahimelech answered, "You have no other servant who is as loyal as David, your own son-in-law and captain of your bodyguards. Everyone in your house respects him.

New English Translation
Ahimelech replied to the king, "Who among all your servants is faithful like David? He is the king's son-in-law, the leader of your bodyguard, and honored in your house!

Amplified Bible
Then Ahimelech answered the king, "And who among all your servants is as faithful and trustworthy as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and who is captain over your guard [and your confidant], and is honored in your house?

New American Standard Bible
Then Ahimelech answered the king and said, "And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, the king's own son-in-law, who is commander over your bodyguard, and is honored in your house?

Geneva Bible (1587)
And Ahimelech answered the King, and sayde, Who is so faithfull among all thy seruants as Dauid, being also the Kings sonne in lawe, and goeth at thy commandement, and is honourable in thine house?

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Ahimelech answered the king and said, "And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, even the king's son-in-law, who is captain over your guard, and is honored in your house?

Contemporary English Version
"Your Majesty, none of your officers is more loyal than David!" Ahimelech replied. "He's your son-in-law and the captain of your bodyguard. Everyone in your family respects him.

Complete Jewish Bible
Achimelekh answered the king, "Is there anyone among all your servants more trustworthy than David? He's the king's son-in-law, he carries out your every request, your household honors him.

Darby Translation
And Ahimelech answered the king and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and has access to thy secret council, and is honourable in thy house?

Easy-to-Read Version
Ahimelech answered, "David is very faithful to you. Not one of your other officers is as faithful as David. He is your own son-in-law and the captain of your bodyguards. Your own family respects David.

George Lamsa Translation
And Ahimeleck the priest answered the king and said, And who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the kings son-in-law, and heeds your commands and is honored in your house?

Good News Translation
Ahimelech answered, "David is the most faithful officer you have! He is your own son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard, and highly respected by everyone in the royal court.

Literal Translation
And Ahimelech answered the king and said, And who among all your servants is as David the faithful, and son-in-law of the king; who does your bidding, and is honorable in all your house?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Ahimelech answered the kynge and saide: And who is amonge all thy seruauntes like Dauid, which is faithfull, and hath maried the kynges doughter, and goeth in thine obedience, & is honorably taken in thine house?

American Standard Version
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?

Bible in Basic English
Then Ahimelech answering said to the king, Who among all your servants is so true to you as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and is a captain of your armed men, and has a place of honour in your house?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Ahimelech aunswered the king, and sayde: Who is so faithfull among all thy seruauntes, as Dauid, and therto the kinges sonne in lawe: and goeth at thy bidding, and is had in honour in thyne house?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said: 'And who among all thy servants is so trusted as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and giveth heed unto thy bidding, and is honourable in thy house?

King James Version (1611)
Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithfull among all thy seruants, as Dauid, which is the kings sonne in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he answered the king, and said, And who is there among all thy servants faithful as David, and he is a son-in-law of the king, and he is executor of all thy commands, and is honourable in thy house?

English Revised Version
Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who among all thy servants is so faithful as David, which is the king’s son in law, and is taken into thy council, and is honourable in thine house?

Berean Standard Bible
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?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Achymelech answeride to the kyng, and seide, And who among alle thi seruauntis is as Dauid feithful, and the sone in lawe `of the kyng, and goynge at thi comaundement, and gloriouse in thin hows?

Young's Literal Translation
And Ahimelech answereth the king and saith, `And who among all thy servants [is] as David -- faithful, and son-in-law of the king, and hath turned aside unto thy council, and is honoured in thy house?

Update Bible Version
Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who among all your slaves is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and commander over your bodyguard, and is honorable in your house?

Webster's Bible Translation
Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who [is so] faithful among all thy servants as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honorable in thy house?

World English Bible
Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, Who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and is taken into your council, and is honorable in your house?

New King James Version
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?

New Living Translation
"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!

New Life Bible
Ahimelech answered the king, "Who among all your servants is as faithful as David? He is the king's son-in-law. He is captain of the soldiers who keep you safe, and is honored in your house.

New Revised Standard
Then Ahimelech answered the king, "Who among all your servants is so faithful as David? He is the king's son-in-law, and is quick to do your bidding, and is honored in your house.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, - But who, among all thy servants, like David, is, faithful, being son-in-law to the king, and, cometh near to have audience with thee, and is, honoured in thy household?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Achimelech answering the king, said: And who amongst all thy servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son in law, and goeth forth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thy house?

Revised Standard Version
Then Ahim'elech 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?

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Ahimelech answered the king and said, "And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, even the king's son-in-law, who is captain over your guard, and is honored in your house?

Contextual Overview

⁶Saul got word of the whereabouts of David and his men. He was sitting under the big oak on the hill at Gibeah at the time, spear in hand, holding court surrounded by his officials. He said, "Listen here, you Benjaminites! Don't think for a minute that you have any future with the son of Jesse! Do you think he's going to hand over choice land, give you all influential jobs? Think again. Here you are, conspiring against me, whispering behind my back—not one of you is man enough to tell me that my own son is making deals with the son of Jesse, not one of you who cares enough to tell me that my son has taken the side of this, this... outlaw!" ⁹Then Doeg the Edomite, who was standing with Saul's officials, spoke up: "I saw the son of Jesse meet with Ahimelech son of Ahitub, in Nob. I saw Ahimelech pray with him for God 's guidance, give him food, and arm him with the sword of Goliath the Philistine." ¹¹ Saul sent for the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub, along with the whole family of priests at Nob. They all came to the king. ¹² Saul said, "You listen to me, son of Ahitub!" "Certainly, master," he said. ¹³ "Why have you ganged up against me with the son of Jesse, giving him bread and a sword, even praying with him for God 's guidance, setting him up as an outlaw, out to get me?" ¹⁴Ahimelech answered the king, "There's not an official in your administration as true to you as David, your own son-in-law and captain of your bodyguard. None more honorable either. Do you think that was the first time I prayed with him for God's guidance? Hardly! But don't accuse me of any wrongdoing, me or my family. I have no idea what you're trying to get at with this ‘outlaw' talk." ¹⁶ The king said, "Death, Ahimelech! You're going to die—you and everyone in your family!" ¹⁷ The king ordered his henchmen, "Surround and kill the priests of God ! They're hand in glove with David. They knew he was running away from me and didn't tell me." But the king's men wouldn't do it. They refused to lay a hand on the priests of God . ¹⁸Then the king told Doeg, "You do it—massacre the priests!" Doeg the Edomite led the attack and slaughtered the priests, the eighty-five men who wore the sacred robes. He then carried the massacre into Nob, the city of priests, killing man and woman, child and baby, ox, donkey, and sheep—the works.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

And who: 1 Samuel 19:4, 1 Samuel 19:5, 1 Samuel 20:32, 1 Samuel 24:11, 1 Samuel 26:23, 2 Samuel 22:23-25, Proverbs 24:11, Proverbs 24:12, Proverbs 31:8, Proverbs 31:9

the king's: 1 Samuel 22:13, 1 Samuel 17:25, 1 Samuel 18:27

goeth: 1 Samuel 18:13, 1 Samuel 21:2

Reciprocal: Genesis 34:19 - honourable 1 Samuel 20:27 - the son 2 Samuel 23:23 - over his guard Psalms 7:4 - without Psalms 35:12 - They Psalms 101:2 - behave Proverbs 12:17 - that Proverbs 25:26 - General Proverbs 28:4 - but Proverbs 28:20 - faithful Daniel 6:4 - but Matthew 27:23 - Why Titus 2:10 - showing 1 John 3:12 - And

Cross-References

Genesis 22:8
Abraham said, "Son, God will see to it that there's a sheep for the burnt offering." And they kept on walking together.

Genesis 22:13
Abraham looked up. He saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. Abraham took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

Genesis 22:14
Abraham named that place God -Yireh ( God -Sees-to-It). That's where we get the saying, "On the mountain of God , he sees to it."

Genesis 32:30
Jacob named the place Peniel (God's Face) because, he said, "I saw God face-to-face and lived to tell the story!"

Exodus 17:15
Moses built an altar and named it " God My Banner." He said, Salute God 's rule! God at war with Amalek Always and forever!

Deuteronomy 32:36
Yes, God will judge his people, but oh how compassionately he'll do it. When he sees their weakened plight and there is no one left, slave or free, He'll say, "So where are their gods, the rock in which they sought refuge, The gods who feasted on the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their drink-offerings? Let them show their stuff and help you, let them give you a hand!

Judges 6:24
Then Gideon built an altar there to God and named it " God 's Peace." It's still called that at Ophrah of Abiezer.

Ezekiel 48:35
"The four sides of the city measure to a total of nearly six miles. "From now on the name of the city will be Yahweh-Shammah : "God-Is-There."

John 1:14
The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said,.... First with respect to David, and then with regard to himself; with respect to David as follows,

and who [is so] faithful amongst thy servants as David; I considered him, as if he should say, as a servant of thine, upon an errand of thine, and doing thy business; and as a faithful one, none more so, and as such I valued and regarded him, not as a rebel to thee, having no such thought of him:

which is the king's son in law; who has behaved himself so well, and thou hast entertained such an opinion of him, as to take him into thy family, and marry thy daughter to him; wherefore showing him favour, and doing him honour, was doing honour to thee and thy family, and surely there can be no blame in that:

and goeth at thy bidding; has always been ready to execute thy commands, and obey thine orders, let them be what they will; as to go out against an enemy, and fight Saul's battles for him:

and is honourable in thine house? behaved honourably there, and highly esteemed by all, as well as had the honour bestowed upon him to be the king's son-in-law, and made captain of a thousand; and therefore who could think that showing respect to such a man could be deemed treason and conspiracy, or he be thought to be a traitor to the king? and then with respect to himself he answers,

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 22:14. And who is so faithful — The word נאמן neeman, which we here translate faithful, is probably the name of an officer. Numbers 12:7.