1 Samuel

1 Samuel 22:14–18

14Ahimelech 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? 15Was that day the first time I inquired of God for him? Far be it from me! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of my father’s household, for your servant knew nothing of this whole affair — not in part or in whole.”

16But the king replied, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!”

17Then the king ordered the guards at his side, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too sided with David. For they knew he was fleeing, but they did not tell me.”

But the king’s servants would not lift a hand to strike the priests of the LORD.

18So the king ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests!”

And Doeg the Edomite turned and struck down the priests himself. On that day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.

Read all of 1 Samuel 22

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Samuel 22:14

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Ahimelechאֲחִימֶ֛לֶךְ’ă·ḥî·me·leḵNoun - proper - masculine singularH288 Achimelek
answeredוַיַּ֧עַןway·ya·‘anConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH6030 answer, respond
the kingהַמֶּ֖לֶךְham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
Whoוּמִ֤יū·mîConjunctive waw; InterrogativeH4310 who?
among allבְכָל־ḇə·ḵāl-Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
your servantsעֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙‘ă·ḇā·ḏe·ḵāNoun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singularH5650 slave, servant
is as faithfulנֶאֱמָ֔ןne·’ĕ·mānVerb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singularH539 confirm, support
as Davidכְּדָוִ֣דkə·ḏā·wiḏPreposition-k; Noun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
the king’sהַמֶּ֛לֶךְham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
son-in-lawוַחֲתַ֥ןwa·ḥă·ṯanConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular constructH2860 daughter's husband, bride-groom
the captainוְסָ֥רwə·sārConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH5493 turn aside
ofאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
your bodyguardמִשְׁמַעְתֶּ֖ךָmiš·ma‘·te·ḵāNoun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singularH4928 obedient band, body of subjects
and honoredוְנִכְבָּ֥דwə·niḵ·bāḏConjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singularH3513 be heavy, weighty, burdensome, honoured
in your houseבְּבֵיתֶֽךָ׃bə·ḇê·ṯe·ḵāPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH1004 house

1 Samuel 22:15

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Was that dayהַיּ֧וֹםhay·yō·wmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH3117 day
the first timeהַחִלֹּ֛תִיha·ḥil·lō·ṯîVerb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singularH2490 bore, pierce
I inquiredלְשָׁאוֹלlə·šå̄·ʾōlPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH7592 ask, inquire
of Godבֵאלֹהִ֖יםḇê·lō·hîmPreposition-b; Noun - masculine pluralH430 God
for himל֥וֹlōwPreposition; third person masculine singularH7592 ask, inquire
Far be itחָלִ֣ילָהḥā·lî·lāhInterjection; third person feminine singularH2486 far be it
from meלִּ֑יlîPreposition; first person common singular
Let notאַל־’al-AdverbH408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
the kingהַמֶּ֨לֶךְham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
accuseיָשֵׂם֩yā·śêmVerb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singularH7760 put, place, set
your servantבְּעַבְדּ֤וֹbə·‘aḇ·dōwPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH5650 slave, servant
or anyבְּכָל־bə·ḵālPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
of my father’sאָבִ֔י’ā·ḇîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH1 father
householdבֵּ֣יתbêṯNoun - masculine singular constructH1004 house
forכִּ֠יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
your servantעַבְדְּךָ֙‘aḇ·də·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH5650 slave, servant
knewיָדַ֤עyā·ḏa‘Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH3045 know
nothingלֹֽא־lō-Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
of thisזֹ֔אתzōṯPronoun - feminine singularH2063 this
wholeבְּכָל־bə·ḵālPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
affairדָּבָ֥רdā·ḇārNoun - masculine singularH1697 speech, word
not in partקָטֹ֖ןqā·ṭōnAdjective - masculine singularH6996 small, young, unimportant
orא֥וֹ’ōwConjunctionH176 or
in wholeגָדֽוֹל׃ḡā·ḏō·wlAdjective - masculine singularH1419 great

1 Samuel 22:16

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
But the kingהַמֶּ֔לֶךְham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
repliedוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
You will surely dieמ֥וֹתmō·wṯVerb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteH4191 die
Ahimelechאֲחִימֶ֑לֶךְ’ă·ḥî·me·leḵNoun - proper - masculine singularH288 Achimelek
youאַתָּ֖ה’at·tāhPronoun - second person masculine singularH859 thou
and allוְכָל־wə·ḵālConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
your father’sאָבִֽיךָ׃’ā·ḇî·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH1 father
houseבֵּ֥יתbêṯNoun - masculine singular constructH1004 house

1 Samuel 22:17

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then the kingהַמֶּ֡לֶךְham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
orderedוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
the guardsלָרָצִים֩lā·rā·ṣîmPreposition-l, Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralH7323 run
at his sideהַנִּצָּבִ֨יםhan·niṣ·ṣā·ḇîmArticle; Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine pluralH5324 take one's stand, stand
Turnסֹ֥בּוּsōb·būVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH5437 turn about, go around, surround
and killוְהָמִ֣יתוּ׀wə·hā·mî·ṯūConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine pluralH4191 die
the priestsכֹּהֲנֵ֣יkō·hă·nêNoun - masculine plural constructH3548 priest
of the LORDיְהוָ֗הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
becauseכִּ֤יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
they tooגַם־ḡam-ConjunctionH1571 also, moreover, yea
sided withעִם־‘im-PrepositionH5973 with
Davidדָּוִ֔דdā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
Forוְכִ֤יwə·ḵîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
they knewיָֽדְעוּ֙yā·ḏə·‘ūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH3045 know
heה֔וּאhūPronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
was fleeingבֹרֵ֣חַḇō·rê·aḥVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH1272 go through, flee
but they did notוְלֹ֥אwə·lōConjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
tellגָל֖וּḡā·lūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH1540 uncover, remove
meאָזְנוֹʾå̄·zə·nōNoun - feminine singular construct; first person common singularH241 ear
But the king’sהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
servantsעַבְדֵ֤י‘aḇ·ḏêNoun - masculine plural constructH5650 slave, servant
wouldאָב֞וּ’ā·ḇūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralH14 be willing, consent
notוְלֹֽא־wə·lō-Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
liftלִשְׁלֹ֣חַliš·lō·aḥPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH7971 send
a handיָדָ֔םyā·ḏāmNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine pluralH3027 hand
to strikeלִפְגֹ֖עַlip̄·ḡō·a‘Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH6293 meet, encounter, reach
the priestsבְּכֹהֲנֵ֥יbə·ḵō·hă·nêPreposition-b; Noun - masculine plural constructH3548 priest
of the LORDיְהוָֽה׃סYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh

1 Samuel 22:18

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So the kingהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
orderedוַיֹּ֤אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Doegלְדוֹיֵגlə·ḏō·yēḡPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH1673 Doeg
Youאַתָּ֔ה’at·tāhPronoun - second person masculine singularH859 thou
turnסֹ֣בsōḇVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH5437 turn about, go around, surround
and strike downוּפְגַ֖עū·p̄ə·ḡa‘Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH6293 meet, encounter, reach
the priestsבַּכֹּהֲנִ֑יםbak·kō·hă·nîmPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine pluralH3548 priest
And Doegדּוֹיֵגdō·yēḡNoun - proper - masculine singularH1673 Doeg
the Edomiteהָאֲדֹמִ֗יhā·’ă·ḏō·mîArticle; Noun - proper - masculine singularH130 Edomite
turnedוַיִּסֹּ֞בway·yis·sōḇConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH5437 turn about, go around, surround
and struck downוַיִּפְגַּע־way·yip̄·ga‘-Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH6293 meet, encounter, reach
the priestsבַּכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔יםbak·kō·hă·nîmPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine pluralH3548 priest
himselfהוּא֙hūPronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
On thatהַה֗וּאha·hūArticle; Pronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
dayבַּיּ֣וֹםbay·yō·wmPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singularH3117 day
he killedוַיָּ֣מֶת׀way·yā·meṯConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH4191 die
eighty-fiveשְׁמֹנִ֤יםšə·mō·nîmNumber - common pluralH8084 an eighty
menאִ֔ישׁ’îšNoun - masculine singularH376 man
who woreנֹשֵׂ֖אnō·śêVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH5375 lift, take, carry
the linenבָּֽד׃bāḏNoun - masculine singularH906 white linen
ephodאֵפ֥וֹד’ê·p̄ō·wḏNoun - masculine singular constructH646 ephod

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

1 Samuel 22:14 1 Samuel 19:4–5 · 1 Samuel 20:32

1 Samuel 22:15 1 Samuel 25:36 · 1 Peter 3:16–17

1 Samuel 22:16 Proverbs 28:15

1 Samuel 22:17 Exodus 1:17 · 1 Samuel 14:45

1 Samuel 22:18 Acts 26:10–11

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.