The Meaning of 1 Samuel 22:15 Explained

1 Samuel 22:15

KJV: Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.

YLT: To-day have I begun to ask for him at God? far be it from me! let not the king lay anything against his servant, against any of the house of my father, for thy servant hath known nothing of all this, less or more.'

Darby: Was it to-day that I began to inquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king charge anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.

ASV: Have I to-day begun to inquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute anything unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for thy servant knoweth nothing of all this, less or more.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Did I then  begin  to enquire  of God  for him? be it far from me:  let not the king  impute  [any] thing  unto his servant,  [nor] to all the house  of my father:  for thy servant  knew  nothing  of all this, less  or more. 

What does 1 Samuel 22:15 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 22:11-23 - The Slaughter Of David's Friends
The Apostle James says that "the tongue is set on fire of hell." Surely this was the case when Saul, encamped on the height above Gibeah, scattered his biting words like firebrands. They met with a ready response in Doeg's evil heart, and the two perpetrated one of the most atrocious tragedies of history.
This black act-the blackest of Saul's life-was not to be extenuated, although it executed the malediction, uttered long before in the days of Eli, against the latter's evil house. That Saul's footmen refused to execute the king's sentence should have made Him hesitate. Doeg's tale was true in its statement, but false in its implications.
There is nothing to alleviate the lurid horror of this incident, except David's welcome to Abiathar. Are not such words addressed by our Lord to all who escape to Him? "Abide with me" may be understood in the light of John 15:1-27. With Christ there is safeguard. "Your life is hid with Christ in God." Fear not, trembling soul; Christ stands surety for thee! See Psalms 52:1-9, where David predicts Doeg's fate, and contrasts it with his own happy lot. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 22

1  Companies resort unto David at Adullam
3  At Mizpeh he commends his parents unto the king of Moab
5  Admonished by Gad, he comes to Hareth,
6  Saul going to pursue him, complains of his servants' unfaithfulness
9  Doeg accuses Ahimelech
11  Saul commands to kill the priests
17  The footmen refusing, Doeg executes it
20  Abiathar escaping, brings David the news

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 22:15 mean?

then did I begin - to inquire for him of God Far be it from me not let impute the king to his servant anything [or] to any in the house of my father for nothing knew your servant of all this affair little or much
הַיּ֧וֹם הַחִלֹּ֛תִי [לשאול־] (לִשְׁאָל־) ל֥וֹ בֵאלֹהִ֖ים חָלִ֣ילָה לִּ֑י אַל־ יָשֵׂם֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ בְּעַבְדּ֤וֹ דָבָר֙ בְּכָל־ בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֔י כִּ֠י לֹֽא־ יָדַ֤ע עַבְדְּךָ֙ בְּכָל־ זֹ֔את דָּבָ֥ר קָטֹ֖ן א֥וֹ גָדֽוֹל

הַחִלֹּ֛תִי  did  I  begin 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: חָלַל 
Sense: to profane, defile, pollute, desecrate, begin.
[לשאול־]  - 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
(לִשְׁאָל־)  to  inquire 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁאַל 
Sense: to ask, enquire, borrow, beg.
ל֥וֹ  for  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁאַל 
Sense: to ask, enquire, borrow, beg.
בֵאלֹהִ֖ים  of  God 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
חָלִ֣ילָה  Far  be  it 
Parse: Interjection, third person feminine singular
Root: חָלִיל  
Sense: far be it (from me), God forbid that, let it not be.
לִּ֑י  from  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
יָשֵׂם֩  let  impute 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
בְּעַבְדּ֤וֹ  to  his  servant 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
דָבָר֙  anything 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
בְּכָל־  [or]  to  any  in 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
בֵּ֣ית  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
אָבִ֔י  of  my  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
לֹֽא־  nothing 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יָדַ֤ע  knew 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
עַבְדְּךָ֙  your  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
בְּכָל־  of  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
זֹ֔את  this 
Parse: Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
דָּבָ֥ר  affair 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
קָטֹ֖ן  little 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: קָטָן 
Sense: young, small, insignificant, unimportant.
גָדֽוֹל  much 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.