1 Samuel 22:15
“Have I today begun to inquire of God for him? Be it far from me! Don’t let the king impute anything to his servant, nor to all the house of my father; for your servant knows nothing of all this, less or more.””
What does 1 Samuel 22:15 mean?
David's priest Ahimelech is defending himself after King Saul has accused him of helping David rebel. He's asking Saul rhetorically whether this was the first time he'd ever inquired of God for someone, pointing out that he regularly does this priestly work—so why would he be singled out for helping David, who was still the king's trusted servant at that time? He's essentially saying, "I had no reason to suspect David was your enemy, and I was simply doing my normal job." The phrase "don't let the king impute anything" is a desperate plea for mercy, asking Saul not to hold this against him or his family. In a moment of fear, Ahimelech is trying to protect not just himself but everyone connected to him by explaining that he acted innocently and without knowledge of any wrongdoing.