1 Samuel 22:15Have 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."
The setting
Nob, Israel (~1020 BC). Ahimelech's voice cracks as he realizes his defense of David has failed. His family's death warrant is being written with every word.
The emotion here: panic rising to desperation
The original word
chalilah (חָלִילָה) — 'far be it!' — the strongest possible denial in Hebrew
Why it matters
Priests were considered untouchable in ancient Israel — even kings feared killing them due to divine curses
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Samuel 22:15
The verse cuts off mid-sentence — Ahimelech is so panicked he can't finish his thought
Common misconceptionPeople think Ahimelech is lying to save himself, but he genuinely didn't know David was fleeing from Saul. His shock and panic are real.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Samuel 22:15
Bible Genome reading
1 Samuel 22:15 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Samuel 22:15 comes from the book of 1 Samuel, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Ahimelech. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the prayer genre of biblical literature. Key themes include innocence, self-defense. Notable phrases: Be it far from me; Don't let the king impute anything.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does 1 Samuel 22:15 mean to you, today?
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