Ahimelech did not deny the charge of aiding David, but he denied any disloyalty. On his reply hinges a difference of opinion as to the time placement of this incident (see on v. 6). Those who hold that the incident occurred immediately after David’s flight from Gibeah interpret Ahimelech’s words as meaning that he had not learned, up to that moment, that David was no longer Saul’s most faithful servant and an honored member of the king’s household. He could hardly have been either so ignorant or so foolish as to tell Saul, after David had been a fugitive and an outlaw for many months, that he “goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house.”

This conclusion is based on our English translation, which renders the verbs in the present tense. Actually the Hebrew has only one verb, sur, here translated “goeth.” The word “is,” though it occurs three times in this verse, is supplied. The form of the verb sur here found may be given either a present or a past sense, so that the sentence is quite indefinite as to the time period under consideration. The tense must be supplied by the context. The literal rendering of the words of Ahimelech is: “And who among all thy servants so faithful as David, who, the king’s son-in-law, and turning [or turned] at thy bidding, and honorable in thine house?” The past tense seems to be demanded by the context. The insertion of the necessary verb forms in rendering such a sentence into English must depend on the best judgment of the translators, but in the nature of the case it will allow differences of opinion. Ahimelech obviously meant to say that he had aided one whom he had supposed at the time—whether recent or remote—to be an honored representative of the king.