# Is today the first time I have prayed to God to help him?

Ahimelech asks himself this question before Saul can ask it, then immediately answers it. This rhetorical question can be translated as a statement. Alternate translation: "This is not the first time I have prayed to God to help David." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion]])

# Far be it from me!

This idiom means "Absolutely not!" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom]])

# Do not let the king impute anything to his servant or to all the house of my father. For your servant knows nothing

Ahimelech speaks of himself in the third person as the "servant." Ahimelech also refers to Saul in the third person as "the king." Ahimelech speaks this way to show respect to Saul. Alternate translation: "Please, King Saul, do not consider me, your servant, or anyone in the house of my father to be guilty. For I know nothing" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-123person]])

# impute

to consider someone guilty

# to all the house of my father

Here "house" represents "family." Alternate translation: "to all my father's family" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy]])

