1 Samuel 21:10-15
New English Translation
10 So on that day David arose and fled from Saul. He went to King Achish of Gath. 11 The servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one that they sing about when they dance, saying,
‘Saul struck down his thousands,
but David his tens of thousands’?”
12 David thought about what they said[a] and was very afraid of King Achish of Gath. 13 He altered his behavior in their presence.[b] Since he was in their power,[c] he pretended to be insane, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting his saliva run down his beard.
14 Achish said to his servants, “Look at this madman! Why did you bring him to me? 15 Do I have a shortage of fools so that you have brought me this man to display his insanity in front of me? Should this man enter my house?”
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- 1 Samuel 21:12 tn Heb “placed these matters in his heart.”
- 1 Samuel 21:13 tn Heb “in their eyes.”
- 1 Samuel 21:13 tn Heb “in their hand.”
1 Samuel 21:10-15
Common English Bible
David pretends to be crazy
10 So David got up and continued running from Saul. He went to Achish, Gath’s king. 11 Achish’s servants said to him, “Isn’t that David, king of the land? He’s the one people sing about in their dances,
‘Saul has killed his thousands,
but David has killed his tens of thousands!’”
12 David took these words very seriously and became very frightened of Achish, Gath’s king. 13 So he changed the way he acted with them, pretending to be insane while he was with them.[a] He scratched marks on the doors of the city gates[b] and let spit run down his chin.
14 “Can’t you see he’s crazy?” Achish asked his servants. “Why bring him to me? 15 Am I short on insane people that you’ve brought this person to go crazy right in front of me? Do you really think I’m going to let this man enter my house?”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 21:13 Or in their hand; Heb uncertain
- 1 Samuel 21:13 Or with correction he spit on the doors of the city gate or he fell down at the doors of the city gate (cf LXX).
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