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,

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?”