1 Samuel

1 Samuel 21:10–15

¹⁰That day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath. ¹¹But the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David, the king of the land? Did they not sing about him in their dances, saying:

‘Saul has slain his thousands,

and David his tens of thousands’?”

¹²Now David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. ¹³So he changed his behavior before them and feigned madness in their hands; he scratched on the doors of the gate and let his saliva run down his beard.

¹⁴Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you can see that the man is insane! Why have you brought him to me? ¹⁵Am I in need of madmen, that you have brought this man to rave in my presence? Must this man come into my house?”

Read all of 1 Samuel 21

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Samuel 21:10

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
That	הַה֖וּא	ha·hū	Article; Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
day	בַּיּוֹם־	bay·yō·wm-	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day
David	דָּוִ֔ד	dā·wiḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
fled	וַיִּבְרַ֥ח	way·yiḇ·raḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1272 go through, flee
from	מִפְּנֵ֣י	mip·pə·nê	Preposition-m; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
Saul	שָׁא֑וּל	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
and went	וַיָּבֹ֕א	way·yā·ḇō	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Achish	אָכִ֖ישׁ	’ā·ḵîš	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H397 Akish
king of	מֶ֥לֶךְ	me·leḵ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4428 king
Gath	גַּֽת׃	gaṯ	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1661 wine-press

1 Samuel 21:11

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But the servants	עַבְדֵ֤י	‘aḇ·ḏê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H5650 slave, servant
of Achish	אָכִישׁ֙	’ā·ḵîš	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H397 Akish
said	וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
to him	אֵלָ֔יו	’ê·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H413 motion to
this	זֶ֥ה	zeh	Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
not	הֲלוֹא־	hă·lō·w-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
David	דָוִ֖ד	ḏā·wiḏ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H1732 David
the king	מֶ֣לֶךְ	me·leḵ		H4428 king
of the land	הָאָ֑רֶץ	hā·’ā·reṣ		H776 earth, land
Did they not	הֲל֣וֹא	hă·lō·w		H3808 not
sing	יַעֲנ֤וּ	ya·‘ă·nū	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H6030 answer, respond
about him	לָזֶ֗ה	lā·zeh	Preposition-l; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
in their dances	בַמְּחֹלוֹת֙	ḇam·mə·ḥō·lō·wṯ		H4246 id.
saying	לֵאמֹ֔ר	lê·mōr		H559 utter, say
Saul	שָׁאוּל֙	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
has slain	הִכָּ֤ה	hik·kāh		H5221 smite
thousands	בְּאַלְפּוֹ	bə·ʾal·pō	Preposition-b; Number - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H505 thousand
and David	וְדָוִ֖ד	wə·ḏā·wiḏ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
tens of thousands	בְּרִבְבֹתוֹ׃	bə·ri·ḇə·ḇō·ṯō	Preposition-b; Number - feminine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H7233 multitude, myriad, ten thousand

1 Samuel 21:12

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Now David	דָּוִ֛ד	dā·wiḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
took	וַיָּ֧שֶׂם	way·yā·śem	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7760 put, place, set
these	הָאֵ֖לֶּה	hā·’êl·leh	Article; Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
words	הַדְּבָרִ֥ים	had·də·ḇā·rîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H1697 speech, word
to heart	בִּלְבָב֑וֹ	bil·ḇā·ḇōw	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3824 inner man, mind, will, heart
and was very much	מְאֹ֔ד	mə·’ōḏ	Adverb	H3966 muchness, force, abundance, exceedingly
afraid	וַיִּרָ֣א	way·yi·rā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3372 fear
of	מִפְּנֵ֖י	mip·pə·nê	Preposition-m; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
Achish	אָכִ֥ישׁ	’ā·ḵîš	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H397 Akish
the king	מֶֽלֶךְ־	me·leḵ-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4428 king
of Gath	גַּֽת׃	gaṯ	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1661 wine-press

1 Samuel 21:13

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So he changed	וַיְשַׁנּ֤וֹ	way·šan·nōw	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H8138 change
his behavior	טַעְמוֹ֙	ṭa‘·mōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2940 taste, judgement
before them	בְּעֵ֣ינֵיהֶ֔ם	bə·‘ê·nê·hem	Preposition-b; Noun - cdc; third person masculine plural	H5869 eye
and feigned madness	וַיִּתְהֹלֵ֖ל	way·yiṯ·hō·lêl	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1984 shine
in their hands	בְּיָדָ֑ם	bə·yā·ḏām	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H3027 hand
he scratched	וַיְתַו	way·ṯaw	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8427 make or set a mark
on	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the doors	דַּלְת֣וֹת	dal·ṯō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural construct	H1817 door
of the gate	הַשַּׁ֔עַר	haš·ša·‘ar	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H8179 gate
and let his saliva	רִיר֖וֹ	rî·rōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H7388 slimy juice, spittle
run	וַיּ֥וֹרֶד	way·yō·w·reḏ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3381 come or go down, descend
down	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
his beard	זְקָנֽוֹ׃	zə·qā·nōw	Noun - common singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2206 chin, beard

1 Samuel 21:14

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then Achish	אָכִ֖ישׁ	’ā·ḵîš	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H397 Akish
said	וַיֹּ֥אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to	אֶל־	’el-		H413 motion to
his servants	עֲבָדָ֑יו	‘ă·ḇā·ḏāw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H5650 slave, servant
Look	הִנֵּ֤ה	hin·nêh	Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
you can see	תִרְאוּ֙	ṯir·’ū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H7200 see
the man	אִ֣ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
is insane	מִשְׁתַּגֵּ֔עַ	miš·tag·gê·a‘	Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine singular	H7696 be mad
Why	לָ֛מָּה	lām·māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
have you brought	תָּבִ֥יאוּ	tā·ḇî·’ū	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H935 come in, come, go in, go
him	אֹת֖וֹ	’ō·ṯōw	Direct object marker; third person masculine singular	H853 mark of the accusative
to me	אֵלָֽי׃	’ê·lāy	Preposition; first person common singular	H413 motion to

1 Samuel 21:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Am I	אָ֔נִי	’ā·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
in need of	חֲסַ֤ר	ḥă·sar	Adjective - masculine singular construct	H2638 needy, lacking, in want of
madmen	מְשֻׁגָּעִים֙	mə·šug·gā·‘îm	Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine plural	H7696 be mad
that	כִּי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
you have brought	הֲבֵאתֶ֣ם	hă·ḇê·ṯem	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine plural	H935 come in, come, go in, go
this man	זֶ֔ה	zeh	Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
to rave	לְהִשְׁתַּגֵּ֖עַ	lə·hiš·tag·gê·a‘	Preposition-l; Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive construct	H7696 be mad
in my presence	עָלָ֑י	‘ā·lāy	Preposition; first person common singular	H5921 height
Must this	הֲזֶ֖ה	hă·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
come	יָב֥וֹא	yā·ḇō·w	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
into	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
my house	בֵּיתִֽי׃ס	bê·ṯî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H1004 house

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

1 Samuel 21:11 1 Samuel 29:5 · Psalm 56:1–13 · 1 Samuel 16:1

1 Samuel 21:12 Luke 2:19 · Psalm 56:3 · Psalm 34:4

1 Samuel 21:13 Proverbs 29:25 · Ecclesiastes 7:7 · Psalm 34:1–22

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.