1 Samuel

1 Samuel 21:13–15

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 21:13

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 21:13 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.