1 Samuel 21:13 — Meaning and Application

King James Version

“And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. {scrabbled: or, made marks}”

1 Samuel 21:13

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Understanding the surrounding verses prevents misinterpretation:

And the servants of Achish said unto him, {Is} not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. {scrabbled: or, made marks}

Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore {then} have ye brought him to me? {is mad: or, playeth the mad man}

Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this {fellow} to play the mad man in my presence? shall this {fellow} come into my house?

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1 Samuel 21:1

"Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why {art} thou alone, and no man with thee? {Ahimelech: also called Ahiah}"

1 Samuel 21:2

"And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed {my} servants to such and such a place."

1 Samuel 21:3

"Now therefore what is under thine hand? give {me} five {loaves of} bread in mine hand, or what there is present. {present: Heb. found}"

1 Samuel 21:4

"And the priest answered David, and said, {There is} no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women."

1 Samuel 21:5

"And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women {have been} kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and {the bread is} in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel. {yea...: or, especially when this day there is other sanctified in the vessel}"

1 Samuel 21:6

"So the priest gave him hallowed {bread}: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away."

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