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Wednesday, July 16th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

Complete Jewish Bible

1 Samuel 21:14

So, as they were watching, he changed his behavior and acted like a madman when they had hold of him, scratching marks on the doors of the city gate and drooling down his beard.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Achish;   David;   Deception;   Dissembling;   Falsehood;   Gath;   Insanity;   Malingering;   Philistines;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Abimelech;   David;   Gath;   Philistia, philistines;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Persecution;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - David;   Gath;   Jonath Elem Rechokim, upon;   Madmen (2);   Psalms;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Abimelech;   Ahimelech;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Nob;   Priests and Levites;   Samuel, Books of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Achish ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Achish;   David;   Gath;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Achish;   Barber;   Beard;   David;   Elhanan;   Ezekiel;   Mad;   Samuel, Books of;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Achish;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Beard;   Samuel, Books of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Look! You can see the man is crazy,” Achish said to his servants. “Why did you bring him to me?
Hebrew Names Version
Then said Akhish to his servants, Look, you see the man is mad; why then have you brought him to me?
King James Version
Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?
Lexham English Bible
Then Achish said to his servants, "Look, you see a madman! Why did you bring him to me?
English Standard Version
Then Achish said to his servants, "Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me?
New Century Version
Achish said to his servants, "Look at the man! He's crazy! Why do you bring him to me?
New English Translation
Achish said to his servants, "Look at this madman! Why did you bring him to me?
Amplified Bible
Then Achish said to his servants, "Look, you see that the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me?
New American Standard Bible
Then Achish said to his servants, "Look, you see the man is behaving like an insane person. Why do you bring him to me?
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then said Achish vnto his seruants, Lo, ye see the man is beside him selfe, wherefore haue ye brought him to me?
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Achish said to his servants, "Behold, you see the man behaving as a madman. Why do you bring him to me?
Contemporary English Version
"Look at him!" Achish said to his officers. "You can see he's crazy. Why did you bring him to me?
Darby Translation
And Achish said to his servants, Behold, ye see the man is mad: why did ye bring him to me?
Easy-to-Read Version
Achish said to his officers, "Look at the man! He is crazy. Why did you bring him to me?
George Lamsa Translation
Then Achish said to his servants. Lo, you see the man is mad; why then have you brought him to me?
Good News Translation
So Achish said to his officials, "Look! The man is crazy! Why did you bring him to me?
Literal Translation
And Achish said to his servants, Behold, you see the man is showing madness. Why do you bring him to me?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then sayde Achis vnto his seruauntes: Beholde, ye se that the man is out of his wyt, why haue ye brought him vnto me?
American Standard Version
Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad; wherefore then have ye brought him to me?
Bible in Basic English
Then Achish said to his servants, Look! the man is clearly off his head; why have you let him come before me?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then sayd Achis vnto his seruauntes: Lo, ye see that this man is besyde him selfe, wherfore then haue ye brought him to me?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he changed his demeanour 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.
King James Version (1611)
Then saide Achish vnto his seruants, Loe, you see the man is mad: wherefore then haue yee brought him to mee?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Anchus said to his servants, Lo! ye see the man is mad: why have ye brought him in to me?
English Revised Version
Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?
Berean Standard Bible
Then Achish said to his servants, "Look, you can see the man is insane! Why have you brought him to me?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Achis seide to hise seruauntis, Seen ye the wood man? why brouyten ye hym to me?
Young's Literal Translation
And Achish saith unto his servants, `Lo, ye see a man acting as a madman; why do ye bring him in unto me?
Update Bible Version
Then Achish said to his slaves, Look, you see the man is insane; why then have you brought him to me?
Webster's Bible Translation
Then said Achish to his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: why [then] have ye brought him to me?
World English Bible
Then said Achish to his servants, Look, you see the man is mad; why then have you brought him to me?
New King James Version
Then Achish said to his servants, "Look, you see the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me?
New Living Translation
Finally, King Achish said to his men, "Must you bring me a madman?
New Life Bible
Then Achish said to his servants, "See, you see the man is crazy. Why have you brought him to me?
New Revised Standard
Achish said to his servants, "Look, you see the man is mad; why then have you brought him to me?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said Achish unto his servants, - Lo! ye can see, a madman playing his pranks, wherefore should ye bring him in, unto me?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Achis said to his servants: You saw the man was mad: why have you brought him to me?
Revised Standard Version
Then said A'chish to his servants, "Lo, you see the man is mad; why then have you brought him to me?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Achish said to his servants, "Behold, you see the man behaving as a madman. Why do you bring him to me?

Contextual Overview

10 The cohen said, "The sword of Golyat the P'lishti you killed in the Elah Valley, is over there behind the ritual vest, wrapped in a cloth. If you want it, take it; it's the only one here." David said, "There's nothing like it; give it to me." 11 The same day, David took flight from Sha'ul and went to Akhish king of Gat. 12 The servants of Akhish said to him, "Isn't this David, king of the land? Weren't they dancing and singing to each other, ‘Sha'ul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands'?" 13 These remarks were not lost on David, and he became very much afraid of Akhish king of Gat. 14 So, as they were watching, he changed his behavior and acted like a madman when they had hold of him, scratching marks on the doors of the city gate and drooling down his beard. 15 Akhish said to his servants, "Here, you see that the man is meshugga; why bring him to me? Am I short of meshugga‘im? Is that why you've brought this one to go crazy on me? Must I have this one in my house?"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

is mad: or, playeth the madman, Ecclesiastes 7:7

Cross-References

Genesis 16:7
The angel of Adonai found her by a spring in the desert, the spring on the road to Shur,
Genesis 19:27
Avraham got up early in the morning, went to the place where he had stood before Adonai ,
Genesis 21:6
Sarah said, "God has given me good reason to laugh; now everyone who hears about it will laugh with me."
Genesis 21:7
And she said, "Who would have said to Avraham that Sarah would nurse children? Nevertheless, I have borne him a son in his old age!"
Genesis 21:23
Therefore, swear to me here by God that you will never deal falsely with me or with my son or grandson; but according to the kindness with which I have treated you, you will treat me and the land in which you have lived as a foreigner.
Genesis 21:25
Now Avraham had complained to Avimelekh about a well which Avimelekh's servants had seized.
Genesis 21:31
This is why that place was called Be'er-Sheva [well of seven, well of an oath] — because they both swore an oath there.
Genesis 21:33
Avraham planted a tamarisk tree in Be'er-Sheva, and there he called on the name of Adonai , the everlasting God.
Genesis 22:3
Avraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, together with Yitz'chak his son. He cut the wood for the burnt offering, departed and went toward the place God had told him about.
Genesis 22:19
So Avraham returned to his young men. They got up and went together to Be'er-Sheva, and Avraham settled in Be'er-Sheva.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then said Achish to his servants, lo, you see the man is mad,.... Which he said, as willing his servants should think so, and therefore rather the object of their pity than of their rage and malice; or as really believing he was so, which he and they might conclude not merely from these his actions, before described, which they might judge real and not feigned; but they might suppose this was truly his case, brought upon him by the ill usage of Saul, who pursuing him from place to place, and sending after him to take away his life, had really brought him to distraction; and this they might rather conclude from his coming to Gath, an enemy's country, and whose champion he had slain, and many others of them; which it might be thought no man in his senses would have done:

wherefore [then] have ye brought him to me? for if he was brought to be employed in his service, he seemed very unfit for it, whether in the camp, or in the court; and if to be tried and condemned as an enemy, since he was a madman, he was rather to be pitied.


 
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