1 Samuel 21 · Verse 11

1 Samuel 21:11

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?
1 Samuel 21:11, King James Version

1 Samuel 21:11 in other translations

BSBBut 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’?”
WEBThe servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David the king of the land? Didn’t they sing to one another about him in dances, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?”
ASVAnd 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?
YLTand the servants of Achish say unto him, ‘Is not this David king of the land? is it not of this one they sing in dances, saying, ‘Saul smote among his thousands, and David among his myriads?'
DARBYAnd the servants of Achish said to him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul has smitten his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
BBEAnd the servants of Achish said to him, Is not this David, the king of the land? did they not make songs about him in their dances, saying, Saul has put to death thousands, and David tens of thousands?
WebsterAnd the servants of Achish said to 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?

What does 1 Samuel 21:11 mean?

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 21:10-15

God's persecuted people have often found better usage from Philistines than from Israelites. David had reason to put confidence in Achish, yet he began to be afraid. His conduct was degrading, and discovered wavering in his faith and courage. The more simply we depend on God, and obey him, the more comfortably and surely we shall walk through this troublesome world.

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 21:10-15 →

1 Samuel 21:11 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּvai.Yo.me.Ruand they saidH559
עַבְדֵ֤י'av.Dei[the] servants ofH5650
אָכִישׁ֙'a.KhishAchishH397
אֵלָ֔יו'e.Lavto himH413
הֲלוֹא\־ha.lo'-¿ notH3808
זֶ֥הzeh[is] thisH2088
דָוִ֖דda.VidDavidH1732
מֶ֣לֶךְMe.lekh[the] king ofH4428
הָאָ֑רֶץha.'A.retzthe landH776
הֲל֣וֹאha.Lo'¿ notH3808
לָזֶ֗הla.Zehof this [one]H2088
יַעֲנ֤וּya.'a.Nudo people singH6030
בַמְּחֹלוֹת֙va.me.cho.lOtwith <the> dancesH4246
לֵאמֹ֔רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
הִכָּ֤הhi.Kahhe has struck downH5221
שָׁאוּל֙sha.'UlSaulH7586
בַּאֲלָפָ֔יוba.'a.la.fov<on> thousands hisH505
וְדָוִ֖דve.da.Vidand DavidH1732
בְּרִבְבֹתָֽיו\׃be.ri.vo.Tav<on> ten thousands hisH7233

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 21:11

  • 1 Samuel 29:5

    Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

  • Psalms 56:1-13

    To the chief Musician upon Jonath–elem–rechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath. Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. …

  • 1 Samuel 16:1

    And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth–lehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

  • 1 Samuel 18:7-8

    And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the servants.
Ps 56:1; *title
the king.
16:1; 18:7,8; 29:5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 21:10

    And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

  • 1 Samuel 21:11

    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?

  • 1 Samuel 21:12

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

Read all of 1 Samuel 21

1 Samuel 21:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y los siervos de Achîs le dijeron: ¿No es éste David, el rey de la tierra? ¿no es éste á quien cantaban en corros, diciendo: Hirió Saúl sus miles, y David sus diez miles?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et David se leva et s’enfuit ce jour-là de devant Saül, et vint vers Akish, roi de Gath.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die Knechte Achis sprachen zu ihm: Ist das nicht David, der König des Landes? Haben sie nicht von diesem in den Reigen gesungen und gesprochen: "Saul hat seine Tausende erschlagen, und David seine Zehntausende"?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dixeruntque servi Achis ad eum cum vidissent David: Numquid non iste est David rex terræ? nonne huic cantabant per choros, dicentes: Percussit Saul mille, et David decem millia?