1 Samuel 21 · Verse 13

1 Samuel 21:13

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.

1 Samuel 21:13, King James Version

1 Samuel 21:13 in other translations

BSB	So 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.
WEB	He changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down on his beard.
ASV	And he changed his behavior 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.
YLT	and changeth his behaviour before their eyes, and feigneth himself mad in their hand, and scribbleth on the doors of the gate, and letteth down his spittle unto his beard.
DARBY	And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down on his beard.
BBE	So changing his behaviour before them, he made it seem as if he was off his head, hammering on the doors of the town, and letting the water from his mouth go down his chin.
Webster	And he changed his behavior 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.

What does 1 Samuel 21:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

13. feigned himself mad--It is supposed to have been an attack of epilepsy, real or perhaps only pretended. This disease is relieved by foaming at the mouth. let his spittle fall down upon his beard--No wonder that Achish supposed him insane, as such an indignity, whether done by another, or one's self, to the beard, is considered in the East an intolerable insult.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 13 And he changed his behavior - Some imagine David was so terrified at the danger to which he was now exposed, that he was thrown into a kind of frenzy, accompanied with epileptic fits. This opinion is countenanced by the Septuagint, who render the passage thus: Ιδου ιδετε ανδρα επιλητον; "Behold, ye see an epileptic man. Why have ye introduced him to me?" Μη ελαττουμαι επιληπτων εγω; "Have I any need of epileptics, that ye have brought him to have his fits before me, (επιληπτευεσθαι προς με?") It is worthy of remark, that the spittle falling upon the beard, i.e., slavering or frothing at the mouth, is a genuine concomitant of an epileptic fit. If this translation be allowed, it will set the conduct of David in a clearer point of view than the present translation does. But others think the whole was a feigned conduct, and that he acted the part of a lunatic or madman in order to get out of the hands of Achish and his courtiers. Many vindicate this conduct of David; but if mocking be catching, according to the proverb, he who feigns himself to be mad may, through the just judgment of God, become so. I dare not be the apologist of insincerity or lying. Those who wish to look farther into this subject may consult Dr. Chandler, Mr. Saurin, and Ortlob, in the first volume of Dissertations, at the end of the Dutch edition of the Critici Sacri.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

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 21:13 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.

וַיְשַׁנּ֤וֹvay.sha.Noand he changed itH8138

אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853

טַעְמוֹ֙ta'.Mosense hisH2940

בְּעֵ֣ינֵיהֶ֔םbe.'Ei.nei.Hemin view theirH5869

וַיִּתְהֹלֵ֖לvai.yit.ho.Leland he pretended to be madH1984

בְּיָדָ֑םbe.ya.Damin hand theirH3027

וַיְתָיו֙vay.tavand he made marksH8427

עַל\־'al-onH5921

דַּלְת֣וֹתdal.Tot[the] doors ofH1817

הַשַּׁ֔עַרha.Sha.'arthe gateH8179

וַיּ֥וֹרֶדvai.Yo.redand he made to flow downH3381

רִיר֖וֹri.Rospittle hisH7388

אֶל\־'el-toH413

זְקָנֽוֹ\׃ze.ka.Nobeard hisH2206

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

Cross references for 1 Samuel 21:13

Proverbs 29:25
The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.
Ecclesiastes 7:7
Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
Psalms 34:1-22
A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed. I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. …

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

changed.
Ps 34:1; *title
Pr 29:25; Ec 7:7
scrabbled. or, made marks.

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

Context

1 Samuel 21:12
And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
1 Samuel 21:13
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.
1 Samuel 21:14
Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?

Read all of 1 Samuel 21

1 Samuel 21:13 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y mudó su habla delante de ellos, y fingióse loco entre sus manos, y escribía en las portadas de las puertas, dejando correr su saliva por su barba.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et David prit à cœur ces paroles, et il eut très peur d’Akish, roi de Gath.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und er verstellte seinen Verstand vor ihren Augen und tat unsinnig unter ihren Händen, und er kritzelte an die Flügel des Tores und ließ seinen Speichel auf seinen Bart herabfließen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et immutavit os suum coram eis, et collabebatur inter manus eorum: et impingebat in ostia portæ, defluebantque salivæ ejus in barbam.