1 Samuel 21 · Verse 14

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?
1 Samuel 21:14, King James Version

1 Samuel 21:14 in other translations

BSBThen Achish said to his servants, “Look, you can see that the man is insane! Why have you brought him to me?
WEBThen Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is insane. Why then have you brought him to me?
ASVThen said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad; wherefore then have ye brought him to me?
YLTAnd Achish saith unto his servants, ‘Lo, ye see a man acting as a madman; why do ye bring him in unto me?
DARBYAnd Achish said to his servants, Behold, ye see the man is mad: why did ye bring him to me?
BBEThen Achish said to his servants, Look! the man is clearly off his head; why have you let him come before me?
WebsterThen said Achish to his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: why then have ye brought him to me?

What does 1 Samuel 21:14 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 21:14 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.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
אָכִ֖ישׁ'a.KhishAchishH397
אֶל\־'el-toH413
עֲבָדָ֑יו'a.va.Davservants hisH5650
הִנֵּ֤הhi.Nehthere!H2009
תִרְאוּ֙tir.'Uyou seeH7200
אִ֣ישׁ'isha manH376
מִשְׁתַּגֵּ֔עַmish.ta.Ge.a'behaving like a madmanH7696
לָ֛מָּהLa.mah<to> why?H4100
תָּבִ֥יאוּta.Vi.'udo you bringH935
אֹת֖וֹ'o.To<obj.> himH853
אֵלָֽי\׃'e.Laito meH413

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

Cross references for 1 Samuel 21:14

  • Ecclesiastes 7:7

    Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
is mad. or, playeth the madman.
Ec 7:7

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

Context

  • 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?

  • 1 Samuel 21:15

    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?

Read all of 1 Samuel 21

1 Samuel 21:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y dijo Achîs á sus siervos: He aquí estáis viendo un hombre demente; ¿por qué lo habéis traído á mí?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il se contrefit devant eux, et fit l’insensé entre leurs mains; il marquait les battants de la porte, et laissait couler sa salive sur sa barbe.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da kam Achis zu seinen Knechten: Siehe, ihr sehet einen wahnsinnigen Mann; warum bringet ihr ihn zu mir?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et ait Achis ad servos suos: Vidistis hominem insanum: quare adduxistis eum ad me?