1 Samuel 21 · Verse 15

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?

1 Samuel 21:15, King James Version

1 Samuel 21:15 in other translations

BSB	Am I in need of madmen, that you have brought this man to rave in my presence? Must this man come into my house?”
WEB	Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Should this fellow come into my house?”
ASV	Do I lack madmen, that ye have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?
YLT	A lack of madmen have I, that ye have brought in this one to act as a madman by me! doth this one come in unto my house?'
DARBY	have I lack of madmen, that ye have brought this one to rave in my presence? shall this man come into my house?
BBE	Are there not enough unbalanced men about me, that you have let this person come and do such tricks before me? is such a man to come into my house?
Webster	Have I need of mad-men, that ye have brought this man to play the mad-man in my presence? shall this man come into my house?

What does 1 Samuel 21:15 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 15 Shall this fellow come into my house? - I will not take into my service a man who is liable to so grievous a disease. Chandler, who vindicates David's feigning himself, mad, concludes thus: "To deceive the deceiver is in many instances meritorious, in none criminal. And what so likely to deceive as the very reverse of that character which they had so misconstrued? He was undone as a wise man, he had a chance to escape as a madman; he tried, and the experiment succeeded." I confess I can neither feel the force nor the morality of this. Deceit and hypocrisy can never be pleasing in the sight of God.

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 21:15 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.

חֲסַ֤רcha.Sarlacking ofH2638

מְשֻׁגָּעִים֙me.shu.ga.'ImmadmenH7696

אָ֔נִי'A.ni[am] I?H589

כִּי\־ki-thatH3588

הֲבֵאתֶ֣םha.ve.Temyou have broughtH935

אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853

זֶ֔הZehthis oneH2088

לְהִשְׁתַּגֵּ֖עַle.hish.ta.Ge.a'to behave like a madmanH7696

עָלָ֑י'a.Laion meH5921

הֲזֶ֖הha.Zeh¿ this oneH2088

יָב֥וֹאya.Vo'will he comeH935

אֶל\־'el-intoH413

בֵּיתִֽי\׃\ \סbei.Tihouse myH1004

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

Context

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 21:15 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	¿Fáltanme á mí locos, para que hayáis traído éste que hiciese del loco delante de mí? ¿había de venir éste á mi casa?
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et Akish dit à ses serviteurs: Voici, vous voyez que cet homme est fou. Pourquoi me l’avez-vous amené?
German Elberfelder 1871	Fehlt es mir an Wahnsinnigen, daß ihr diesen hergebracht habt, um sich bei mir wahnsinnig zu gebärden? Sollte der in mein Haus kommen?
Latin Clementine Vulgate	an desunt nobis furiosi, quod introduxistis istum, ut fureret me præsente? hiccine ingredietur domum meam?