1 Samuel 21:10-15 NIV

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

David, though king elect, is here an exile?designed to be master of vast treasures, yet just now begging his bread?anointed to the crown, and yet here forced to flee from his country. Thus do God's providences sometimes seem to run counter to his promises, for the trial of his people's faith, and the glorifying of his name, in the accomplishment of his counsels, notwithstanding the difficulties that lay in the way. Here is, 1. David's flight into the land of the Philistines, where he hoped to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:10

And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul ,.... He had fled before for fear of him both from his own house, and from Naioth, 1 Samuel 19:18 ; but now he fled out of the land of Israel, for fear of him; or it may be the reason of his fear and flight on this day was because of Doeg the Edomite, lest he should go directly to Saul, and tell him where he was; and therefore through fear of him would not stay any longer, but the same day he came, he fled: and went to Achish the king... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:11

And the servants of Achish said unto him ,.... Who knew who David was, and perceiving that he was respected by Achish: is not this David the king of the land ? of the land of the Philistines; so some render the words, "the king of this land" F17 מלך הארץ "rex hujus regionis", Vatablus. ; which belongs unto him for his conquest of Goliath; for this was what was proposed by him, that whoever was the conqueror should possess the kingdom; and seeing it belongs to him, O Achish,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:12

And David laid up these words in his heart ,.... Pondered upon them, and thought them over in his mind, finding that he was known, and his character also, and considered with himself what might be the consequence of this: and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath ; lest he should be set against him, and be prevailed upon by his servants to take away his life, or deliver him up into the hands of Saul. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:13

And he changed his behaviour before them ,.... Behaved like a fool, or a madman: or changed his "taste" F19 טעמו "sensum suum", Montanus, Vatablus; "sermonem suum", Pagninus. ; which some understand of his reason, acted as if he was deprived of it; and others of his speech, his words and the accent of them, drawled them out, as such persons do: and feigned himself mad in their hands ; for in their hands he was, being taken by them, as the title of the fifty sixth psalm shows, ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:14

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,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:15

Have I need of madmen ?.... Or fools, do I want them? have not I enough of them already at my court? I want wise men, and not fools and madmen. The Jews say F23 Midrash Tillim apud Abarbinel. in loc. that the wife and daughter of Achish were mad; that while David was playing the fool and madman without, they were acting the same part within; so that Achish had enough of that sort of diversion, if it was to be reckoned such; as it was according to the taste of some persons, who used, as... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 21:10

Went to Achish the king of Gath - This was the worst place to which he could have gone: it was the very city of Goliath, whom he had slain, and whose sword he now wore; and he soon found, from the conversation of the servants of Achish, that his life was in the most imminent danger in this place. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 21:13

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, ( ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 21:15

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... read more

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 21:15

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 21:10

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 21:13

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 21:15

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