"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 …" — 1 Samuel 21:11

1 Samuel 21:11 · KJV

“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

Verse 10

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

Verse 12

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

1 Samuel 21 — Context

And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it {is here} wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take {it}: for {there is} no other save that here. And David said, {There is} none like that; give it me.

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

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?

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

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. {scrabbled: or, made marks}

Cross References

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 Jonathelemrechokim, 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. {Michtam...: or, A golden Psalm of David}

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 Bethlehemite: 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.

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