11 But Achish’s servants said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Don’t they sing about him during their dances:

Saul has killed his thousands,
but David his tens of thousands?” (A)

12 David took this to heart and became very afraid of King Achish of Gath, 13 so he pretended to be insane in their presence.(B) He acted like a madman around them,[a] scribbling[b] on the doors of the city gate and letting saliva run down his beard.

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Footnotes

  1. 21:13 Lit madman in their hand
  2. 21:13 LXX reads drumming

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