1 Samuel 21:15

1 Samuel 21:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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?
• New International Version (NIV)Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me? Must this man come into my house?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Have I need of madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”

Context of 1 Samuel 21:15

13He altered his behavior in their presence. Since he was in their power, he pretended to be insane, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting his saliva run down his beard. 14Achish said to his servants, “Look at this madman! Why did you bring him to me? Do I have a shortage of fools, that you have brought me this man to display his insanity in front of me? Should this man enter my house?”

1 Samuel 21:15 word by word

חֲסַ֤ר מְשֻׁגָּעִים֙ אָ֔נִי כִּי־הֲבֵאתֶ֣ם אֶת־זֶ֔ה לְהִשְׁתַּגֵּ֖עַ עָלָ֑י הֲזֶ֖ה יָב֥וֹא אֶל־בֵּיתִֽי׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Have I needחָסֵרchâsêr · lackingH2638
• of mad menשָׁגַעshâga‛ · be madH7696
• that ye have broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• into my houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 21:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Shall 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…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-15Verses 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 comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10-15Gath, a major Philistine city and the hometown of Goliath, was a clever but dangerous place for David to seek refuge from Saul.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 21:15

• Achish
• David
• Deception
• Dissembling
• Falsehood
• Gath
• Insanity
• Malingering
• Philistines

In the dictionaries

• Abimelech
• Achish
• David
• Judges, Book of
• Manner
• Require
• Ezekiel
• Fellow
• Lack
• Lunatic(k)

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary