1 Samuel 21:11

1 Samuel 21:11 in other versions

• King James Version (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?
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the servants of Achish said to him, "Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, 'Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances, saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands’?”
• New Living Translation (NLT)But the officers of Achish were unhappy about his being there. “Isn’t this David, the king of the land?” they asked. “Isn’t he the one the people honor with dances, singing, ‘Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?”

Context of 1 Samuel 21:11

9The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want it, take it; there is no sword here but that one.” David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.” 10That day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath. But the servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one they sing about in their dances: “ ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?” 12David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath. 13So he pretended to be insane in their presence; and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.

1 Samuel 21:11 word by word

וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ עַבְדֵ֤י אָכִישׁ֙ אֵלָ֔יו הֲלוֹא־זֶ֥ה דָוִ֖ד מֶ֣לֶךְ הָאָ֑רֶץ הֲל֣וֹא לָזֶ֗ה יַעֲנ֤וּ בַמְּחֹלוֹת֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִכָּ֤ה שָׁאוּל֙ בַּאֲלָפָ֔יו וְדָוִ֖ד בְּרִבְבֹתָֽיו׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• of Achishאָכִישׁ'âkîysh · AchishH397
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• not this Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• did they not singעָנָה‛ânâh · to singH6030
• one to another of himזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• in dancesמְחוֹלָהmechôlâh · danceH4246
• Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• hath slainנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• his thousandsאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
• his ten thousandsרְבָבָהrebâbâh · myriadH7233

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 21:11

• Psalms 56:1Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their attack.
• 1 Samuel 16:1The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”
• 1 Samuel 18:7As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
• 1 Samuel 29:5Isn’t this the David they sang about in their dances: “ ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?”

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 21:11

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11The king of the land - The Philistines gave him the title which their own lords bore.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. 11king of the land: David’s reputation as a powerful warrior had become even greater than King Saul’s (see 1 Samuel 18:7). Because of this, people outside Israel began to speak of David as if he were already Israel’s king.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 21:11

• Achish
• Dancing
• David
• Deception
• Gath
• Philistines

In the dictionaries

• David
• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• Abimelech
• Achish
• Judges, Book of
• Manner
• Require
• Ezekiel
• Games

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