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?
• New International Version (NIV)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’?”
• 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’?”

Context of 1 Samuel 21:11

9Then David said to Ahimelech, “Isn’t there a spear or sword on hand? For I did not take my sword or my weapons with me, because the king’s mission was urgent.” 10The kohen said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine whom you killed in the valley of Elah—it’s here, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want to take it for yourself, take it. For there’s nothing else here.” “There’s nothing like it!” David said. “Give it to me.” Then David got up and fled that day from Saul, and went to Achish, king of Gath. 12But Achish’s courtiers said to him, “Isn’t this David king of the land? Isn’t he the one they sing about in their dances saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?’” 13David took these words to heart, and he became so afraid of King Achish of Gath

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 56:1For the music director: “A Silent Dove Far Away,” a Michtam of David, when the Philistines had seized him in Gath.
• 1 Samuel 16:1Now Adonai said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse the Beth-lehemite, for I have selected for Myself a king among his sons.”
• 1 Samuel 18:7So the women sang one to another, as they were dancing saying, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands!”
• 1 Samuel 29:5Isn’t this one David, about whom they were singing in dances saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten 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