‘Saul struck down his thousands,
But David his tens of thousands’?”
21:12 David thought about what they said 1 and was very afraid of King Achish of Gath. 21:13 He altered his behavior in their presence. 2 Since he was in their power, 3 he pretended to be insane, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting his saliva run down his beard.
21:14 Achish said to his servants, “Look at this madman! Why did you bring him to me? 21:15 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?”
22:1 So David left there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and the rest of his father’s family 4 learned about it, they went down there to him. 22:2 All those who were in trouble or owed someone money or were discontented 5 gathered around 6 him, and he became their leader. He had about four hundred men with him.
22:3 Then David went from there to Mizpah in Moab, where he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother stay 7 with you until I know what God is going to do for me.” 22:4 So he had them stay with the king of Moab; they stayed with him the whole time 8 that David was in the stronghold. 22:5 Then Gad the prophet said to David, “Don’t stay in the stronghold. Go to the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.
1 tn Heb “placed these matters in his heart.”
2 tn Heb “in their eyes.”
3 tn Heb “in their hand.”
4 tn Heb “house.”
5 tn Heb “bitter of soul.”
6 tn Heb “to.”
7 tn Heb “go forth.”
8 tn Heb “all the days.”