1 Samuel 21:10--22:5

21:10 So on that day David arose and fled from Saul. He went to King Achish of Gath. 21:11 The servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one that they sing about when they dance, saying,

‘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?”

David Goes to Adullam and Mizpah

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.

[21:12]  ¹ tn Heb “placed these matters in his heart.”

[21:13]  ² tn Heb “in their eyes.”

[21:13]  ³ tn Heb “in their hand.”

[22:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “house.”

[22:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “bitter of soul.”

[22:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “to.”

[22:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “go forth.”

[22:4]  ⁸ tn Heb “all the days.”