1 Samuel 21:11-15

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?”

1 Samuel 29:4

29:4 But the leaders of the Philistines became angry with him and said ⁴  to him, “Send the man back! Let him return to the place that you assigned him! Don’t let him go down with us into the battle, for he might become ⁵  our adversary in the battle. What better way to please his lord than with the heads of these men? ⁶ 

[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.”

[29:4]  ⁴ tn Heb “and the leaders of the Philistines said.”

[29:4]  ⁵ tn Heb “so that he might not become.”

[29:4]  ⁶ tn Or perhaps, “our men.” On this use of the demonstrative pronoun see Joüon 2:532 §143.e.