I Samuel 21:10–15

I Samuel 21:10–15: David at Gath

Synopsis

David is still fleeing from Saul, and leaves Israel altogether. He goes to a place called Gath, where the king’s name is Achish. But when he gets there, there is a misunderstanding; the king’s servants have heard people saying, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands” (verse 11), and they mistakenly think this means that David is the king of Israel. (Exactly the type of thing Saul was afraid of!)

When David realizes that the people of Gath think he’s the king of Israel, he gets scared, and pretends to e insane. Achish buys the act:

Achish said to his servants, “Look at the man! He is insane! Why bring him to me? Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me? Must this man come into my house?” (verses 14–15)

Thoughts

I don’t have much to say about this passage, except that it’s interesting to see the future king of Israel, a man whom the Bible often says is a man after God’s own heart, acting insane because he’s afraid of the Gathites. Not that I blame him, I’m just saying, it’s interesting to read.