1 Samuel 21:14

KJV

Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore [then] have ye brought him to me?

KJV (with Strong's)

Then said {H559} Achish {H397} unto his servants {H5650}, Lo, ye see {H7200} the man {H376} is mad {H7696}: wherefore then have ye brought {H935} him to me?

Complete Jewish Bible

Akhish said to his servants, "Here, you see that the man is meshugga; why bring him to me?

Berean Standard Bible

Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you can see that the man is insane! Why have you brought him to me?

American Standard Version

Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad; wherefore then have ye brought him to me?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
First Samuel 21:14 marks a pivotal moment in David's desperate flight from King Saul, depicting the Philistine King Achish's bewildered reaction to David's feigned madness. This verse captures Achish's conclusion that David is genuinely insane and therefore harmless, leading to David's unexpected release from a perilous situation in Gath and underscoring the providential hand of God in preserving His anointed one amidst extreme duress.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within a broader narrative of David's flight from King Saul, who, consumed by jealousy and paranoia, relentlessly sought to kill him. Following a poignant farewell with Jonathan in [1 Samuel 20](/1_samuel/20 "1 Samuel 20 - David and Jonathan's Covenant"), David fled to Nob, where he received the showbread and Goliath's sword from Ahimelech the priest ([1 Samuel 21:1-9](/1_samuel/21-1-9 "1 Samuel 21:1-9 - David at Nob")). His subsequent decision to seek refuge in Gath, a major Philistine city and ironically the hometown of Goliath, was a desperate and dangerous move, reflecting the extreme pressure he faced. Upon his arrival, Achish's servants immediately recognized David as the celebrated warrior who had slain "tens of thousands" ([1 Samuel 21:11](/1_samuel/21-11 "1 Samuel 21:11 - David Recognized in Gath")), placing David in grave danger and prompting his dramatic act of feigned insanity, which culminates in Achish's declaration in this verse.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Gath was one of the five principal Philistine cities, a formidable enemy of Israel. For David, the slayer of their champion Goliath, seeking asylum there was an act of profound desperation and calculated risk. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, madness was often viewed with a mixture of fear, reverence, and sometimes, contempt. It was not uncommon for the truly insane to be left unmolested, as their condition was sometimes attributed to divine affliction or possession, making them undesirable to host or harm. David's specific actions—scratching marks on the city gate and allowing spittle to run down his beard ([1 Samuel 21:13](/1_samuel/21-13 "1 Samuel 21:13 - David Feigns Madness"))—were classic signs of a madman, designed to convince Achish that he was no threat, but rather a nuisance or an object of pity, thereby securing his release rather than execution or imprisonment.

* **Key Themes:** The episode in Gath, culminating in Achish's declaration, powerfully illustrates several key themes. First, **Desperation and Survival** highlight David's human vulnerability and resourcefulness; even God's anointed leader was driven to extreme, unconventional, and ethically complex measures to preserve his life. Second, **Divine Providence** is evident in David's escape. While David's actions were deceptive, his deliverance from Gath is widely interpreted as a clear demonstration of God's protective hand over His chosen king, working through unexpected means. This harrowing experience is often considered the backdrop for [Psalm 34](/psalms/34 "Psalm 34 - David's Deliverance from Fear") and [Psalm 56](/psalms/56 "Psalm 56 - David's Prayer in Gath"), where David recounts his fears and praises God for deliverance. Third, **Misperception and Deception** underscore the limitations of human judgment. Achish, a powerful king, is completely deceived by David's act, seeing genuine madness where there is calculated cunning. This misjudgment inadvertently serves God's larger purpose, preserving David's life and his future as king of Israel.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Mad (Hebrew, _shaga'_):** The Hebrew verb שָׁגַע (shaga') means "to rave," "to act as a madman," "to be frenzied," or "to be insane." It describes a state of wild, uncontrolled, and irrational behavior. In this context, it vividly conveys the convincing nature of David's feigned insanity, which included scratching on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard ([1 Samuel 21:13](/1_samuel/21-13 "1 Samuel 21:13 - David's Bizarre Behavior")). Achish's use of this word indicates his complete conviction that David was genuinely afflicted, rather than strategically acting.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Then said Achish unto his servants,"**: This opening clause establishes the speaker and the audience. King Achish, the Philistine ruler of Gath, addresses his own retainers or officials, indicating a public or semi-public declaration of his judgment regarding David. It sets the stage for a pronouncement of kingly authority.
* **"Lo, ye see the man is mad:"**: Achish points out the obvious, as he perceives it. The interjection "Lo" (Hebrew: הִנֵּה, _hinneh_) draws immediate attention to David's condition, emphasizing that David's bizarre behavior was so evident that it should have been clear to everyone present. This statement reflects Achish's firm conviction that David is genuinely insane, not merely acting, and perhaps a touch of exasperation at his servants' apparent lack of discernment.
* **"wherefore [then] have ye brought him to me?"**: This is a rhetorical question, expressing Achish's frustration and implying that bringing a madman into his royal court was a foolish and unnecessary act. It suggests that a person in such a state would be useless, perhaps even a liability or an ill omen, and certainly not someone a king would want to entertain or hold captive. The question serves to dismiss David and effectively grant him freedom, albeit under the guise of an undesirable lunatic.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices. Most prominently, **Rhetorical Question** is used by Achish ("wherefore [then] have ye brought him to me?"). This question is not posed to elicit information but to express the king's exasperation and to emphasize the perceived obviousness of David's "madness," thereby dismissing him. This also contributes to **Dramatic Irony**, as the audience knows David is feigning his condition for survival, while Achish remains entirely ignorant of David's true cunning and his destiny as Israel's future king. The entire episode is a masterful display of **Characterization**, revealing David's desperation, resourcefulness, and reliance on God's providence, even through unconventional means. It also highlights Achish's limited perception, despite his royal authority, underscoring the theme of human fallibility in the face of divine plans.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This episode profoundly illustrates God's sovereign hand at work even in the midst of human desperation and deception. David, God's anointed, finds himself in an impossible situation, yet God uses David's cunning and Achish's misperception to bring about deliverance. This speaks to a broader theological truth: God is not limited by human weakness or even flawed methods; He can orchestrate events and influence human decisions to fulfill His purposes. It reminds us that divine protection often comes in unexpected forms, sometimes through the very actions or inactions of those who would otherwise be our adversaries. David's experience here serves as a powerful testament to God's faithfulness in preserving His chosen ones, even when they are at their lowest ebb and resort to unconventional means for survival.

* [Psalm 34:4](/psalms/34-4 "Psalm 34:4 - David's Deliverance from Fear")
* [Psalm 56:Title](/psalms/56-title "Psalm 56 - David's Prayer when Seized in Gath")
* [Proverbs 21:1](/proverbs/21-1 "Proverbs 21:1 - The King's Heart in God's Hand")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
David's feigned madness in Gath offers profound lessons for contemporary believers. It reminds us that even the most righteous individuals can face moments of intense fear, vulnerability, and desperation, where survival seems to demand extraordinary, perhaps even ethically ambiguous, measures. While we are called to truthfulness, this narrative powerfully demonstrates God's capacity to work through and even redeem our flawed human responses when we are under immense pressure. It encourages us to trust in God's overarching providence, recognizing that His protective hand can deliver us from seemingly insurmountable dangers, often in ways we least expect. In our own "Gath" moments—those times of overwhelming fear, uncertainty, or persecution—we are called to seek God's deliverance, pour out our hearts to Him as David did in the Psalms, and trust that He is faithful to preserve His people, even when our own strength or wisdom fails.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does David's desperate act of feigned madness challenge or affirm your understanding of a person of faith?**
* **In what ways have you experienced God's unexpected deliverance in your own life, perhaps through circumstances that seemed chaotic or even contradictory?**
* **What does this passage teach us about the tension between human responsibility (David's actions) and divine sovereignty (God's deliverance)?**

### FAQ
**Was David's deception morally justifiable, given that he was God's anointed?**

Answer: The Bible often records events as they happened without explicitly endorsing or condemning every action. While David's feigned madness was undeniably a deception, the narrative highlights God's protective hand in his deliverance, rather than focusing on the moral rectitude of the act itself. David was under extreme duress, fleeing for his life from a relentless King Saul, and was in a hostile Philistine city where he was recognized as a mortal enemy ([1 Samuel 21:11](/1_samuel/21-11 "1 Samuel 21:11 - David's Recognition")). From a human perspective, it was an act of desperate self-preservation. The theological emphasis of the passage is on God's faithfulness to preserve His chosen one, even through unconventional means, rather than on David's moral perfection. This event, like others in David's life, underscores his humanity and reliance on God's grace, even amidst his flaws.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The episode of David's feigned madness in Gath, though a human act of deception, finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus. David, the anointed king, had to humble himself and appear as something he was not—a madman—to escape death and preserve his destiny. This foreshadows Christ, the ultimate Anointed One and King, who, though divine, "emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men" ([Philippians 2:7](/philippians/2-7 "Philippians 2:7 - Christ's Humiliation")). Jesus, in His incarnation, appeared in a humble, vulnerable state, often misunderstood and even deemed "out of his mind" by some ([Mark 3:21](/mark/3-21 "Mark 3:21 - Jesus' Family Thinks He is Crazy")). He allowed Himself to be despised, rejected, and ultimately crucified, appearing weak and defeated, yet through this ultimate act of humiliation, He secured eternal deliverance and fulfilled His divine mission. David's escape from Gath through apparent weakness points to Christ's victory through apparent defeat on the cross, where He conquered sin and death, providing ultimate refuge and salvation for all who believe, a far greater deliverance than David's physical escape ([Hebrews 2:14-15](/hebrews/2-14-15 "Hebrews 2:14-15 - Christ's Victory Over Death")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Ecclesiastes 7:7

¶ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.