1 Samuel 21:11

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1 Samuel 21:9–13 · Berean Standard Bible

9 The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want, you may take it. For there is no other but this one.” And David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.”

10 That day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath.

11 But the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David, the king of the land? Did they not sing about him in their dances, saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?”

12 Now David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

13 So he changed his behavior before them and feigned madness in their hands; he scratched on the doors of the gate and let his saliva run down his beard.

Hebrew words

Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

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Cross-references

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.

Psalms 56:1

Be merciful to me, O God, for men are hounding me; all day they press their attack.

1 Samuel 16:1

Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.”

1 Samuel 18:7

And as the women danced, they sang out: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”

1 Samuel 18:8

And Saul was furious and resented this song. “They have ascribed tens of thousands to David,” he said, “but only thousands to me. What more can he have but the kingdom?”

1 Samuel 29:5

Is this not the David about whom they sing in their dances: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?”