1 Samuel 21:14

14 Achish took one look at him and said to his servants, "Can't you see he's crazy? Why did you let him in here?

1 Samuel 21:14 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 21:14

Then said Achish to his servants, lo, you see the man is mad,
&c.] Which he said, as willing his servants should think so, and therefore rather the object of their pity than of their rage and malice; or as really believing he was so, which he and they might conclude not merely from these his actions, before described, which they might judge real and not feigned; but they might suppose this was truly his case, brought upon him by the ill usage of Saul, who pursuing him from place to place, and sending after him to take away his life, had really brought him to distraction; and this they might rather conclude from his coming to Gath, an enemy's country, and whose champion he had slain, and many others of them; which it might be thought no man in his senses would have done:

wherefore [then] have ye brought him to me?
for if he was brought to be employed in his service, he seemed very unfit for it, whether in the camp, or in the court; and if to be tried and condemned as an enemy, since he was a madman, he was rather to be pitied.

1 Samuel 21:14 In-Context

12 When David realized that he had been recognized, he panicked, fearing the worst from Achish, king of Gath.
13 So right there, while they were looking at him, he pretended to go crazy, pounding his head on the city gate and foaming at the mouth, spit dripping from his beard.
14 Achish took one look at him and said to his servants, "Can't you see he's crazy? Why did you let him in here?
15 Don't you think I have enough crazy people to put up with as it is without adding another? Get him out of here!"
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.