1 Samuel 21:11

11 dixeruntque ei servi Achis numquid non iste est David rex terrae nonne huic cantabant per choros dicentes percussit Saul mille et David decem milia

1 Samuel 21:11 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 21:11

And the servants of Achish said unto him
Who knew who David was, and perceiving that he was respected by Achish:

[is] not this David the king of the land?
of the land of the Philistines; so some render the words, "the king of this land" F17; which belongs unto him for his conquest of Goliath; for this was what was proposed by him, that whoever was the conqueror should possess the kingdom; and seeing it belongs to him, O Achish, why dost thou admit him to court? thou wilt be driven from the throne, and we shall be his servants, and not thine F18: but rather they mean the king of the land of Israel, having heard that he was anointed king by Samuel, and was to succeed Saul; or rather, they called him so because he led out the armies of Israel as their general, and being victorious was more respected than even Saul was; for they had heard what the women sung in their songs as follows:

did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath
slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
which are the burden of their song, ( 1 Samuel 18:7 ) ; and from whence the servants of Achish concluded, that he was in greater authority or honour, and in greater esteem than Saul their king was.


FOOTNOTES:

F17 (Urah Klm) "rex hujus regionis", Vatablus.
F18 Vid. Jarchium & Jesaiam in loc.

1 Samuel 21:11 In-Context

9 et dixit sacerdos gladius Goliath Philisthei quem percussisti in valle Terebinthi est involutus pallio post ephod si istum vis tollere tolle neque enim est alius hic absque eo et ait David non est huic alter similis da mihi eum
10 surrexit itaque David et fugit in die illa a facie Saul et venit ad Achis regem Geth
11 dixeruntque ei servi Achis numquid non iste est David rex terrae nonne huic cantabant per choros dicentes percussit Saul mille et David decem milia
12 posuit autem David sermones istos in corde suo et extimuit valde a facie Achis regis Geth
13 et inmutavit os suum coram eis et conlabebatur inter manus eorum et inpingebat in ostia portae defluebantque salivae eius in barbam
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.