1 Samuel 21:11 nasb — But the servants of Achish said to him, "Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of this one as they…

NASB

"But the servants of Achish said to him, "Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of this one as they danced, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands'?""

— 1 Samuel 21:11, NASB

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1 Samuel 21:11 in Other Translations

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1 Samuel 21 — Context

8

David said to Ahimelech, "Now is there not a spear or a sword on hand? For I brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's matter was urgent."

9

Then the priest said, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah, behold, it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod; if you would take it for yourself, take it. For there is no other except it here." And David said, "There is none like it; give it to me."

10

Then David arose and fled that day 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 of this one as they danced, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands'?"

12

David took these words to heart and greatly feared Achish king of Gath.

13

So he disguised his sanity before them, and acted insanely in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva run down into his beard.

14

Then Achish said to his servants, "Behold, you see the man behaving as a madman. Why do you bring him to me?

1 Samuel 21:11 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 1 Samuel 21:11 say?
1 Samuel 21:11 in the NASB reads: “But the servants of Achish said to him, "Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of this one as they danced, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands'?"”
Where is 1 Samuel 21:11 in the Bible?
1 Samuel 21:11 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 21, verse 11.
Who wrote 1 Samuel?
1 Samuel is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Samuel, Nathan, and Gad). It was written c. 930–722 BC.
What is the book of 1 Samuel about?
1 Samuel marks Israel's transition from judges to kings. It traces the births and ministries of the prophet Samuel, the rise and tragic fall of Saul as Israel's first king, and the anointing of the shepherd boy David, whose faith makes him a man after God's own heart.
What are the major themes of 1 Samuel?
1 Samuel explores themes including Kingship, Prophet, Faith vs. Fear, God's Sovereign Choice, Anointing. These themes shape the meaning and context of 1 Samuel 21:11.
What translation should I read 1 Samuel 21:11 in?
1 Samuel 21:11 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 1 Samuel 21:11?
1 Samuel 21:11 reads (NASB): “But the servants of Achish said to him, "Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of this one as they danced, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands'?"” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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