1 Samuel 21:13 kjva — And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gat…

King James Version with Apocrypha

"And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard."

— 1 Samuel 21:13, King James Version with Apocrypha

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1 Samuel 21:13 in Other Translations

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1 Samuel 21 — Context

10

And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

11

And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

12

And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

13

And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.

14

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

15

Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?

1 Samuel 21:13 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 1 Samuel 21:13 say?
1 Samuel 21:13 in the King James Version with Apocrypha reads: “And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.”
Where is 1 Samuel 21:13 in the Bible?
1 Samuel 21:13 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 21, verse 13.
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 21:13.
What translation should I read 1 Samuel 21:13 in?
1 Samuel 21:13 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 21:13?
1 Samuel 21:13 reads (KJVA): “And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.” 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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