1 Samuel 21:11

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’?”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The servants of Achish address the Philistine king, identifying David during his flight after fleeing Saul. They speak at the precise moment David arrives in Gath seeking refuge.

The words — The Hebrew phrase הֲ/לוֹא־ זֶה דָוִד (ha.lo'- zeh da.Vid) translates literally as “is not this David?” and operates as a rhetorical question confirming identity. The term מֶ֣לֶךְ (Me.lekh) appears in the servants’ title for him, meaning “king.”

The thread — The identical rhetorical question and dance song recur in 1 Samuel 29:5, while Psalms 56:1 documents the Philistine seizure in Gath that prompted David’s psalm. The narrative context connects to 1 Samuel 16:1, which records the Lord’s rejection of Saul as king.

Why it lands — The text reports the servants’ recognition and David’s subsequent fear without commentary. It asks the reader to note how public reputation and divine rejection collide in a moment of survival.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּva/i.Yo.me.Ruand/ they said עַבְדֵ֤י'av.Dei[the] servants of אָכִישׁ֙'a.KhishAchish אֵלָ֔יו'e.La/vto/ him הֲלוֹא־ha./lo'-¿/ not זֶ֥הzeh[is] this דָוִ֖דda.VidDavid מֶ֣לֶךְMe.lekh[the] king of הָאָ֑רֶץha./'A.retzthe/ land הֲל֣וֹאha./Lo'¿/ not לָזֶ֗הla./Zehof/ this [one]יַעֲנ֤וּya.'a.Nudo people sing בַמְּחֹלוֹת֙va./me.cho.lOtwith <the>/ dances לֵאמֹ֔רle./Mor<to>/ saying הִכָּ֤הhi.Kahhe has struck down שָׁאוּל֙sha.'UlSaul בַּאֲלָפָ֔יוba./'a.la.fo/v<on>/ thousands/ his וְדָוִ֖דve./da.Vidand/ David בְּרִבְבֹתָֽיו׃be./ri.vo.Ta/v<on>/ ten thousands/ his

King James Version

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?

Cross-references

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’?”
Psalms 56:1 For the choirmaster. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” A Miktam of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath. 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.”

People named

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