1 Samuel 21:11
New International Version
But the servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one they sing about in their dances: “’Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?”

New Living Translation
But the officers of Achish were unhappy about his being there. “Isn’t this David, the king of the land?” they asked. “Isn’t he the one the people honor with dances, singing, ‘Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?”

English Standard Version
And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?”

Berean Standard Bible
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’?”

King James Bible
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?

New King James Version
And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances, saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands’?”

New American Standard Bible
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’?”

NASB 1995
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 ‘?”

NASB 1977
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’?”

Legacy Standard Bible
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 struck his thousands, And David his ten thousands’?”

Amplified Bible
The servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing in praise of this one as they danced, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands’?”

Christian Standard Bible
But Achish’s servants said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Don’t they sing about him during their dances: Saul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But Achish’s servants said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Don’t they sing about him during their dances: Saul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands?”

American Standard 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?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And David arose and fled on that day from before Shaul, and came to Akish, King of Gath

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the servants of Anchus said to him, Is not this David the king of the land? Did not the dancing women begin the son to him, saying, Saul has smitten his thousand, and David his ten thousands?

Contemporary English Version
The officers of King Achish were also there, and they asked Achish, "Isn't David a king back in his own country? Don't the Israelites dance and sing, 'Saul has killed a thousand enemies; David has killed ten thousand'?"

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the servants of Achis, when they saw David, said to him: Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to him in their dances, saying: Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

English Revised 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?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Achish's officers asked, "Isn't this David, the king of [his] country? He's the one they used to sing about in the dances: 'Saul has defeated thousands but David tens of thousands.'"

Good News Translation
The king's officials said to Achish, "Isn't this David, the king of his country? This is the man about whom the women sang, as they danced, 'Saul has killed thousands, but David has killed tens of thousands.'"

International Standard Version
The officials of Achish told him, "Isn't this David, king of the land? Isn't this the one about whom they sang as they danced, 'Saul has struck down his thousands, but David his ten thousands'?"

JPS Tanakh 1917
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?'

Literal Standard Version
and the servants of Achish say to him, “Is this not David, the king of the land? Is it not of this one [that] they sing in dances, saying, Saul struck among his thousands, and David among his myriads?”

Majority Standard Bible
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’?”

New American Bible
But the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David, the king of the land? Is it not for him that during their dances they sing out, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, David his tens of thousands’?”

NET Bible
The servants of Achish said to him, "Isn't this David, the king of the land? Isn't he the one that they sing about when they dance, saying, 'Saul struck down his thousands, But David his tens of thousands'?"

New Revised Standard Version
The servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, ‘Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?”

New Heart English Bible
The servants of Achish said to him, "Isn't this David the king of the land? Did they not sing one to another about him in dances, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands?'"

Webster's Bible Translation
And the servants of Achish said to 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?

World English Bible
The servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David the king of the land? Didn’t they sing to one another about him in dances, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?’”

Young's Literal Translation
and the servants of Achish say unto him, 'Is not this David king of the land? is it not of this one they sing in dances, saying, 'Saul smote among his thousands, and David among his myriads?'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David Flees to Gath
10That day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath. 11But 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’?” 12Now David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.…

Cross References
1 Samuel 18:7
And as the women danced, they sang out: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands."

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'?"

Psalm 56:1
Be merciful to me, O God, for men are hounding me; all day long they press their attack.


Treasury of Scripture

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

the servants

Psalm 56:1
To the chief Musician upon Jonathelemrechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath. Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me.

the king

1 Samuel 16:1
And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

1 Samuel 18:7,8
And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands…

1 Samuel 29:5
Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

Jump to Previous
Achish A'chish Danced Dances David Death Myriads Saul Servants Sing Slain Smote Songs Ten Tens Thousands
Jump to Next
Achish A'chish Danced Dances David Death Myriads Saul Servants Sing Slain Smote Songs Ten Tens Thousands
1 Samuel 21
1. David at Nob obtains Ahimelech's hallowed bread
7. Doeg is present
8. David takes Goliath's sword
10. David at Gath feigns himself insane














(11) Is not this David?--Some expositors have supposed, but quite needlessly, that it was the sword of Goliath which betrayed the identity of the hero; but although David in his humility did not suspect how widely spread was his fame, he was evidently as well known in Philistia as in his own land. That popular lilt, the folk-song of the Israelitish maidens, which sang of the prowess of David, the son of Jesse, was no doubt current in frontier towns like Gath, and at once the fugitive was recognised. We hear of no attempt made upon his life, or even against his liberty. The feeling among his generous foes was rather pitiful admiration mingled with wonder at seeing the doer of such splendid achievements in poverty and in exile.

David the king.--Here, again, the title king is vaguely used. Neither the people of Gath nor his own countrymen--save, perhaps, a few chosen spirits--knew of the sacred anointing by Samuel at Bethlehem. The appellation simply means: Is not this the renowned warrior, the greatest man in Israel of whom the people sing? Saul, our sovereign, has been a valiant captain over us, and has slain his thousands; but this one is greater still, he has slain his ten thousands.

Verse 11. - David the king of the land. The servants of Achish use the title of king in a very general way. Thus Achish, though really a seren (see on 1 Samuel 5:11), is called king of Gath; and they meant nothing more as regards David than that he was Israel's great man, though in accepting Goliath's challenge he had undertaken what in old time was regarded as the king's especial duty. Did they not sing one to another of him in dances? The Hebrew method of singing was by choruses, who sang and danced in turns to the music of their tambours (see on 1 Samuel 18:7). David evidently had hoped not to be recognised, but to be admitted to serve as a soldier, or in some other capacity, without many questions being asked. As we find an Edomite in Saul's service, Cushites, Maachathites, and other foreigners in the employment of David, there was probably much of this desertion of one service for another, especially as kings in those days had absolute authority and their displeasure was death.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But the servants
עַבְדֵ֤י (‘aḇ·ḏê)
0
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

of Achish
אָכִישׁ֙ (’ā·ḵîš)
0
Strong's 397: Achish -- king of Gath

said
וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ (way·yō·mə·rū)
0
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to him,
אֵלָ֔יו (’ê·lāw)
0
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

“[Is] this
זֶ֥ה (zeh)
0
Strong's 2088: This, that

not
הֲלוֹא־ (hă·lō·w-)
0
Strong's 3808: Not, no

David,
דָוִ֖ד (ḏā·wiḏ)
0
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

the king
מֶ֣לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
0
Strong's 4428: A king

of the land?
הָאָ֑רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
0
Strong's 776: Earth, land

Did they not
הֲל֣וֹא (hă·lō·w)
0
Strong's 3808: Not, no

sing
יַעֲנ֤וּ (ya·‘ă·nū)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 6030: To answer, respond

about him
לָזֶ֗ה (lā·zeh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 2088: This, that

in their dances,
בַמְּחֹלוֹת֙ (ḇam·mə·ḥō·lō·wṯ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4246: A dance

saying:
לֵאמֹ֔ר (lê·mōr)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘Saul
שָׁאוּל֙ (šā·’ūl)
Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 7586: Saul -- first king of Israel, also an Edomite and two Israelites

has slain
הִכָּ֤ה (hik·kāh)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 5221: To strike

[his] thousands,
בַּאֲלָפָ֔יו (ba·’ă·lā·p̄āw)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 505: A thousand

and David
וְדָוִ֖ד (wə·ḏā·wiḏ)
Preposition-l | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

[his] tens of thousands’?”
בְּרִבְבֹתָֽיו׃ (bə·riḇ·ḇō·ṯāw)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7233: Multitude, myriad, ten thousand


Links
1 Samuel 21:11 NIV
1 Samuel 21:11 NLT
1 Samuel 21:11 ESV
1 Samuel 21:11 NASB
1 Samuel 21:11 KJV

1 Samuel 21:11 BibleApps.com
1 Samuel 21:11 Biblia Paralela
1 Samuel 21:11 Chinese Bible
1 Samuel 21:11 French Bible
1 Samuel 21:11 Catholic Bible

OT History: 1 Samuel 21:11 The servants of Achish said to him (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 21:10
Top of Page
Top of Page