The Meaning of 1 Samuel 21:15 Explained

1 Samuel 21:15

KJV: 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?

YLT: A lack of madmen have I, that ye have brought in this one to act as a madman by me! doth this one come in unto my house?'

Darby: have I lack of madmen, that ye have brought this one to rave in my presence? shall this man come into my house?

ASV: Do I lack madmen, that ye have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?

Discover 1 Samuel 21:15

CONTEXT: What is the Context of 1 Samuel 21:15?

MEANING: What does 1 Samuel 21:15 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 21:15 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in 1 Samuel 21:15?

What is the context of 1 Samuel 21:15?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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?

What does 1 Samuel 21:15 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 21:1-15 - Food And Weapon: A Side Step

David fled to Nob, at the north of the Mount of Olives, where Ahimelech presided over the relics of the ancient sanctuary. His suspicions were removed by an evasion on David's part, which he must have regretted to the end of his life. If we are right with God and know ourselves to be on the predestined path, we need not resort to deceit nor subterfuge-if we adopt such means, the results are likely to be disastrous to ourselves and others, our innocent fellow-sufferers.

It was the Sabbath day, for the show-bread had just been removed from the table, Leviticus 24:8. This was the perquisite of the priest, but, in subordinating the ceremonial to the urgency of human need, Ahimelech acted in strict harmony with the spirit of the Mosaic legislation. This is the distinct teaching of Mark 2:25, and of our Lord's insistence on his right to heal on the Sabbath day. Read Psalms 34:1-22; Psalms 56:1-13 with the closing paragraph of 1 Samuel 21:1-15. David's behavior was unworthy, yet, in his heart, he was hiding in God. We must not judge by appearances, but with discerning judgment. There is a large measure of humanity in all God's saints. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 21:15 mean?

And said Achish to his servants Look you see the man is insane why have you brought him to me Am lacking madmen I that you have brought - this [fellow] to play the madman in my presence shall this [fellow] come into my house -

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אָכִ֖ישׁ אֶל־ עֲבָדָ֑יו הִנֵּ֤ה תִרְאוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִשְׁתַּגֵּ֔עַ לָ֛מָּה תָּבִ֥יאוּ אֹת֖וֹ אֵלָֽי חֲסַ֤ר מְשֻׁגָּעִים֙ אָ֔נִי כִּי־ הֲבֵאתֶ֣ם אֶת־ זֶ֔ה לְהִשְׁתַּגֵּ֖עַ ؟ עָלָ֑י הֲזֶ֖ה יָב֥וֹא אֶל־ ؟ בֵּיתִֽי ס

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר	And said
Parse: Root: אָמַר Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אָכִ֖ישׁ	Achish
Parse: Root: אָכִישׁ Sense: Philistine king of Gath.
עֲבָדָ֑יו	his servants
Parse: Root: עֶבֶד Sense: slave, servant.
הִנֵּ֤ה	Look
Parse: Root: הִנֵּה Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
תִרְאוּ֙	you see
Parse: Root: רָאָה Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אִ֣ישׁ	the man
Parse: Root: אִישׁ Sense: man.
מִשְׁתַּגֵּ֔עַ	is insane
Parse: Root: שָׁגַע Sense: to be mad.
לָ֛מָּה	why
Parse: Root: לָמָּה Sense: what, how, of what kind.
תָּבִ֥יאוּ	have you brought
Parse: Root: בֹּוא Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֵלָֽי	to me
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: אֶל Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
חֲסַ֤ר	Am lacking
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct Root: חָסֵר Sense: in need of, lacking, needy, in want of.
מְשֻׁגָּעִים֙	madmen
Parse: Verb, Pual, Participle, masculine plural Root: שָׁגַע Sense: to be mad.
כִּי־	that
Parse: Conjunction Root: כִּי Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
הֲבֵאתֶ֣ם	you have brought
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine plural Root: בֹּוא Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֶת־	-
Parse: Direct object marker Root: אֹות Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
זֶ֔ה	this [fellow]
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular Root: זֶה Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
לְהִשְׁתַּגֵּ֖עַ	to play the madman
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hitpael, Infinitive construct Root: שָׁגַע Sense: to be mad.
؟ עָלָ֑י	in my presence
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular Root: עַל Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הֲזֶ֖ה	shall this [fellow]
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular Root: זֶה Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
יָב֥וֹא	come
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: בֹּוא Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֶל־	into
Parse: Preposition Root: אֶל Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
؟ בֵּיתִֽי	my house
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular Root: בַּיִת Sense: house.
ס	-
Parse: Punctuation

What are the major concepts related to 1 Samuel 21:15?

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