KJV ORIGINAL
Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Then Achish said to his servants, 'Look, you can see this man is crazy! Why did you bring him to me?'
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
The writer is showing how David successfully convinced King Achish that he was mentally unstable, making the king want nothing to do with him.
📚 Historical Context
David was fleeing from King Saul and had sought refuge in Gath, a Philistine city ruled by King Achish. When David realized he was recognized and in danger, he pretended to be insane by scratching on doors and drooling on his beard. This deception worked perfectly, as ancient cultures typically viewed the mentally ill with fear and superstition, believing they were either cursed or touched by the gods.
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