1 Samuel 21:15Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?"
The setting
King Achish's palace, Gath, ~1020 BC. The Philistine king angrily dismisses David, refusing him sanctuary. Modern-day Tell es-Safi, Israel.
The emotion here: indignant and insulted at being presented with damaged goods
The original word
šiggāʿōn (שִׁגָּעוֹן) — raving madness, the kind that makes people dangerous and unpredictable
Why it matters
Philistine kings kept court entertainers including actual madmen for amusement - Achish already had enough
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Samuel 21:15
Achish's rhetorical questions show he's genuinely offended - like someone brought him a broken gift
Common misconceptionPeople think this shows David failed, but this rejection actually saved his life - staying in enemy territory would have been fatal once his identity was discovered.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Samuel 21:15
Bible Genome reading
1 Samuel 21:15 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Samuel 21:15 comes from the book of 1 Samuel, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Achish. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include dismissal, providence. Notable phrases: Do I lack madmen. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does 1 Samuel 21:15 mean to you, today?
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