1 Samuel 21 12

1 Samuel 21:12 kjv

And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

1 Samuel 21:12 nkjv

Now David took these words to heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

1 Samuel 21:12 niv

David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath.

1 Samuel 21:12 esv

And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

1 Samuel 21:12 nlt

David heard these comments and was very afraid of what King Achish of Gath might do to him.

1 Samuel 21 verses

1 Samuel 21 12 Meaning

David had arrived in Gath, seeking refuge from Saul. There, servants of King Achish recognized him, recalling his fame as the warrior who had slain Goliath and whose praise exceeded Saul's. When David heard these words from Achish's servants, he profoundly considered their implications and was overwhelmed with extreme fear. He understood that his disguise and safety were compromised, placing him in dire peril within the enemy city.

1 Samuel 21 12 Context

1 Samuel 21 recounts a desperate period in David's life. Following intense pursuit and murderous intent from King Saul (1 Sam 19-20), David, now a fugitive, flees Israel's borders. After stopping at Nob and then Gibeah (in some traditions), he ultimately seeks refuge in Gath, a major Philistine city, and home to Goliath, whom David had famously killed. David’s visit to Ahimelech the priest for food and Goliath’s sword (1 Sam 21:1-9) highlights his isolation and dire need. His flight to Gath is an act of extreme desperation, venturing into the very stronghold of Israel’s most formidable enemies. Verse 12 is the turning point where his risky gambit in Gath is revealed as compromised, leading to immediate fear and subsequent strategic action (feigned madness).

1 Samuel 21 12 Word analysis

• And David: Signifies the continuation of his perilous journey.
• took: The Hebrew word is sum (שֻׂם), which means "to put," "to place," "to set." It indicates an intentional act of placement.
• these words: Refers to the recognition by Achish's servants (1 Sam 21:11) of David's identity and his renowned feat against Goliath ("Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands").
• to heart: In Hebrew, ba-lev (בַּלֵּב). The "heart" (lev/levav) in ancient Hebrew thought is not merely the seat of emotion but also the center of intellect, will, and understanding. To "take to heart" means to seriously consider, ponder deeply, understand the full implications, and allow it to influence one's inner being and subsequent actions.
• and was greatly afraid: The Hebrew is vayyira’ me’od me’od (וַיִּירָא מְאֹד מְאֹד), literally "and he feared very much very much." The repetition of me’od ("very much") intensifies the degree of fear, indicating an overwhelming and profound sense of dread. This is not a slight apprehension but a paralyzing fear.
• of Achish the king of Gath: Identifies the immediate threat. Achish was the Philistine king of Gath. For David, Israel's champion who had killed their greatest hero (Goliath), to be recognized in Gath was an existential threat. Achish held the power of life or death over David. Gath was a central city in the Philistine confederation.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "took these words to heart": This phrase highlights David's astute awareness and quick mental processing. He immediately grasped the danger presented by his exposure. It wasn't just hearing the words, but deeply internalizing their significance for his survival in hostile territory. This speaks to David's intellectual capacity and self-preservation instinct, a facet of his practical wisdom.
• "was greatly afraid of Achish the king of Gath": This emphasizes the sheer terror that gripped David. Despite his fame as a mighty warrior, his fear here reveals his human vulnerability. The object of his fear—King Achish in Gath— underscores the severity of his predicament. He was now at the mercy of the very people whose champion he had defeated. This human response is not condemned; rather, it sets the stage for God's provision and David's subsequent, desperate actions to escape.

1 Samuel 21 12 Bonus section

David's fear in Gath is a raw portrayal of human frailty. It illustrates that even men chosen by God for great purposes are not exempt from profound fear in the face of imminent danger. This fear serves as a catalyst for action (1 Sam 21:13), pushing David to employ a desperate survival tactic (feigning madness). While such deceit might seem morally ambiguous, the biblical narrative often presents these actions without explicit condemnation, highlighting God's providential care that transcends human weakness and missteps. David's experience here became the basis for Psalms 34 and 56, showing how he wrestled with this terror and eventually found deliverance by trusting in God.

1 Samuel 21 12 Commentary

This verse marks a critical psychological moment for David. After fleeing from Saul, he sought a dangerous refuge among the Philistines. His initial plan to hide seems to fail as his celebrity precedes him. The servants' recognition, while seemingly casual, acts as a severe threat, exposing David's vulnerable position. David's response—taking the words to heart and becoming greatly afraid—shows his immediate comprehension of the gravity of his situation. His intense fear, even for a warrior of his stature, underscores the mortal peril he faced as the celebrated killer of the Philistines' hero, Goliath, now trapped in their royal city. This profound human fear, rather than signaling a failure of faith, sets the scene for David's ingenious if undignified feigned madness, through which God, despite David's reliance on human cunning, provides a way of escape, reinforcing His constant care even when His people are in their deepest distress or make questionable choices out of desperation.