The servants of Achish said to him, "Isn't this David the king of the land? Didn't they sing one to another about him in dances, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands?'"
David sensed his personal danger and pretended to be insane to save his life. Evidently Achish dismissed him, concluding that David was mad and could be of no help to him against Saul (cf. 1 Samuel 29:3; 1 Samuel 29:6; 1 Samuel 29:9; Psalms 34 title). It so happened that ancient Near Easterners regarded the insane as harbingers of evil and so avoided them. They felt it was bad luck to kill a madman. [Note: Merrill, "1 Samuel," p. 219.] 