The term "scrabbled" appears in the context of the biblical narrative of David, specifically in 1 Samuel 21:13. In this passage, David, fleeing from King Saul, seeks refuge in Gath, the land of the Philistines. However, upon realizing that the servants of Achish, the king of Gath, recognize him as the famed warrior who defeated Goliath, David becomes fearful for his life. To protect himself, David feigns madness. The Berean Standard Bible translates this episode as follows:

"So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands, and he scribbled on the doors of the gate and let his saliva run down his beard." (1 Samuel 21:13)

The word "scrabbled" in older translations, such as the King James Version, is rendered as "scribbled" in the BSB, indicating David's act of marking or making illegible marks on the doors of the gate. This behavior was part of his ruse to appear mentally unstable, thereby reducing any perceived threat he might pose to the Philistines and ensuring his safety.

In the broader biblical context, David's actions in Gath reflect his resourcefulness and reliance on God for protection during his flight from Saul. Despite his desperate circumstances, David's faith remains evident, as seen in the psalms attributed to this period of his life, such as Psalm 34 and Psalm 56. These psalms express trust in God's deliverance and protection, even when human strategies, like feigning madness, are employed.

Theologically, the episode of David "scrabbling" or "scribbling" serves as a reminder of God's providence and the ways He can use even the most unlikely circumstances to preserve His chosen servants. David's experience in Gath underscores the theme of divine sovereignty and the belief that God is actively involved in the lives of His people, guiding and protecting them through trials and adversities.

In the historical and cultural context of the ancient Near East, madness was often viewed with a mixture of fear and reverence, sometimes associated with divine or supernatural influence. By appearing insane, David effectively disarmed any hostility from Achish and his servants, who might have been reluctant to harm someone perceived as touched by the divine.

The narrative of David scrabbling on the doors of the gate is a vivid illustration of the lengths to which God's anointed king went to preserve his life, demonstrating both human ingenuity and divine intervention in the unfolding of God's redemptive plan through the lineage of David, ultimately leading to the Messiah, Jesus Christ.(imp. & p. p.) of Scrabble.

The Encamping Angel
... How unlike the terror and self-degradation of the man who 'scrabbled on the doors,'
and let 'the spittle run down his beard,' is the heroic and saintly ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/the encamping angel.htm

Chambers of Imagery
... Render unto Him that which is His; and see even upon the walls scrabbled all over
with the deformities that we have painted there, lingering traces, like those ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/chambers of imagery.htm

Two Ancient Proverbs
... Yet see him there at Gath when the servants of Achish frightened him so that he
"feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/two ancient proverbs.htm

The Acceptable Sacrifice;
The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3. <. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the acceptable sacrifice.htm

The Doctrine
The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3. <. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the doctrine.htm

Scrabbled (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Scrabble. Multi-Version Concordance
Scrabbled (1 Occurrence). 1 Samuel 21:13 He changed ...
/s/scrabbled.htm - 6k

Scrabble
... feigned himself mad and scrabbled on the doors of the gate." "To scrabble" (modern
English "scrawl") is here to make unmeaning marks; tawah means "to make a ...
/s/scrabble.htm - 7k

Scrape (3 Occurrences)

/s/scrape.htm - 9k

Insane (10 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 21:13 He changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their
hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall ...
/i/insane.htm - 9k

Insanely (1 Occurrence)
... 1 Samuel 21:13 He changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their
hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall ...
/i/insanely.htm - 6k

Feigned (8 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 21:13 He changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their
hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall ...
/f/feigned.htm - 9k

Demeanour (3 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 21:13 And he changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad
in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle ...
/d/demeanour.htm - 7k

Disguised (7 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 21:13 He changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their
hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall ...
/d/disguised.htm - 9k

Madman (8 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 21:13 And he changed his demeanour before them, and feigned himself mad
in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle ...
/m/madman.htm - 8k

Behavior (20 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 21:13 He changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their
hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall ...
/b/behavior.htm - 13k

Scrabbled: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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