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When David Begged God for the Madness He Once Mocked

David once told God that madness was the only ugly thing in creation. Years later he stood in a Philistine hall and begged for a little of it.

Curated by Arthur · Told by Maggid ·
Table of Contents
  1. The One Ugly Thing in Creation
  2. He Walked Into Gath Carrying Goliath's Sword
  3. The Bodyguards Asked for the Throne
  4. Give Me a Little of That Thing
  5. Two Madmen in One House
When David Begged God for the Madness He Once Mocked Click for full size

The One Ugly Thing in Creation

David had a complaint and he brought it upstairs.

He had been working through the line about how everything God made in the world is beautiful in its own time, and most of it he could take. Then he pictured the man in the marketplace tearing his own clothes off his back, the children running behind him throwing things, the adults standing in the shade laughing.

"Master of the world," he said. "Everything You have made is beautiful except that one. Wisdom is the beautiful thing. What is a madman for? He rips his clothes in the market. The children chase him. The people laugh. Is that beautiful in front of You?"

"David," God said. "Are you picking a fight with foolishness?"

David did not answer that.

"By your life. One day you are going to need it."

"A man who despises a thing gets pawned to it," God said, "the way a coat gets left with a lender, and a pawn has to be redeemed. You will suffer. You will pray for this thing. And you will keep praying until it is given to you."

David went out. He was young, he had killed a giant, and he did not think about the conversation again for years.

He Walked Into Gath Carrying Goliath's Sword

Saul was hunting him through the hill country with an army, so David got up and ran, and the place he ran to was Gath.

Gath was Goliath's town.

And the weapon on David's hip, the only one he had been able to lay hands on, was Goliath's own sword, which the priests at Nob had kept wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod because there was nothing else like it in Israel.

"David," God said on the road south. "Yesterday you killed Goliath. Today you are walking to his brothers with his sword in your hand. His brothers are the bodyguards of Achish. His blood is not dry yet."

David kept walking. There was an army behind him.

The Bodyguards Asked for the Throne

They knew his face at the gate. Goliath's brothers went straight into the hall and asked their king for permission.

"We will kill the man who killed our brother."

Achish would not give it to them. "It was a war," he said. "It happened in battle. If your brother had won, he would have killed the boy in battle and not one of you would be standing here asking me anything. And your brother set the terms himself, out loud, in front of both armies. If he is able to fight me and defeat me, then we will be your servants."

The hall went quiet while the brothers worked that through.

"Then get off the throne," they said. "By our brother's own words the kingdom belongs to him. This is David, the king of the land. We will be his servants."

David stood in the middle of the room with the sword on his hip and understood that in this city, being David was the thing that would kill him.

Give Me a Little of That Thing

"In the day of my fear I will trust in You," he said, mostly to himself. Then he prayed properly. "Master of the worlds. Answer me at this hour."

"What is it you want?"

"Give me a little of that thing."

He would not say the word. God said it for him. "Did I not tell you that a man who despises a thing is pawned to it? And here you are, asking Me for foolishness."

Then He gave it to him.

Two Madmen in One House

David turned to the doors of the gate and began writing on them with his hands. Achish king of Gath owes me one hundred thousand. His wife owes me fifty thousand. He wrote it big and he wrote it where the whole city walked past, an invoice from nobody, for money nobody owed, scratched into the doors of a foreign king.

He let the spit run down into his beard.

Inside the house, Achish had a daughter who was mad. She heard the carrying-on at the gate and started up herself, and then the two of them went at it through the stonework, her shrieking on the inside of the wall and David shrieking on the outside, while Goliath's brothers stood in the hall holding an argument about who owned the throne.

Achish turned on his servants.

"Am I short of madmen? Do I not have enough crazy people in this house already? You bring me this one to carry on in front of me? Get him out."

They put him out of the gate. Nobody drew a sword. The man who had killed their champion walked out of Gath drooling into his own beard, and not one Philistine in that city could hold the thought that a king was in there.

He got clear of the walls and rejoiced with a very great joy.

Then the madness lifted off him. And when it lifted, the joy died with it.

ExodusDavidMidrash AggadahYalkut ShimoniAkeidah
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From the tradition

Sources

5 sources

The texts behind this telling. Some cards carry a translation of the source; others are our own retelling of it, and each card says which. Every card links out to the original.

Yalkut Shimoni on Nach 131:1Yalkut Shimoni on Nach

Retold in our words. Read the original at the link below.Sefaria Community Translation · CC-BY

Our story begins with the verse from Ecclesiastes (3:11): "He has made everything beautiful in its time." The Yalkut Shimoni, a compilation of Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) interpretations, uses this verse to frame a fascinating encounter between David and the Almighty. David, contemplating the verse, finds himself puzzled. "Master of the world," he asks, "everything You have made is beautiful. except for madness. What good is a madman? He tears his clothes, children mock him, people laugh. Is this beautiful in Your eyes?"

The Holy One, blessed be He, responds with a warning: "David, are you challenging foolishness? By your life, one day you will need it." It's a powerful moment, hinting at a future trial for the king. It reminds us of the proverb in (Proverbs 13:18): "He who disdains a thing will be injured by it [yichabel lo, which can also be pawned to it]." The Holy One, blessed be He, essentially tells David that he will suffer and pray for foolishness until it is given to him.

Did David heed the warning? Not quite. He finds himself fleeing from Saul and seeking refuge with Achish, the king of Gath. Now, think about this for a second. in the story in (1 (Samuel 21:11-1)6), David, the slayer of Goliath, is running to the Philistines? To Achish? As the Yalkut Shimoni points out, God questions David’s wisdom: "David, you are going to Achish while yesterday you killed Goliath? You are going today to his brothers with his sword in your hand? Goliath's blood has not yet dried up!"

When David arrives, the Philistines recognize him. "Isn't this David, king of the land?" they cry, as we find echoed in (1 (Samuel 21:1)2). They demand his death. Achish, however, defends David, pointing out that Goliath's defeat was a fair fight. But the Philistines aren't convinced, hinting that Achish should step down and make David king.

In this moment of intense fear, David turns to prayer. "In the day of my fear, I will trust in you," he cries out, echoing (Psalm 56:4). He begs for help, and God asks him, "What do you request?" David's answer is startling: "Give me a little of that thing." That thing? Foolishness.

Remember the warning? "He who disdains a thing will be pawned to it," God reminds him. "So you are asking for foolishness?" David embraces the role, feigning madness. He scribbles nonsense on the city gates, writing that Achish and his wife owe him vast sums of money. He acts erratically, mirroring the behavior of Achish's own mad daughter.

Achish, witnessing this spectacle, exclaims, "Do you not know that I am lacking madmen?" (1 (Samuel 21:1)6). He casts David out.

And here's the twist: The Yalkut Shimoni tells us that at that moment, David rejoiced with great joy. But when the madness left him, the joy died. It's a poignant observation. David's experience perhaps taught him the hidden value, even the bittersweet joy, in the very thing he had previously scorned.

This story, drawn from the Yalkut Shimoni on Nach, leaves us with a powerful message. It reminds us to be careful about judging things we don't understand, for even in what seems foolish or undesirable, there may be a hidden purpose, a potential for joy, and a lesson waiting to be learned. Perhaps, like David, we too will one day be "pawned" to the very thing we disdain, and in that experience, find a deeper understanding of the world and ourselves. As it is written, "I will bless the Lord at all times" (Psalms 34:2).

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Yalkut Shimoni on Nach 986:43Yalkut Shimoni on Nach

Retold in our words. Read the original at the link below.Sefaria Community Translation · CC-BY

The Yalkut Shimoni, a compilation of rabbinic commentary on the Bible, offers us fascinating glimpses into these connections. the story turns to one small piece, specifically Yalkut Shimoni on Nach 986, and see what treasures we can unearth.

The passage begins with a verse from the Song of Songs (3:1): "On my bed at night…" The Yalkut Shimoni immediately links this to a very specific, incredibly powerful moment: the Akeidah, the binding of Yitzchak (Isaac) by Avraham (Abraham). That night, heavy with uncertainty and profound commitment, is the "night" referred to here. It's a night of intense spiritual struggle, a turning point in our narrative.

Then comes another verse, (Song of Songs 3:4): “I held him and would not let him go…” The Yalkut Shimoni connects this to David, specifically when he acquired the threshing floor from Aravnah the Jebusite. This threshing floor, of course, would become the site of the Holy Temple. The text adds a strange detail: David found Aravnah's skull under the altar, yet HaMakom, "the Place" – a name for God – did not reject Israel's offerings. What are we to make of this juxtaposition of the sacred and the macabre?

The interpretation doesn't stop there. Rabbi Yitzchak offers another understanding of "I held him and would not let him go…" He suggests that until the Mishkan – the Tabernacle – was erected, prophecy was found even among idol worshippers! Once the Mishkan was built, prophecy was withdrawn from them and reserved for the Jewish people. This idea is supported by the verse "Then I and Your people will be distinguished…" (Exodus 33:16).

Now, someone might object: what about Balaam? He was a non-Jewish prophet! The response given is fascinating: Balaam's prophecy wasn't for his benefit. His words, as found in Numbers, like "Who counted the dust of Jacob…", "He does not look at evil in Jacob…", "How goodly are your tents, O Jacob…", "A star has gone forth from Jacob…" and "A ruler shall come out of Jacob…", all praised Israel, even if Balaam himself harbored ill intentions. His prophetic abilities served a purpose beyond his own understanding or merit.

Finally, the Yalkut Shimoni returns to the opening verse, "On my bed at night…" This time, it's interpreted as a consequence of neglecting Torah and mitzvot (commandments). Because of this neglect, night is joined to night. "In the past," the text says, "it illuminated for me between night and night, between the night of Egypt and the night of Bavel (Babylon), but now night is joined to night." This paints a picture of a decline, a spiritual darkness where the redemptive moments of the past – the Exodus from Egypt, the return from Babylonian exile – no longer offer illumination. The nights of hardship become continuous, unbroken.

What's the takeaway from this short passage? But it’s also an invitation to find connections between different eras, to see how the binding of Isaac, David's acquisition of the Temple site, and even the prophecies of a non-Jewish prophet like Balaam, all contribute to the unfolding story of the Jewish people. These ancient texts challenge us to illuminate the present by understanding the echoes of the past.

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Yalkut Shimoni on Nach 1026:8Yalkut Shimoni on Nach

Retold in our words. Read the original at the link below.Sefaria Community Translation · CC-BY

It’s a theme that echoes throughout Jewish history, a bittersweet dance between redemption and exile. that a bit.

The Yalkut Shimoni, a compilation of Midrashic (rabbinic interpretive commentary) teachings, highlights this very contrast through a poignant comparison. It juxtaposes the Exodus from Egypt with the exile from Jerusalem, using verses from the Torah, Psalms, and Lamentations to paint a vivid picture of these opposing experiences.

Think about the Exodus. What words come to mind? Freedom, deliverance, miracles. The Yalkut Shimoni draws our attention to Moses' declaration after the crossing of the Red Sea: "and God delivered Israel that day" (Exodus 14:30). A moment of triumphant liberation, etched forever in our collective memory. And then, (Psalm 114:2), bursting with pride: "Judah became His holy one, Israel, His dominion." Can you feel the sense of belonging, of divine favor? The very sea, as (Psalm 114:3) tells us, "saw them and fled, the Jordan turned backward," as if creation itself bowed before their liberation. It’s an image of power and awe.

Shift your perspective. Fast forward to the Babylonian exile, a period of profound suffering and displacement. Instead of Moses’ exultant declaration, we hear the lament of Jeremiah: "God has put me into the hands of those I cannot withstand" (Lamentations 1:14). Where once there was strength and divine protection, now there is vulnerability and helplessness.

Instead of being hailed as God's holy people, Jeremiah describes a scene of utter degradation: "“Away! Unclean!” people shouted at them, “Away! Away!”" (Lamentations 4:15). And finally, instead of the miraculous parting of the sea, we have the haunting image of the exiles weeping by the rivers of Babylon (Psalm 137:1), mourning the loss of their homeland, their Temple, their very identity.

Why this juxtaposition? Why does the Yalkut Shimoni force us to confront these opposing realities? Perhaps it’s a reminder that history is not a straight line of progress, but a cyclical journey of ups and downs. Maybe it’s a call to appreciate the moments of redemption, knowing that they can be fleeting. Or perhaps it's an encouragement to find hope even in the darkest of times, remembering that just as exile followed liberation, so too can redemption follow exile.

The Yalkut Shimoni on Nach 1026, in its simple yet powerful comparison, encourages us to consider the complexities of our history, the ever-present tension between joy and sorrow, and the enduring hope for a brighter future.

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Yalkut Shimoni on Nach 131:1Yalkut Shimoni

Retold in our words. Read the original at the link below.Sefaria Community Translation · CC0

David arose, and fled that day from before Saul: This is [the meaning of] the verse, He has made everything beautiful in its time (Ecclesiastes 3:11), everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, made in His world is beautiful. [David] said before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Master of the world, everything that You have made in Your world is beautiful except for madness, [and] wisdom is more beautiful than everything. What benefit is there from the madman, [that] man tears his clothes in the marketplace, and the children mock him and chase him, and the people laugh at him. Is this beautiful before You?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said to David, "David, are you challenging foolishness? By your life, one day you will need it." And Solomon said, He who disdains a thing will be injured by it [yichabel lo, which can also by pawned to it] (Proverbs 13:18). He will be pawned to it, as it is found, If you take your neighbor’s garment in pawn [chavol tichbol] (Exodus 22:25). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "You will suffer and pray for it until it is given to you." David did not do this, but went to be with the Philistines: And David arose, and fled that day from before Saul and he came to Achish. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "David, you are going to Achish while yesterday you killed Goliath, yet you are going today to his brothers with his sword in your hand? And his brothers are the bodyguards of Achish, behold Goliath's blood has not yet dried up!" When he came to them, they came to Achish, they said to him, "We will kill the one who killed our brother." Achish replied, "Was it not in battle? And if your brother killed him, would it not have been in battle that he killed him? And now that he has killed him, did your brother not stipulate, If he is able to fight me and defeat me, [then he shall rule over you] (1 Samuel 17:9)." They replied, "If that's the case, then step down from your throne, as the kingdom is David's." And it is as it is found, "Is not this David, king of the land (I Samuel 21:12). "So we will be his servants." At that moment, David was afraid and began to say, In the day of my fear, I will trust in you (Psalms 56:4). David began to pray, saying, "Master of the worlds, answer me at this hour." The Holy One, blessed be He, asked him, "What do you request?" David said to Him, "Give me a little of that thing." He said to him, "Did I not tell you that He who disdains a thing will be pawned to it? So you are asking for foolishness?" So he acted like this fool. He wrote on the doors, "Achish the king of Gath owes me 100,000 and his wife 50,000." And his daughter was mad; so she shouted and behaved foolishly inside and David shouted and acted foolishly inside. Achish said to them, "Do you not know that I am lacking madmen?" As it is stated, I am missing crazy people (I Samuel 21:16). At that moment, David rejoiced with a great joy. When the madness left him, the joy died. This is [the meaning of] what is written, I will bless the Lord at all times (Psalms 34:2).

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Legends of the Jews 4:53Legends of the Jews

Retold in our words. Read the original at the link below.The Legends of the Jews by Louis Ginzberg (1909) · Public Domain

The story of David and Bath-sheba is one of the most well-known, and often critiqued, episodes in the Bible. But what if I told you that some traditions see it as a direct consequence of David practically begging for a challenge? It’s true!

Ginzberg, in his monumental work, Legends of the Jews, recounts a remarkable explanation for the whole affair. It all boils down to David's ego, a touch of excessive self-awareness. Imagine this: David, in all his glory, actually complains to God. He asks, "O Lord of the world, why do people say God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, and why not God of David?"

It's like he's feeling left out of the divine legacy!

The response he receives is… well, let’s just say it's not exactly what he was hoping for. God basically tells him, "Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? They were tested. You, David, haven't been proved yet."

Now, a reasonable person might have taken that as a gentle hint to just… chill. To be content with their already impressive accomplishments. But not David! Oh no. David, in his infinite wisdom, then entreats God, "Then examine me, O Lord, and try me!"

It's like he's saying, "Bring it on! I can handle anything!" Talk about tempting the yetzer hara (יֵצֶר הָרַע), the evil inclination!

And God, ever obliging, responds, "I shall prove thee, and I shall even grant thee what I did not grant the Patriarchs. I shall tell thee beforehand that thou wilt fall into temptation through a woman."

Wow. Just...wow. Preemptive warning of a specific, devastating temptation. But according to this legend, it was David’s own yearning for validation, his desire to be seen as equal to the Patriarchs, that set the stage for his ultimate downfall.

This isn't just a story about sin and punishment, though. It’s a story about the dangers of unchecked ego, of seeking external validation instead of finding contentment within.

.. maybe, just maybe, take a moment to consider if you're truly ready for what you're asking for. Sometimes, the greatest strength lies not in seeking trials, but in recognizing the blessings we already possess.

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