("madness".) The Easterners regard madmen with a superstitious reverence, as idolatrous worshippers seemed, and true worshippers were really, rapt out of themselves by divine inspiration (1 Kings 18:26; 1 Kings 18:28; 1 Samuel 19:21-24). Hence arose the contemptuous sneer as to Jesus (John 10:20), "He hath a devil and is mad"; also the designation "mad fellow" applied to the prophet who anointed Jehu (2 Kings 9:11), and to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 29:26), and to Paul (Acts 26:24-25). David availed himself of this half reverential, half-contemptuous forbearance toward madmen, to save himself at Achish's court by feigning madness (1 Samuel 21:13-15).