Madness, real and feigned in the Bible

• Proverbs: one who deceives and says 'I was joking' is like a madmanProv 26:18–19
  The verses

  Prov 26:18–19Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows, so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”

David at Gath

• Fleeing Saul, David came to Achish, king of Gath1 Sam 21:10
  The verses

  1 Sam 21:10That day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath.
• Achish's servants recognized him, and David was very much afraid1 Sam 21:11–12
  The verses

  1 Sam 21:11–12But the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David, the king of the land? Did they not sing about him in their dances, saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?” Now David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
• He feigned madness, scratching the gate doors, saliva running down his beard1 Sam 21:13
  The verses

  1 Sam 21:13So he changed his behavior before them and feigned madness in their hands; he scratched on the doors of the gate and let his saliva run down his beard.
• Achish: 'Am I in need of madmen?'1 Sam 21:14–15
  The verses

  1 Sam 21:14–15Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you can see that the man is insane! Why have you brought him to me? Am I in need of madmen, that you have brought this man to rave in my presence? Must this man come into my house?”
• The title of Psalm 34 recalls it: he pretended to be insanePs 34:1
  The verses

  Ps 34:1Of David, when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, so that the king drove him away. I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.

Others

• Saul, tormented by a spirit of distress, was soothed by David's harp1 Sam 16:14–16, 1 Sam 16:23
  The verses

  1 Sam 16:14–16After the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, a spirit of distress from the LORD began to torment him. Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely a spirit of distress from God is tormenting you. Let our lord command your servants here to seek out someone who can skillfully play the harp. Whenever the spirit of distress from God is upon you, he is to play it, and you will be well.”

  1 Sam 16:23And whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would pick up his harp and play, and Saul would become well, and the spirit of distress would depart from him.
• Later, while David played, Saul hurled his spear at him1 Sam 18:10–11
  The verses

  1 Sam 18:10–11The next day a spirit of distress sent from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house while David played the harp as usual. Now Saul was holding a spear, and he hurled it, thinking, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
• Nebuchadnezzar ate grass like an ox; his hair grew like eagle feathersDan 4:33
  The verses

  Dan 4:33At that moment the sentence against Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from mankind. He ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
• His sanity returned, and he was restored to his throneDan 4:34, Dan 4:36
  The verses

  Dan 4:34But at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity was restored to me. Then I praised the Most High, and I honored and glorified Him who lives forever: “For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.

  Dan 4:36At the same time my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne, and surpassing greatness was added to me.
• The watchman: he drives like Jehu, like a madman!2 Kgs 9:20
  The verses

  2 Kgs 9:20Again the watchman reported, “He reached them, but he is not coming back. And the charioteer is driving like Jehu son of Nimshi—he is driving like a madman!”
• Jehu's fellow officers call the young prophet 'this madman'2 Kgs 9:11
  The verses

  2 Kgs 9:11When Jehu went out to the servants of his master, they asked, “Is everything all right? Why did this madman come to you?” “You know his kind and their babble,” he replied.
• A letter: any madman acting like a prophet goes in the stocksJer 29:26
  The verses

  Jer 29:26‘The LORD has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada, to be the chief officer in the house of the LORD, responsible for any madman who acts like a prophet—you must put him in stocks and neck irons.
• A man living in the tombs broke his chains and cut himself with stonesMark 5:3–5
  The verses

  Mark 5:3–5This man had been living in the tombs and could no longer be restrained, even with chains. Though he was often bound with chains and shackles, he had broken the chains and shattered the shackles. Now there was no one with the strength to subdue him. Night and day in the tombs and in the mountains he kept crying out and cutting himself with stones.
• Afterward people saw him clothed and in his right mindMark 5:15
  The verses

  Mark 5:15When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
• Jesus' family went to take custody of him: 'He is out of his mind'Mark 3:21
  The verses

  Mark 3:21When His family heard about this, they went out to take custody of Him, saying, “He is out of His mind.”
• Some said of Jesus: 'He is demon-possessed and insane'John 10:20
  The verses

  John 10:20Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and insane. Why would you listen to Him?”
• Rhoda says Peter is at the gate; 'You are out of your mind'Acts 12:13–15
  The verses

  Acts 12:13–15He knocked at the outer gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that she forgot to open the gate, but ran inside and announced, “Peter is standing at the gate!” “You are out of your mind,” they told her. But when she kept insisting it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”
• Festus: 'You are insane, Paul!' Paul: 'I am not insane'Acts 26:24–25
  The verses

  Acts 26:24–25At this stage of Paul’s defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! Your great learning is driving you to madness!” But Paul answered, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus; I am speaking words of truth and sobriety.
• Paul: if all speak in tongues, outsiders will say you are out of your minds1 Cor 14:23
  The verses

  1 Cor 14:23So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who are uninstructed or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds?