1 Samuel 16

1 Samuel · Chapter 16

1 Samuel 16:14

1And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.2And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.3And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.4And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?5And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.6And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him.7But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.8Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.9Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.10Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.11And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.12And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.13Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.14But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.15And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.16Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.17And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.18Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.19Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.20And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.21And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.22And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.23And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
14But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.After the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, a spirit of distress from the LORD began to torment him.Now the Spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Jehovah troubled him.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and [the] spirit ofוְר֧וּחַve-RU-achH7307G
spirit

רוּחַ (ru.ach) : spirit 1) wind, breath, mind, spirit 1a) breath 1b) wind 1b1) of heaven 1b2) quarter (of wind), side 1b3) breath of air 1b4) air, gas 1b5) vain, empty thing 1c) spirit (as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation) 1c1) spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour 1c2) courage 1c3) temper, anger 1c4) impatience, patience 1c5) spirit, disposition (as troubled, bitter, discontented) 1c6) disposition (of various kinds), unaccountable or uncontrollable impulse 1c7) prophetic spirit 1d) spirit (of the living, breathing being in man and animals) …

Yahwehיְהוָ֛הYAH-wehH3068G
Lord

אֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

it departedסָ֖רָהSA-rahH5493H
to turn aside: remove

סוּר (sur) : remove 1) to turn aside, depart 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn aside, turn in unto 1a2) to depart, depart from way, avoid 1a3) to be removed 1a4) to come to an end 1b) (Polel) to turn aside 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to turn aside, cause to depart, remove, take away, put away, depose 1c2) to put aside, leave undone, retract, reject, abolish 1d) (Hophal) to be taken away, be removed

from withמֵעִ֣םme-'IMH5973B
from with

מֵעִם (me.im) 1a) beside, except 1b) in spite of

Saulשָׁא֑וּלsha-'ULH7586G
Saul

שָׁאוּל (sha.ul) A king of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.2; son of: Kish (H7027); married to Ahinoam (H0293) and Rizpah (H7532); father of: Jonathan (H3083H), Abinadab (H0041H), Malchi-shua (H4444), Merab (H4764), Michal (H4324), Ish-bosheth (H0378), Armoni (H0764), Mephibosheth (H4648H) § Saul or Shaul = "desired" 1) a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the 1st king of Israel 2) an early king of Edom and a successor of Samlah 3) a son of Simeon 4) a Levite, son of Uzziah

and it terrified himוּבִֽעֲתַ֥תּוּu-vi-'a-TA-tuH1204
to terrify

בָּעַת (ba.at) 1) to terrify, startle, fall upon, dismay, be overtaken by sudden terror 1a) (Niphal) to be terrified 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to fall upon, overwhelm 1b2) to terrify

a spiritרֽוּחַ־RU-ach-H7307G
spirit

רוּחַ (ru.ach) : spirit 1) wind, breath, mind, spirit 1a) breath 1b) wind 1b1) of heaven 1b2) quarter (of wind), side 1b3) breath of air 1b4) air, gas 1b5) vain, empty thing 1c) spirit (as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation) 1c1) spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour 1c2) courage 1c3) temper, anger 1c4) impatience, patience 1c5) spirit, disposition (as troubled, bitter, discontented) 1c6) disposition (of various kinds), unaccountable or uncontrollable impulse 1c7) prophetic spirit 1d) spirit (of the living, breathing being in man and animals) …

evilרָעָ֖הra-'AHH7451A
bad: harmful

רַע (ra) : harmful adj 1) bad, evil 1a) bad, disagreeable, malignant 1b) bad, unpleasant, evil (giving pain, unhappiness, misery) 1c) evil, displeasing 1d) bad (of its kind-land, water, etc) 1e) bad (of value) 1f) worse than, worst (comparison) 1g) sad, unhappy 1h) evil (hurtful) 1i) bad, unkind (vicious in disposition) 1j) bad, evil, wicked (ethically) 1j1) in general, of persons, of thoughts 1j2) deeds, actions

from withמֵאֵ֥תme-'ETH0854
with

אֵת (et) 1) with, near, together with 1a) with, together with 1b) with (of relationship) 1c) near (of place) 1d) with (poss.) 1e) from...with, from (with other prep)

Yahwehיְהוָֽה׃YAH-wehH3068G
Lord

אֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.