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1 Samuel 16:14-23

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David in Saul's Service

14 1Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, 2and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him.
15 And Saul's servants said to him, "Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you.
16 Let our lord now command your servants 3who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will 4play it, and you will be well."
17 So Saul said to his servants, "Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me."
18 One of the young men answered, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, 5a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, 6and the LORD is with him."
19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, "Send me David your son, 7who is with the sheep."
20 8And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul.
21 And David came to Saul 9and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer.
22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight."
23 And 10whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre 11and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.
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1 Samuel 16:14-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 16

In this chapter Samuel is ordered to anoint a king among the sons of Jesse of Bethlehem, 1Sa 16:1-5 all whose sons were made to pass before him, excepting David, 1Sa 16:6-10 who being then with his father's sheep, was sent for and was anointed, 1Sa 16:11-13, after which the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and he became melancholy, and it was advised to seek out a musician for him, and David was mentioned to him as a proper person, 1Sa 16:14-18 upon which he was sent for, and acted as a musician to Saul, and also became his armourbearer, which was the first rise of him, 1Sa 16:19-23.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 11

  • 1. 1 Samuel 18:12; 1 Samuel 28:15, 16; [Judges 16:20]
  • 2. 1 Samuel 18:10; 1 Samuel 19:9; [Judges 9:23]
  • 3. ver. 21, 22; 1 Kings 10:8
  • 4. 1 Samuel 18:10; 1 Samuel 19:9; [2 Kings 3:15]
  • 5. See 1 Samuel 17:32, 34-36
  • 6. 1 Samuel 3:19; 1 Samuel 18:12, 14
  • 7. ver. 11; 1 Samuel 17:15, 34
  • 8. [1 Samuel 17:18]
  • 9. See ver. 16
  • 10. ver. 14, 16
  • 11. [See ver. 16 above]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.