1 Samuel 16:14-23

Saul in Torment

14 Now the Spirit of Yahweh departed from Saul and an evil spirit from Yahweh tormented him.

15 So the servants of Saul said to him, "Look please, an evil spirit from God [is] tormenting you.

16 Please, let our lord command your servants [who are] before you! Let them seek a man skilled in playing on the lyre. {When} the evil spirit from God [is] upon you, he can play {on it} and {you will feel better}."

17 So Saul said to his servants, "Please select a man {who plays a stringed instrument well} and bring [him] to me."

18 One of the servants answered and said, "Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite [who is] skillful in playing a stringed instrument, a {brave man, a warrior, prudent in speech, and handsome}. And Yahweh [is] with him."

19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, "Send me David your son who [is] with the sheep."

20 And Jesse took a donkey [loaded with] bread and a skin of wine and one {young goat} and sent [them] to Saul by the hand of David his son.

21 So David came to Saul and {entered his service}. He loved him greatly and {he became Saul's armor bearer}.

22 Then Saul sent [word] to Jesse, saying, "Please let David stand before me, because he has found favor {in my sight}."

23 So whenever the [evil] spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the stringed instrument and play it with his hand. Then {it would bring relief} for Saul; {he would feel better} and the evil spirit would depart from him.

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "And it will happen [that]"
• [b]. Literally "with his hand"
• [c]. Literally "and [it will be] good for you"
• [d]. Literally "doing well to play a stringed instrument"
• [e]. Literally "a hero of ability, a man of war, discerning of word, and a man of appearance"
• [f]. Literally "kid of a goat"
• [g]. Literally "stood before him"
• [h]. That is, Saul
• [i]. Literally "he became for him a carrier of weapons"
• [j]. Literally "in my eyes"
• [k]. Literally "it would be relieved"
• [l]. Literally "it would be good for him"