Kings I 16:23

23 And it came to pass when the evil spirit was upon Saul, that David took his harp, and played with his hand: and Saul was refreshed, and well with him, and the evil spirit departed from him.

Kings I 16:23 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 16:23

In the thirty first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to
reign over Israel twelve years
Which are to be reckoned not from the thirty first of Asa; for Ahab the son of Omri began to reign in his thirty eighth year, and so his reign would be but seven or eight years; but they are reckoned from the twenty seventh of Asa, the beginning of it, when Elah was slain by Zimri, and he died, which to the end of the thirty eight of Asa make twelve years; for the division, according to the Jewish chronology ^F4, lasted four years; Jarchi says five ^F5; and from the beginning of that his reign is reckoned, though he did not reign over all Israel, or completely, until the thirty first of Asa, when Tibni died:

six years reigned he in Tirzah;
the royal city of the kings of Israel, from Jeroboam to this time, and the other six he reigned in Samaria, built by him, as in the next verse.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 Seder Olam Rabba, c. 17. p. 45.
F5 So Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 11. 2.

Kings I 16:23 In-Context

21 And David went in to Saul, and stood before him; and he loved him greatly; and he became his armour-bearer.

22 And Saul sent to Jessae, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me, for he has found grace in my eyes.

23 And it came to pass when the evil spirit was upon Saul, that David took his harp, and played with his hand: and Saul was refreshed, and well with him, and the evil spirit departed from him.