1 Samuel 16:21

1 Samuel 16:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
• New International Version (NIV)David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So David came to Saul and stood before him. And he loved him greatly, and he became his armorbearer.

Context of 1 Samuel 16:21

19So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” 20And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and one young goat and sent them to Saul with his son David. When David came to Saul and entered his service, Saul loved him very much, and David became his armor-bearer. 22Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.” 23And whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would pick up his harp and play. Then Saul would find relief and feel better, and the spirit of distress would depart from him.

1 Samuel 16:21 word by word

וַיָּבֹ֤א דָוִד֙ אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֖ד לְפָנָ֑יו וַיֶּאֱהָבֵ֣הֽוּ מְאֹ֔ד וַֽיְהִי־ל֖וֹ נֹשֵׂ֥א כֵלִֽים׃Read the interlinear

• When Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• and entered his serviceעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: appointH5975
• and entered his serviceפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• Saul loved himאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: loverH157
• very muchמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
• and David becameהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• armor-bearerנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearing(armour)H5375
• armor-bearerכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 16:21

• Genesis 41:46Now Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout the land of Egypt.
• Deuteronomy 1:38Joshua son of Nun, who stands before you, will enter it. Encourage him, for he will enable Israel to inherit the land.
• Deuteronomy 10:8At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name, as they do to this day.
• 1 Kings 10:8How blessed are your men! How blessed are these servants of yours who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!
• Proverbs 22:29Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
• Psalms 62:9Lowborn men are but a vapor; the exalted are but a lie. Weighed on the scale, they go up; together they are but a vapor.
• Psalms 118:9It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.
• Psalms 146:3Put not your trust in princes, in mortal man, who cannot save.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 16:21

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21The difficulty of reconciling this verse with 1 Samuel 17:55-58, is met thus: The words here are the ultimate sequence of David‘s first visit to Saul, and of his skill in music, and are therefore placed here; but they did not really come to pass until after David‘s victory over Goliath (see 1 Samuel 18:2). It is quite conceivable that if David had only played once or twice to Saul, and then returned to his father‘s house for some months, Saul might not…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-23Verses 14-23 Saul is made a terror to himself. The Spirit of the Lord departed from him. If God and his grace do not rule us, sin and Satan will have possession of us. The devil, by the Divine permission, troubled and terrified Saul, by the corrupt humours of his body, and passions of his mind. He grew fretful, peevish, and discontented, and at times a madman. It is a pity that music, which may be serviceable to the good temper of the mind, should ever be…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21At first, Saul loved David very much, but this love soon became intense jealousy and hatred (see 1 Samuel 18:8–14). An armor bearer in ancient Israel was the personal assistant of a warrior leader (see 1 Samuel 14:1–15; 31:4–6; Judges 9:54; 2 Samuel 18:15).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. David came to Saul--Providence thus prepared David for his destiny, by placing him in a way to become acquainted with the manners of the court, the business of government, and the general state of the kingdom. became his armour-bearer--This choice, as being an expression of the king's partiality, shows how honorable the office was held to be.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 16:21

• Armor-Bearer
• David
• Demons
• Jesse
• Saul

In the dictionaries

• David
• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• Appearance
• Armourbearer
• Comely
• Jesse
• Psalms, Book of
• Samuel, Books of

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings