1 Samuel 19:21

1 Samuel 19:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.
• New International Version (NIV)Saul was told about it, and he sent more men, and they prophesied too. Saul sent men a third time, and they also prophesied.
• English Standard Version (ESV)When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And when Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. Then Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.

Context of 1 Samuel 19:21

19When Saul was told that David was at Naioth in Ramah, 20he sent messengers to seize him. But when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came upon them, and Saul’s messengers also began to prophesy. When this was reported to Saul, he sent more messengers, but they began to prophesy as well. So Saul tried again and sent messengers a third time, and even they began to prophesy. 22Finally, Saul himself left for Ramah and came to the large cistern at Secu, where he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” “At Naioth in Ramah,” he was told. 23So Saul went to Naioth in Ramah. But the Spirit of God came upon even Saul, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

1 Samuel 19:21 word by word

וַיַּגִּ֣דוּ לְשָׁא֗וּל וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ מַלְאָכִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וַיִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּ גַּם־הֵ֑מָּה וַיֹּ֣סֶף שָׁא֗וּל וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ מַלְאָכִ֣ים שְׁלִשִׁ֔ים וַיִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּ גַּם־הֵֽמָּה׃Read the interlinear

• When this was reportedנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• to Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• he sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• moreאַחֵר'achêr · anotherH312
• messengersמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messengerH4397
• but theyהֵ֫מָּהhêm hêmmâh · they(masc.)H1992
• began to prophesyנָבָאnâbâ' · to prophesyH5012
• as wellגַּםgam · alsoH1571
• tried againיָסַףyâsaph · to add: againH3254
• a thirdשְׁלִישִׁיshelîyshîy · thirdH7992

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 19:21

• 2 Kings 1:9Then King Ahaziah sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. So the captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on top of a hill, and said to him, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down!’”
• Proverbs 27:22Though you grind a fool like grain with mortar and a pestle, yet his folly will not depart from him.
• Jeremiah 13:23Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Neither are you able to do good— you who are accustomed to doing evil.
• Joel 2:28And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 19:21

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-24Verses 11-24 Michal's stratagem to gain time till David got to a distance was allowable, but her falsehood had not even the plea of necessity to excuse it, and manifests that she was not influenced by the same spirit of piety which had dictated Jonathan's language to Saul. In flying to Samuel, David made God his refuge. Samuel, as a prophet, was best able to advise him what to do in this day of distress. He met with little rest or satisfaction in Saul's…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21messengers … a third time: Each time Saul sent troops, the Spirit captured David's would-be captors. Prophesying distracted them from chasing David.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2318-23. David fled, ... and came to Samuel to Ramah--Samuel was living in great retirement, superintending the school of the prophets, established in the little hamlet of Naioth, in the neighborhood of Ramah. It was a retreat congenial to the mind of David; but Saul, having found out his asylum, sent three successive bodies of men to apprehend him. The character of the place and the influence of the sacred exercises produced such an effect on them that…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 19:21

• David
• Jealousy

In the dictionaries

• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• David
• Music
• Prophet
• Schools of the Prophets
• Secret
• Watch
• Jonathan (2)
• Samuel

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 19

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings