1 Samuel 16:16

1 Samuel 16:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
• New International Version (NIV)Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the lyre. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes on you, and you will feel better.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Let our lord now command your servants who 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 play it, and you will be well."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. And it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.”

Context of 1 Samuel 16:16

14Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and an evil spirit sent from the Lord began to torment him, 15so Saul’s servants said to him, “You see that an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. Let our lord command your servants here in your presence to look for someone who knows how to play the lyre. Whenever the evil spirit from God comes on you, that person can play the lyre, and you will feel better.” 17Then Saul commanded his servants, “Find me someone who plays well and bring him to me.” 18One of the young men answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is also a valiant man, a warrior, eloquent, handsome, and the Lord is with him.”

1 Samuel 16:16 word by word

יֹאמַר־נָ֤א אֲדֹנֵ֙נוּ֙ עֲבָדֶ֣יךָ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ יְבַקְשׁ֕וּ אִ֕ישׁ יֹדֵ֖עַ מְנַגֵּ֣ן בַּכִּנּ֑וֹר וְהָיָ֗ה בִּֽהְי֨וֹת עָלֶ֤יךָ רֽוּחַ־אֱלֹהִים֙ רָעָ֔ה וְנִגֵּ֥ן בְּיָד֖וֹ וְט֥וֹב לָֽךְ׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Let our lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
• now commandאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• thy servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• thee, to seek outבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• a cunningיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• playerנָגַןnâgan · to playH5059
• on an harpכִּנּוֹרkinnôr · lyreH3658
• and it shall come to pass, when the evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: harmfulH7451
• spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
• from Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• with his handיָדyâd · handH3027
• and thou shalt be wellטוֹבţôb · be pleasingH2895

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 16:16

• 1 Samuel 16:21When David came to Saul and entered his service, Saul loved him very much, and David became his armor-bearer.
• Genesis 41:46Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout the land of Egypt.
• 1 Kings 10:8How happy are your men. How happy are these servants of yours, who always stand in your presence hearing your wisdom.
• 1 Samuel 16:23Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would pick up his lyre and play, and Saul would then be relieved, feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.
• 1 Samuel 10:5“After that you will come to Gibeah of God where there are Philistine garrisons. When you arrive at the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place prophesying. They will be preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres.
• 2 Kings 3:15Now, bring me a musician.” While the musician played, the Lord’s hand came on Elisha.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 16:16

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16The medicinal effects of music on the mind and body, especially as appeasing anger, and soothing and pacifying a troubled spirit, are well known. It is deeply interesting to have the youthful David thus brought before us, as using music for its highest purpose, that of turning the soul to the harmony of peace and love. We may infer that some of his Psalms, such e. g. as Psalm 23:1-6, were already composed.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. 1-23David replaced Saul as king. David and Saul were alike in these ways: Samuel anointed both. Neither was pursuing the position of king. Both were unlikely choices (Saul was from the smallest tribe, and David was the youngest son). They were both good-looking (1 Samuel 9:2; 16:12). The Spirit rushed upon each when anointed as king (1 Samuel 10:10; 11:6; 16:13). The main difference was that David was "a man after [God's] own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14; compare…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-1814-18. The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him--His own gloomy reflections, the consciousness that he had not acted up to the character of an Israelitish king, the loss of his throne, and the extinction of his royal house, made him jealous, irritable, vindictive, and subject to fits of morbid melancholy.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 16:16

• Demons
• Harp

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Evil Spirit
• Appearance
• Comely
• Harp
• Neginah
• Saul
• David
• Jesse

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