Christian Standard Bible
1 Samuel 19:20
20he sent agents to seize David. However, when they saw the group of prophets prophesying with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came on Saul’s agents, and they also started prophesying.
1 Samuel 19:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
- New International Version (NIV)so he sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came on Saul’s men, and they also prophesied.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Saul sent messengers to take David, and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
Context of 1 Samuel 19:20
18So David fled and escaped and went to Samuel at Ramah and told him everything Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel left and stayed at Naioth. 19When it was reported to Saul that David was at Naioth in Ramah, he sent agents to seize David. However, when they saw the group of prophets prophesying with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came on Saul’s agents, and they also started prophesying. 21When they reported to Saul, he sent other agents, and they also began prophesying. So Saul tried again and sent a third group of agents, and even they began prophesying. 22Then Saul himself went to Ramah. He came to the large cistern at Secu and asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” “At Naioth in Ramah,” someone said.
Read all of 1 Samuel 191 Samuel 19:20 word by word
וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח שָׁא֣וּל מַלְאָכִים֮ לָקַ֣חַת אֶת־דָּוִד֒ וַיַּ֗רְא אֶֽת־לַהֲקַ֤ת הַנְּבִיאִים֙ נִבְּאִ֔ים וּשְׁמוּאֵ֕ל עֹמֵ֥ד נִצָּ֖ב עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וַתְּהִ֞י עַֽל־מַלְאֲכֵ֤י שָׁאוּל֙ ר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים וַיִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּ גַּם־הֵֽמָּה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- messengersמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messengerH4397
- to takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- and when they sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- the companyלַהֲקָהlahăqâh · companyH3862
- of the prophetsנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
- prophesyingנָבָאnâbâ' · to prophesyH5012
- and Samuelשְׁמוּאֵלshemû'êl · SamuelH8050
- standingעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- appointedנָצַבnâtsab · to standH5324
- over them, the Spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
- of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 19:20
- 1 Samuel 19:11Saul sent agents to David’s house to watch for him and kill him in the morning. But his wife Michal warned David, “If you don’t escape tonight, you will be dead tomorrow!”
- John 7:32The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things about him, and so the chief priests and the Pharisees sent servants to arrest 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.
- Numbers 11:25Then the Lord descended in the cloud and spoke to him. He took some of the Spirit who was on Moses and placed the Spirit on the seventy elders. As the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they never did it again.
- Joel 2:28After this I will pour out my Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will have dreams, and your young men will see visions.
- 1 Corinthians 14:3On the other hand, the person who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouragement, and consolation.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 19:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20The company of the prophets prophesying - Employed in religious exercises. Samuel - appointed over them - Being head or president of the school at this place. The Spirit of God was upon the messengers - They partook of the same influence, and joined in the same exercise; and thus were prevented from seizing David.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Samuel standing as appointed - Rather, “as Overseer, or leader.”Read the comment
- 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. 20Prophets often assembled in groups under a single leader (see 2 Kings 2:15; 4:38; 6:1–7). The Spirit of God came upon Saul’s men to allow David to escape (1 Samuel 20:1).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 19:20
In the dictionaries
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
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