1 Samuel 16:23

1 Samuel 16:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
• New International Version (NIV)Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.

Context of 1 Samuel 16:23

21David came to Saul and served him. Saul loved him very much and made David his armorbearer. 22Saul sent ⌞this message⌟ to Jesse, “Please let David stay with me because I have grown fond of him.” Whenever God’s spirit came to Saul, David took the lyre and strummed a tune. Saul got relief ⌞from his terror⌟ and felt better, and the evil spirit left him.

1 Samuel 16:23 word by word

וְהָיָ֗ה בִּֽהְי֤וֹת רֽוּחַ־אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל וְלָקַ֥ח דָּוִ֛ד אֶת־הַכִּנּ֖וֹר וְנִגֵּ֣ן בְּיָד֑וֹ וְרָוַ֤ח לְשָׁאוּל֙ וְט֣וֹב ל֔וֹ וְסָ֥רָה מֵעָלָ֖יו ר֥וּחַ הָרָעָֽה׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
• from Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• was upon Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• that Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• an harpכִּנּוֹרkinnôr · lyreH3658
• and playedנָגַןnâgan · to playH5059
• with his handיָדyâd · handH3027
• was refreshedרָוַחrâvach · be wideH7304
• and was wellטוֹבţôb · be pleasingH2895
• and the evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: harmfulH7451
• departedסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: departH5493

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 16:23

• 1 Samuel 16:14Now, the Lord’s Spirit had left Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.
• 1 Samuel 18:10The next day an evil spirit from God seized Saul. He began to prophesy in his house while David strummed a tune on the lyre as he did every day. Now, Saul had a spear in his hand.
• Matthew 12:43“When an evil spirit comes out of a person, it goes through dry places looking for a place to rest. But it doesn’t find any.
• Luke 11:24“When an evil spirit comes out of a person, it goes through dry places looking for a place to rest. But it doesn’t find any. Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to the home I left.’

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 16:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23The evil spirit from God - The word evil is not in the common Hebrew text, but it is in the Vulgate, Septuagint, Targum, Syriac, and Arabic, and in eight of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., which present the text thus: רעה אלהים רוח ruach Elohim raah, spiritus Domini malus, the evil spirit of God. The Septuagint leave out , of God, and have , the evil spirit. The Targum says, The evil spirit from before the Lord; and the Arabic has it. The evil spirit by…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. 23Saul would become well: David was not just a handsome young man with musical talent. He was the chosen king. David showed what a king should be: someone who brings relief. Later, David wrote many psalms that have provided comfort and relief over the years. the spirit of distress would depart from him: Even those who are disobedient and rejected can find relief and comfort through the Lord’s servant.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well--The ancients believed that music had a mysterious influence in healing mental disorders.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 16:23

• David
• Demons
• Harp
• Jesse
• Saul

In the dictionaries

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