1 Samuel 16:17

1 Samuel 16:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.
• New International Version (NIV)So Saul said to his attendants, “Find someone who plays well and bring him to me.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)So Saul said to his servants, "Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me."
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Saul said to his servants, “Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.”

Context of 1 Samuel 16:17

15Saul’s servants then said to him, “Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrifying you. 16May our lord now command your servants who are before you. Have them search for a man who is a skillful musician on the harp; and it shall come about whenever the evil spirit from God is upon you, that he shall play the harp with his hand, and you will become well.” So Saul said to his servants, “Now select for me a man who can play well, and bring him to me.” 18Then one of the young men responded and said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, a valiant mighty man, a warrior, skillful in speech, and a handsome man; and the Lord is with him.” 19So Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, “Send me your son David, who is with the flock.”

1 Samuel 16:17 word by word

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר שָׁא֖וּל אֶל־עֲבָדָ֑יו רְאוּ־נָ֣א לִ֗י אִ֚ישׁ מֵיטִ֣יב לְנַגֵּ֔ן וַהֲבִיאוֹתֶ֖ם אֵלָֽי׃Read the interlinear

• So Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to his servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• Nowנָאnâ' · pleaseH4994
• selectרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: behold!H7200
• for me a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• who can playנָגַןnâgan · to playH5059
• wellיָטַבyâţab · be goodH3190
• and bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 16:17

• 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 16:17

• Demons
• Saul

In the dictionaries

• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• Appearance
• Comely
• David
• 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