New King James Version
1 Samuel 18:10
10And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul’s hand.
1 Samuel 18:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand.
- New International Version (NIV)The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand
- English Standard Version (ESV)The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand.
- New Living Translation (NLT)The very next day a tormenting spirit from God overwhelmed Saul, and he began to rave in his house like a madman. David was playing the harp, as he did each day. But Saul had a spear in his hand,
Context of 1 Samuel 18:10
8Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9So Saul eyed David from that day forward. And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul’s hand. 11And Saul cast the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David escaped his presence twice. 12Now Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, but had departed from Saul.
Read all of 1 Samuel 181 Samuel 18:10 word by word
וַיְהִ֣י מִֽמָּחֳרָ֗ת וַתִּצְלַ֣ח רוּחַ֩ אֱלֹהִ֨ים׀ רָעָ֤ה׀ אֶל־שָׁאוּל֙ וַיִּתְנַבֵּ֣א בְתוֹךְ־הַבַּ֔יִת וְדָוִ֛ד מְנַגֵּ֥ן בְּיָד֖וֹ כְּי֣וֹם׀ בְּי֑וֹם וְהַחֲנִ֖ית בְּיַד־שָׁאֽוּל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And it came to pass on the morrowמׇחֳרָתmochŏrâth mochŏrâthâm · morrowH4283
- that the evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: harmfulH7451
- spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
- from Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- cameצָלַחtsâlach tsâlêach · to rushH6743
- upon Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- and he prophesiedנָבָאnâbâ' · to prophesyH5012
- in the midstתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
- of the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- and Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- playedנָגַןnâgan · to playH5059
- with his handיָדyâd · handH3027
- as at other timesיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- a javelinחֲנִיתchănîyth · spearH2595
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 18:10
- 1 Samuel 16:14But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him.
- 1 Samuel 19:9Now the distressing spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing music with his hand.
- 1 Samuel 26:19Now therefore, please, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the Lord has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, may they be cursed before the Lord, for they have driven me out this day from sharing in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’
- Jeremiah 29:26“The Lord has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, so that there should be officers in the house of the Lord over every man who is demented and considers himself a prophet, that you should put him in prison and in the stocks.
- 1 Samuel 19:24And he also stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
- 1 Kings 18:29And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.
- 1 Kings 22:12And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the king’s hand.”
- Jeremiah 28:2“Thus speaks the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
- Zechariah 13:2“It shall be in that day,” says the Lord of hosts, “that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they shall no longer be remembered. I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to depart from the land.
- Acts 16:16Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:11And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
- 1 Samuel 16:16Let 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.”
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 18:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10The evil spirit from God - See on 1 Samuel 16:14; (note), etc. He prophesied in the midst of the house - He was beside himself; made prayers, supplications, and incoherent imprecations: "God preserve my life," "Destroy my enemies," or such like prayers, might frequently escape from him in his agitated state. The Arabic intimates that he was actually possessed by an evil spirit, and that through it he uttered a sort of demoniacal predictions. But let us…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10He prophesied - This, as the effect of the evil spirit coming upon him, is singular as regards Saul, but is borne out by what we read in 1 Kings 22:22. (Compare Acts 16:16-18; Acts 19:15; 1 John 4:1-3). It is impossible to give the sense of “raving” to the word “prophesied,” as though a merely natural state of frenzy were intended. The “prophesying” here was as directly the effect of the coming of the evil spirit upon Saul, as the “prophesying” in 1…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-11Verses 6-11 David's troubles not only immediately follow his triumphs, but arise from them; such is the vanity of that which seems greatest in this world. It is a sign that the Spirit of God is departed from men, if, like Saul, they are peevish, envious, suspicious, and ill-natured. Compare David, with his harp in his hand, aiming to serve Saul, and Saul, with his javelin in his hand, aiming to slay David; and observe the sweetness and usefulness of God's…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-15Saul came to view David as a threat rather than an ally and would do anything to get rid of him.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul--This rankling thought brought on a sudden paroxysm of his mental malady. he prophesied--The term denotes one under the influence either of a good or a bad spirit. In the present it is used to express that Saul was in a frenzy. David, perceiving the symptoms, hastened, by the soothing strains of his harp, to allay the stormy agitation of the royal mind. But before its mollifying influence…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 18:10
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 18
- 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries