New Living Translation
1 Samuel 19:20
20he sent troops to capture him. But when they arrived and saw Samuel leading a group of prophets who were prophesying, the Spirit of God came upon Saul’s men, and they also began to prophesy.
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 escaped and went to Ramah to see Samuel, and he told him all that Saul had done to him. Then Samuel took David with him to live at Naioth. 19When the report reached Saul that David was at Naioth in Ramah, he sent troops to capture him. But when they arrived and saw Samuel leading a group of prophets who were prophesying, the Spirit of God came upon Saul’s men, and they also began to prophesy. 21When Saul heard what had happened, he sent other troops, but they, too, prophesied! The same thing happened a third time. 22Finally, Saul himself went to Ramah and arrived at the great well in Secu. “Where are Samuel and David?” he demanded. “They are at Naioth in Ramah,” someone told him.
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 19:11Then Saul sent troops to watch David’s house. They were told to kill David when he came out the next morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, “If you don’t escape tonight, you will be dead by morning.”
- John 7:32When the Pharisees heard that the crowds were whispering such things, they and the leading priests sent Temple guards to arrest Jesus.
- 1 Samuel 10:5“When you arrive at Gibeah of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is located, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the place of worship. They will be playing a harp, a tambourine, a flute, and a lyre, and they will be prophesying.
- Numbers 11:25And the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses. Then he gave the seventy elders the same Spirit that was upon Moses. And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But this never happened again.
- Joel 2:28“Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.
- 1 Corinthians 14:3But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them.
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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