Tree of Life Version
1 Samuel 19:20
20So Saul sent agents to seize David, but they saw a band of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing and presiding over them. Then the Ruach of God came upon Saul’s agents and they too prophesied.
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, went to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went and stayed at Naioth. 19Saul was told, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.” So Saul sent agents to seize David, but they saw a band of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing and presiding over them. Then the Ruach of God came upon Saul’s agents and they too prophesied. 21When Saul was told, he sent other agents and they too prophesied. Then Saul sent a third group of messengers, and they too prophesied. 22Then he himself went to Ramah, and when he arrived at the great cistern in Secu, he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” Someone answered, “Look, they are at Naioth at Ramah.”
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 agents to David’s house to watch him, in order to kill him in the morning. But David’s wife Michal warned him saying, “If you don’t escape for your life tonight, tomorrow you will be dead!”
- John 7:32The Pharisees heard people in the crowd murmuring these things about Him, and the ruling kohanim and Pharisees sent guards to arrest Him.
- 1 Samuel 10:5After that, you will arrive at the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is. It will come about, as soon as you enter the town, that you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place, preceded by a harp, a tambourine and a flute, and they will be prophesying.
- Numbers 11:25Adonai descended in the cloud and spoke with him. He took some of the Ruach that was on him and placed it on each of the 70 elders. It so happened that when the Ruach first rested on them, they prophesied—but never again.
- 1 Corinthians 14:3But one who prophesies speaks to people for building up, urging on, and uplifting.
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
Tree of Life Version — © 2015 The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Commentaries