On the next day, an evil spirit from God came mightily on Saul, and he prophesied in the middle of the house. David played with his hand, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand;
Parallel translations
- 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.
- BSB The next day a spirit of distress sent from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house while David played the harp as usual. Now Saul was holding a spear,
- NKJV 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.
- NASB Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house while David was playing the harp with his hand, as usual; and a spear was in Saul’s hand.
- 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,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
An evil spirit from God comes on Saul, and he raves while David plays the harp, with Saul's spear in hand. God's judgment leaves Saul vulnerable to torment and violent impulse.
Overview
A harmful spirit, sent under God's sovereign permission as judgment on the rejected king, comes upon Saul as David ministers with music. The scene shows Saul's deepening derangement, with his spear ominously at hand. Faithful Christians have long understood this as God permitting an evil spirit to afflict Saul in righteous judgment, while David, the Lord's anointed, continues to serve even his troubled master.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- 1 Kgs 18:29When midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the evening offering; but there was no voice, no answer, and nobody paid attention.
- 1 Sam 19:9An evil spirit from Yahweh was on Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand.
- 2 Th 2:11Because of this, God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie;
- 1 Sam 16:14–16Now Yahweh’s Spirit departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Yahweh troubled him.
- 1 Kgs 22:20–23Yahweh said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ One said one thing; and another said another.
- Acts 16:16As we were going to prayer, a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling.
- 1 Sam 16:23When the spirit from God was on Saul, David took the harp, and played with his hand; so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
- 1 Sam 19:23–24He went there to Naioth in Ramah. Then God’s Spirit came on him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
- Jer 28:2–4“Thus speaks Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, saying, ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
- 1 Sam 26:19Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is so that Yahweh has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, they are cursed before Yahweh; for they have driven me out today that I shouldn’t cling to Yahweh’s inheritance, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods!’
- Zech 13:2–5It will come to pass in that day, says Yahweh of Armies, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they will be remembered no more. I will also cause the prophets and the spirit of impurity to pass out of the land.
- Jer 28:11Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, “Yahweh says: ‘Even so I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon within two full years from off the neck of all the nations.’” Then the prophet Jeremiah went his way.
- 1 Kgs 22:12All the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper; for Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 18:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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