1 Samuel 18:10

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;

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

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;

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,

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.

ASV

And it came to pass on the morrow, that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as he did day by day. And Saul had his spear in his hand;

BBE

Now on the day after, an evil spirit from God came on Saul with great force and he was acting like a prophet among the men of his house, while David was making music for him, as he did day by day: and Saul had his spear in his hand.

Original Hebrew

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וַיְהִי vay·hi and it was H1961 מִמָּחֳרָת mi·mo·cho·rat from [the] next day H4283 וַתִּצְלַח va·titz·lach and it rushed H6743 רוּחַ ru·ach a spirit of H7307 אֱלֹהִים 'e·lo·him God H430 רָעָה ra·'ah evil H7451 אֶל־ 'el- to H413 שָׁאוּל sha·'ul Saul H7586 וַיִּתְנַבֵּא vai·yit·na·be' and he prophesied H5012 בְתוֹךְ־ ve·tokh- in [the] midst of H8432 הַבַּיִת ha·ba·yit the house H1004 וְדָוִד ve·da·vid and David H1732 מְנַגֵּן me·na·gen [was] playing an instrument H5059 בְּיָדוֹ be·ya·do with hand his H3027 כְּיוֹם ke·yom as a day H3117 בְּיוֹם be·yom in a day H3117 וְהַחֲנִית ve·ha·cha·nit and the spear H2595 בְּיַד־ be·yad- [was] in [the] hand of H3027 שָׁאוּל sha·'ul Saul H7586

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 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 persecuted people, and the barbarity of their persecutors. But David's safety must be ascribed to God's providence.

Read Matthew Henry on 1 Samuel 18 →

Cross-references

16

People & places

DavidSaul

Topics

Holy SpiritDemonsInsanitySpearDart

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.