KJV King James Version
And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
1 Samuel 16:23
And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
And whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would pick up his harp and play. Then Saul would find relief and feel better, and the spirit of distress would depart from him.
WEB World English Bible
It happened, when the spirit from God was on Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
ASV American Standard Version
And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
And it hath come to pass, in the spirit of sadness from God being on Saul, that David hath taken the harp, and played with his hand, and Saul hath refreshment and gladness, and the spirit of sadness hath turned aside from off him.
Surrounding context — 1 Samuel 16
20 And Jesse took an ass [laden] with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent [them] by David his son unto Saul.
21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.
23 And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
וְהָיָ֗הH1961 · ha.yahto beבִּֽהְי֤וֹתH1961 · ha.yahto beרֽוּחַ־H7307 · ru.achspiritאֱלֹהִים֙H430 · e.lo.himGodאֶל־H413 · elto(wards)שָׁא֔וּלH7586 · sha.ulSaulוְלָקַ֥חH3947 · la.qachto take: takeדָּוִ֛דH1732 · da.vidDavidאֶת־H853 · et[Obj.]הַכִּנּ֖וֹרH3658 · kin.norlyreוְנִגֵּ֣ןH5059 · na.ganto playבְּיָד֑וֹH3027 · yadhandוְרָוַ֤חH7304 · ra.vachbe wideלְשָׁאוּל֙H7586 · sha.ulSaulוְט֣וֹבH2896 · tovpleasantל֔וֹH9033 · ohimוְסָ֥רָהH5493 · surto turn aside: removeמֵעָלָ֖יוH5921 · aluponר֥וּחַH7307 · ru.achspiritהָרָעָֽה׃ פH7451 · rabad: harmful
Cross-references
1 Samuel 16:14-16But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.1 Samuel 18:10-11And 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.Luke 11:24-26When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.Matthew 12:43-45When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
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