1 Samuel 16:23

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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — David plays the harp for King Saul whenever a spirit from God descends upon him, fulfilling Saul's prior command to Jesse to retain his service.

The words — רֽוּחַ אֱלֹהִים (Ruach Elohim) translates literally to "spirit of God," while לָקַח (la.Kach) means "he took," describing David's physical act of picking up the instrument.

The thread — This event echoes 1 Samuel 16:14, which first records the Spirit of the LORD departing Saul, and repeats the pattern in 1 Samuel 18:10 where the spirit of distress returns during David's playing.

Why it lands — The text states that David's music temporarily halts Saul's torment and brings relief, but the distressing spirit inevitably returns, demonstrating that human ministry cannot permanently resolve spiritual affliction.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְהָיָ֗הve./ha.Yahand/ it was בִּֽהְי֤וֹתbi/h.Yotwhen/ was רֽוּחַ־Ru.ach-a spirit of אֱלֹהִים֙'E.lo.HimGod אֶל־'el-to שָׁא֔וּלsha.'UlSaul וְלָקַ֥חve./la.Kachand/ he took דָּוִ֛דda.VidDavid אֶת־'et-<obj.>הַכִּנּ֖וֹרha./ki.Northe/ harp וְנִגֵּ֣ןve./ni.Genand/ he played בְּיָד֑וֹbe./ya.D/owith/ hand/ his וְרָוַ֤חve./ra.Vachand/ it was relief לְשָׁאוּל֙le./sha.'Ulto/ Saul וְט֣וֹבve./Tovand/ goodל֔וֹl/o[belonged] to <the>/ himוְסָ֥רָהve./Sa.rahand/ it departed מֵעָלָ֖יוme./'a.La/vfrom/ on <the>/ him ר֥וּחַRu.ach[the] spirit of הָרָעָֽה׃ פha./ra.'Ah<the>/ evil

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.

Cross-references

1 Samuel 16:14 Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a spirit of distress from the LORD began to torment him.
1 Samuel 18:10 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,
Matthew 12:43 When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.
Luke 11:24 When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’

People named

DavidSaul