1 Samuel

1 Samuel 16:14–16

¹⁴Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a spirit of distress^b from the LORD began to torment him. ¹⁵Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely a spirit of distress from God is tormenting you. ¹⁶Let our lord command your servants here to seek out someone who can skillfully play the harp. Whenever the spirit of distress from God is upon you, he is to play it, and you will be well.”

Footnotes

b 16:14 Or a harmful spirit; similarly in verses 15, 16, and 23

Read all of 1 Samuel 16

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Samuel 16:14

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Now the Spirit	וְר֧וּחַ	wə·rū·aḥ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - common singular construct	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
of the LORD	יְהוָ֛ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
departed	סָ֖רָה	sā·rāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H5493 turn aside
from	מֵעִ֣ם	mê·‘im	Preposition-m	H5973 with
Saul	שָׁא֑וּל	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
and a spirit	רֽוּחַ־	rū·aḥ-	Noun - common singular	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
of distress	רָעָ֖ה	rā·‘āh	Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil
from	מֵאֵ֥ת	mê·’êṯ	Preposition-m; Direct object marker	H854 with
the LORD	יְהוָֽה׃	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
began to torment him	וּבִֽעֲתַ֥תּוּ	ū·ḇi·‘ă·ṯat·tū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular; third person masculine singular	H1204 fall upon, startle, terrify

1 Samuel 16:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Saul’s	שָׁא֖וּל	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
servants	עַבְדֵֽי־	‘aḇ·ḏê-	Noun - masculine plural construct	H5650 slave, servant
said	וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
to him	אֵלָ֑יו	’ê·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H413 motion to
Surely	הִנֵּה־	hin·nêh-	Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
a spirit	רֽוּחַ־	rū·aḥ-	Noun - common singular construct	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
of distress	רָעָ֖ה	rā·‘āh	Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil
from God	אֱלֹהִ֛ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
is tormenting you	מְבַעִתֶּֽךָ׃	mə·ḇa·‘it·te·ḵā	Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H1204 fall upon, startle, terrify

1 Samuel 16:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Let our lord	אֲדֹנֵ֙נוּ֙	’ă·ḏō·nê·nū	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common plural	H113 lord
command	יֹאמַר־	yō·mar-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
your servants	עֲבָדֶ֣יךָ	‘ă·ḇā·ḏe·ḵā	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H5650 slave, servant
here	לְפָנֶ֔יךָ	lə·p̄ā·ne·ḵā	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct; second person masculine singular	H6440 face, before
to seek out	יְבַקְשׁ֕וּ	yə·ḇaq·šū	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1245 seek
someone	אִ֕ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
who can skillfully	יֹדֵ֖עַ	yō·ḏê·a‘	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H3045 know
play	מְנַגֵּ֣ן	mə·nag·gên	Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular	H5059 touch
the harp	בַּכִּנּ֑וֹר	bak·kin·nō·wr	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3658 lyre
Whenever	בִּֽהְי֨וֹת	bih·yō·wṯ	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
the spirit	רֽוּחַ־	rū·aḥ-	Noun - common singular construct	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
of distress	רָעָ֔ה	rā·‘āh	Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil
from God	אֱלֹהִים֙	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
is upon you	עָלֶ֤יךָ	‘ā·le·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H5921 height
he is to play it	וְנִגֵּ֥ן	wə·nig·gên	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H5059 touch
and you	לָֽךְ׃פ	lāḵ	Preposition; second person feminine singular
well	וְט֥וֹב	wə·ṭō·wḇ	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

1 Samuel 16:14 Psalm 51:11 · 1 Samuel 18:12 · Judges 9:23 · Judges 16:20 · 1 Samuel 28:15 · 1 Samuel 18:10 · Acts 19:15–16 · Hosea 9:12 · 1 Kings 22:22 · 1 Samuel 11:6 · 1 Samuel 19:9–10

1 Samuel 16:16 2 Kings 3:15 · 1 Kings 10:8 · 1 Samuel 18:10 · 1 Samuel 19:9 · 1 Samuel 16:21–23 · 1 Samuel 10:5 · Genesis 41:46

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.