1 Samuel

1 Samuel 16:21–23

²¹When David came to Saul and entered his service, Saul loved him very much, and David became his armor-bearer.

²²Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.” ²³And 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.

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 16:21

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When David	דָוִד֙	ḏā·wiḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
came	וַיָּבֹ֤א	way·yā·ḇō	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Saul	שָׁא֔וּל	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
and entered his service	וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֖ד	way·ya·‘ă·mōḏ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5975 take one's stand, stand
Saul loved him	וַיֶּאֱהָבֵ֣הֽוּ	way·ye·’ĕ·hā·ḇê·hū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H157 love
very much	מְאֹ֔ד	mə·’ōḏ	Adverb	H3966 muchness, force, abundance, exceedingly
and David became	וַֽיְהִי־	way·hî-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
his	ל֖וֹ	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
armor-bearer	נֹשֵׂ֥א	nō·śê	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct	H5375 lift, take, carry

1 Samuel 16:22

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then Saul	שָׁא֔וּל	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
sent	וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח	way·yiš·laḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
word to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Jesse	יִשַׁ֖י	yi·šay	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3448 Jishai
saying	לֵאמֹ֑ר	lê·mōr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H559 utter, say
Let David	דָוִד֙	ḏā·wiḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
remain in my service	יַעֲמָד־	ya·‘ă·māḏ-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5975 take one's stand, stand
for	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I am pleased with	מָ֥צָא	mā·ṣā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H4672 attain to, find
him	בְּעֵינָֽי׃	bə·‘ê·nāy	Preposition-b; Noun - cdc; first person common singular	H5869 eye

1 Samuel 16:23

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And whenever	וְהָיָ֗ה	wə·hā·yāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
the spirit	רֽוּחַ־	rū·aḥ-	Noun - common singular construct	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
from God	אֱלֹהִים֙	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
came	בִּֽהְי֤וֹת	bih·yō·wṯ	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
upon	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Saul	שָׁא֔וּל	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
David	דָּוִ֛ד	dā·wiḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
would pick up	וְלָקַ֥ח	wə·lā·qaḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H3947 take
his harp	הַכִּנּ֖וֹר	hak·kin·nō·wr	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3658 lyre
and play	וְנִגֵּ֣ן	wə·nig·gên	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H5059 touch
Then Saul	לְשָׁאוּל֙	lə·šā·’ūl	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
would find relief	וְרָוַ֤ח	wə·rā·waḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H7304 breathe, revive, have ample room
and feel better	וְט֣וֹב	wə·ṭō·wḇ	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
and the spirit	ר֥וּחַ	rū·aḥ	Noun - common singular construct	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
of distress	הָרָעָֽה׃פ	hā·rā·‘āh	Article; Adjective - feminine singular	H7451 bad, evil
would depart	וְסָ֥רָה	wə·sā·rāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular	H5493 turn aside
from him	מֵעָלָ֖יו	mê·‘ā·lāw	Preposition-m; third person masculine singular	H5921 height

Cross-references

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

1 Samuel 16:21 Genesis 41:46 · Proverbs 22:29 · Psalm 146:3 · Deuteronomy 10:8 · Psalm 118:9

1 Samuel 16:23 1 Samuel 16:14–16

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.