1 Samuel

1 Samuel 19:20–24

²⁰he sent messengers to seize him. But when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came upon them, and Saul’s messengers also began to prophesy.

²¹When this was reported to Saul, he sent more messengers, but they began to prophesy as well.

So Saul tried again and sent messengers a third time, and even they began to prophesy.

²²Finally, Saul himself left for Ramah and came to the large cistern at Secu, where he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?”

“At Naioth in Ramah,” he was told.

²³So Saul went to Naioth in Ramah. But the Spirit of God came upon even Saul, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth in Ramah. ²⁴Then Saul stripped off his robes and also prophesied before Samuel. And he collapsed and lay naked all that day and night. That is why it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

Read all of 1 Samuel 19

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 19:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
he	שָׁא֣וּל	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
sent	וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח	way·yiš·laḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
messengers	מַלְאָכִים֮	mal·’ā·ḵîm	Noun - masculine plural	H4397 messenger
to seize	לָקַ֣חַת	lā·qa·ḥaṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H3947 take
him	דָּוִד֒	dā·wiḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
But when they saw	וַיַּ֗רְא	way·yar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7200 see
the group	לַהֲקַ֤ת	la·hă·qaṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H3862 band, company
of prophets	הַנְּבִיאִים֙	han·nə·ḇî·’îm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H5030 spokesman, speaker, prophet
prophesying	נִבְּאִ֔ים	nib·bə·’îm	Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural	H5012 prophesy
with Samuel	וּשְׁמוּאֵ֕ל	ū·šə·mū·’êl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H8050 Samuel
leading them	נִצָּ֖ב	niṣ·ṣāḇ	Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular	H5324 take one's stand, stand
the Spirit	ר֣וּחַ	rū·aḥ	Noun - common singular construct	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
of God	אֱלֹהִ֔ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
came	וַתְּהִ֞י	wat·tə·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
upon	עַֽל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
them	עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם	‘ă·lê·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural	H5921 height
and Saul’s	שָׁאוּל֙	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
messengers	מַלְאֲכֵ֤י	mal·’ă·ḵê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H4397 messenger
also	גַּם־	gam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
began to prophesy	וַיִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּ	way·yiṯ·nab·bə·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5012 prophesy

1 Samuel 19:21

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When this was reported	וַיַּגִּ֣דוּ	way·yag·gi·ḏū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5046 be conspicuous
to Saul	לְשָׁא֗וּל	lə·šā·’ūl	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
he sent	וַיִּשְׁלַח֙	way·yiš·laḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
more	אֲחֵרִ֔ים	’ă·ḥê·rîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H312 another
messengers	מַלְאָכִ֣ים	mal·’ā·ḵîm	Noun - masculine plural	H4397 messenger
but they	הֵ֑מָּה	hêm·māh	Pronoun - third person masculine plural	H1992 they, them
began to prophesy	וַיִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּ	way·yiṯ·nab·bə·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5012 prophesy
as well	גַּם־	gam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
So Saul	שָׁא֗וּל	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
tried again	וַיֹּ֣סֶף	way·yō·sep̄	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3254 add
and sent	וַיִּשְׁלַח֙	way·yiš·laḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
messengers	מַלְאָכִ֣ים	mal·’ā·ḵîm	Noun - masculine plural	H4397 messenger
a third	שְׁלִשִׁ֔ים	šə·li·šîm	Number - ordinal masculine plural	H7992 third
and even	גַּם־	gam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
they	הֵֽמָּה׃	hêm·māh	Pronoun - third person masculine plural	H1992 they, them
began to prophesy	וַיִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּ	way·yiṯ·nab·bə·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5012 prophesy

1 Samuel 19:22

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Finally	ה֜וּא	hū	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
Saul himself	ה֜וּא	hū	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
left for	וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ	way·yê·leḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
Ramah	הָרָמָ֗תָה	hā·rā·mā·ṯāh	Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular; third person feminine singular	H7414 the Height, Rama
and came	וַיָּבֹא֙	way·yā·ḇō	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to	עַד־	‘aḏ-	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
the large	הַגָּדוֹל֙	hag·gā·ḏō·wl	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H1419 great
cistern	בּ֤וֹר	bō·wr	Noun - masculine singular	H953 pit, cistern, well
at Secu	בַּשֶּׂ֔כוּ	baś·śe·ḵū	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7906 Seku
where he asked	וַיִּשְׁאַ֣ל	way·yiš·’al	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7592 ask, inquire
Where	אֵיפֹ֥ה	’ê·p̄ōh	Interrogative	H375 where?
are Samuel	שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל	šə·mū·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H8050 Samuel
and David	וְדָוִ֑ד	wə·ḏā·wiḏ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
At Naioth	בְּנֹוִית	bə·nō·wīṯ	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H5121 Navith
in Ramah	בָּרָמָֽה׃	bā·rā·māh	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7414 the Height, Rama
he was told	וַיֹּ֕אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say

1 Samuel 19:23

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So Saul went	וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ	way·yê·leḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Naioth	נֹוִית	nō·wīṯ	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H5121 Navith
in Ramah	בָּרָמָ֑ה	bā·rā·māh	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7414 the Height, Rama
But the Spirit	ר֣וּחַ	rū·aḥ	Noun - common singular construct	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
of God	אֱלֹהִ֗ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
came	וַתְּהִי֩	wat·tə·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
upon	עָלָ֨יו	‘ā·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H5921 height
even	גַּם־	gam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
and he walked along	וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ	way·yê·leḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
prophesying	וַיִּתְנַבֵּ֔א	way·yiṯ·nab·bê	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5012 prophesy
until	עַד־	‘aḏ-	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
he came to	בֹּא֖וֹ	bō·’ōw	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
Naioth	בְּנֹוִית	bə·nō·wīṯ	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H5121 Navith
in Ramah	בָּרָמָֽה׃	bā·rā·māh	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7414 the Height, Rama

1 Samuel 19:24

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then Saul	ה֜וּא	hū	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
stripped off	וַיִּפְשַׁ֨ט	way·yip̄·šaṭ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6584 strip off, make a dash, raid
his robes	בְּגָדָ֗יו	bə·ḡā·ḏāw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H899 treachery
and also	גַּם־	gam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
prophesied	וַיִּתְנַבֵּ֤א	way·yiṯ·nab·bê	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5012 prophesy
before	לִפְנֵ֣י	lip̄·nê	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
Samuel	שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל	šə·mū·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H8050 Samuel
And he collapsed	וַיִּפֹּ֣ל	way·yip·pōl	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5307 fall, lie
and lay naked	עָרֹ֔ם	‘ā·rōm	Adjective - masculine singular	H6174 naked
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
that	הַה֖וּא	ha·hū	Article; Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
day	הַיּ֥וֹם	hay·yō·wm	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day
and	וְכָל־	wə·ḵāl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
night	הַלָּ֑יְלָה	hal·lā·yə·lāh	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3915 twist, night, adversity
That is why	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
it is said	יֹֽאמְר֔וּ	yō·mə·rū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
Is Saul	שָׁא֖וּל	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
also	הֲגַ֥ם	hă·ḡam	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
among the prophets	בַּנְּבִיאִֽם׃פ	ban·nə·ḇî·’im	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H5030 spokesman, speaker, prophet

Cross-references

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

1 Samuel 19:20 Joel 2:28 · 1 Samuel 10:5–6 · John 7:32 · 1 Corinthians 14:24–25 · 1 Corinthians 14:3 · 1 Samuel 10:10 · Numbers 11:25–26 · John 7:45–52 · 1 Samuel 19:11 · 1 Samuel 19:14

1 Samuel 19:23 Proverbs 16:9 · 1 Samuel 10:10 · Numbers 24:2 · 1 Samuel 19:20

1 Samuel 19:24 Isaiah 20:2 · 1 Samuel 10:10–12 · Micah 1:8 · 2 Samuel 6:20 · 2 Samuel 6:14 · Numbers 24:4

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.