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1 Samuel 19:9

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does 1 Samuel 19:9 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And an evil spirit from Jehovah was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And an evil spirit from Jehovah was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand.
1 Samuel 19:9 — American Standard Version

Context — 1 Samuel 19

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
6And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As Jehovah liveth, he shall not be put to death.
7And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as beforetime.
8And there was war again: and David went out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled before him.
9And an evil spirit from Jehovah was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand.
10And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul`s presence, and he smote the spear into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.
11And Saul sent messengers unto David`s house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal, David`s wife, told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to-night, to-morrow thou wilt be slain.
12So Michal let David down through the window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.
← 1 Samuel 19:81 Samuel 19:10 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, etc.] His melancholy and frantic disorder returned upon those victories of David, and he grew envious, jealous, spiteful, and malicious: as he sat in his house with his javelin his hand; which either describes the posture he was in when the evil spirit came upon him; or the effects of it, he became dull and melancholy, did not care to go abroad, but kept at home, and was suspicious of everybody; and therefore kept a javelin in his hand to defend himself; or it may be rather to dispatch David with it, when an opportunity should offer, which quickly did: and David played with [his] hand; on some instrument of music, particularly the harp, to…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“The evil spirit - David's successes against the Philistines revived his envy, and the devil watched the opportunity, as he had done before. 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 19:13”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Sa1 16:14, Sa1 18:10, Sa1 18:11 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 19:10”
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Related study paths

Read 1 Samuel 19 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification