1 Samuel 16:13-23 – Walking In The Spirit

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 25 April 2021

v.13 INTRO: The Spirit Goes and The Spirit Comes

vs. 14-15 An evil spirit from the Lord overwhelms/torments Saul

vs. 16-17 Soothing Psalms

v.18 An Impressive Job Reference for David

vs. 19-23 David’s Move Into Saul’s Court

APPLICATION:

  1. Practice walking in the Spirit

2. Draw upon the Holy Spirit to develop skill/cunning/knowledgeability/expertise in your craft, like David did with his lute and his fighting weapons.

1 Samuel 16:13-23 – Side-by-side comparison of versionsA


LXX

Brenton

DRB

KJV

NAW

MT

13

καὶ ἔλαβεν Σαμ­ου­ηλ τὸ κέρας τοῦ ἐλαίου καὶ ἔχρι­σεν αὐτὸν ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἀδελφ­ῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐφήλατοB πνεῦμα κυρίου ἐπὶ Δαυιδ ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης καὶ ἐπάνω καὶ ἀνέστη Σαμ-ου­ηλ καὶ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς Αρμαθαιμ

And Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward: and Samuel arose, and departed to Armathaim.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward: and Samuel rose up, and went to Ramatha.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD cameC upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

13 So Samuel took his animal-horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers. And the Spirit of Yahweh advanced on David from that day and onward. Samuel then got up and went to Ramah.

וַיִּקַּח שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת- קֶרֶן הַשֶּׁמֶן, וַיִּמְשַׁח אֹתוֹ בְּקֶרֶב אֶחָיו, וַתִּצְלַח רוּחַ- יְהוָה אֶל-דָּוִד, מֵהַיּוֹם הַהוּא וָמָעְלָה; וַיָּקָם שְׁמוּאֵל, וַיֵּלֶךְ הָרָמָתָה.

14

καὶ πνεῦμα κυρίου ἀπέστη ἀπὸ Σαουλ καὶ ἔπνιγενD αὐτὸν πνεῦμα πονηρὸν παρὰ κυρίου

And the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.

But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.

But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evilE spirit from the LORD troubledF him.

14 And the Spirit of Yahweh went away from being with Saul, and an evil spirit from Yahweh overwhelmed him.

וְרוּחַ יְהוָה סָרָה, מֵעִם שָׁאוּל; וּבִעֲתַתּוּ רוּחַ-רָעָה , מֵאֵת יְהוָה.

15

καὶ εἶπαν οἱ παῗδες Σαουλ πρὸς αὐτόν ἰδοὺ δὴ πνεῦμα κυρίου πονηρὸν πνίγει σε

And Saul’s servants said to him, Behold now, an evil spirit from the Lord torments thee.

And the servants of Saul said to him: Behold now an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

15 So the servants of Saul said to him, “Look, please, an evil spirit of God is overwhelming you;

וַיֹּאמְרוּ עַבְדֵי- שָׁאוּל, אֵלָיו: הִנֵּה- נָא רוּחַ-אֱלֹהִיםG רָעָה, מְבַעִתֶּךָ.

16

HX X εἰπάτωσαν δὴ οἱ δοῦλοί σου ἐνώπιόν σου [καὶ] ζητησάτωσαν [τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν] ἄνδρα εἰδότα ψάλλειν ἐν κινύρᾳI καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῷ εἶναι πνεῦμα XJ πονηρὸν ἐπὶ σοὶ καὶ ψαλεῗ ἐν τῇ κινύρᾳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀγαθόν σοι [ἔσται καὶ ἀναπαύσει σε]

Let now X X thy servants speak before thee, [and] let them seek [for our lord] a man skilled to play on the harp; and it shall come to pass when an evil spirit X X comes upon thee and he shall play on his harp, that thou shalt be well[, and he shall refresh thee].

Let our lord give orders, [and] thy servants who are before thee will seek out a man skillful in playing on the harp, that when the evil spirit from the Lord is upon thee, he may play with his hand, and thou mayest [bear it more] easily.

Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunningK player on an harpL: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his handM, and thou shalt be well.

16 please let our lord tell his servants before his face, ‘Seek out a man knowledgeable at strumming on the guitar, and it shall be when the evil spirit of God is upon you that he shall strum with his hand and it will be good for you!”

יֹאמַר-נָא אֲדֹנֵנוּ, עֲבָדֶיךָ לְפָנֶיךָ--יְבַקְשׁוּ, אִישׁ יֹדֵעַ מְנַגֵּן בַּכִּנּוֹר; וְהָיָה, בִּהְיוֹת עָלֶיךָ רוּחַ-אֱלֹהִים רָעָה--וְנִגֵּן בְּיָדוֹ, וְטוֹב לָךְ. {פ}

17

καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ πρὸς τοὺς παῗδας αὐτοῦ ἴδετε δή μοι ἄνδρα ὀρθῶςN ψάλ­λοντα καὶ εἰσαγάγ­ετε αὐτὸν πρὸς ἐμέ

And Saul said to his servants, Look now out for me a skillful player, and bring him to me.

And Saul said to his servants: Provide me then some man that can play well, and bring him to me.

And Saul said unto his servants, ProvideO me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.

17 So Saul said to his servants, “Please look for me for a man who has gotten good at strumming, and y’all bring him to me.”

וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל, אֶל- עֲבָדָיו: רְאוּ-נָא לִי , אִישׁ מֵיטִיב לְנַגֵּן , וַהֲבִיאוֹתֶם, אֵלָי.

18

καὶ ἀπεκρίθη εἷς τῶν παιδαρίων αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν ἰδοὺ ἑόρακα υἱὸν τῷ Ιεσσαι Βηθλεε­μίτην καὶ αὐτὸν εἰδότα ψαλμόν καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ συνετός καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ πολεμ­ιστὴς καὶ σοφὸς λόγῳ καὶ ἀνὴρ [ἀγαθὸς] τῷ εἴδει καὶ κύριος μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ

And one of his servants answered and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jessae the Beth­leemite, and he understands playing on the harp, and the man is prudent, and a warrior, and wise in speech, and the man is handsome, and the Lord is with him.

And one of the servants answering, said: Behold I have seen a son of Isai the Bethlehemite, a skillful player, and one of great strength, and a man fit for war, and prudent in his words, and a comely person: and the Lord is with him.

Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiantP man, and a man of war, and prudent in mattersQ, and a comelyR person, and the LORD is with him.

18 Then one of the servant-boys answered and said, “Look, I have seen a son belonging to Jesse the Bethlehem­ite who is knowledg­eable at strumming. He is also a mighty man of means and a man for battle and is insightful of speech, also a man who is in-shape, and Yahewh is with him.”

וַיַּעַן אֶחָד מֵהַנְּעָרִים וַיֹּאמֶר, הִנֵּה רָאִיתִי בֵּן לְיִשַׁי בֵּית הַלַּחְמִי, יֹדֵעַ נַגֵּן וְגִבּוֹר חַיִלS וְאִישׁ מִלְחָמָה וּנְבוֹן דָּבָר, וְאִישׁ תֹּאַרT; וַיהוָה, עִמּוֹ.

19

καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Σαουλ ἀγγέλους πρὸς Ιεσσαι λέγων ἀπόστειλον πρός με τὸν υἱόν σου Δαυιδ τὸν ἐν τῷ ποιμνίῳ [σου]

And Saul sent messengers to Jessae, saying, Send to me thy son David who is with [thy] flock.

Then Saul sent messengers to Isai, saying: Send me David thy son, who is in the pastures.

Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.

19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Please send to me David your son who is among the flock.”

וַיִּשְׁלַח שָׁאוּל מַלְאָכִים, אֶל-יִשָׁי; וַיֹּאמֶר, שִׁלְחָה אֵלַי אֶת-דָּוִד בִּנְךָ אֲשֶׁר בַּצֹּאן.

20

καὶ ἔλαβεν Ιεσσαι γομορU ἄρτων καὶ ἀσκὸν οἴνου καὶ ἔριφον αἰγῶν ἕνα καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν ἐν χειρὶ Δαυιδ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ πρὸς Σαουλ

And Jessae took a homer of bread, and a bottle of wine, and one kid of the goats, and sent them by the hand of his son David to Saul.

And Isai took an ass [laden with] bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid of the flock, and sent them by the hand of David his son to Saul.

And Jesse took an ass [laden with] bread, and a bottleV of wine, and a kid X XW, and sent them by X XX David his son unto Saul.

20 So Jesse took a donkey-load of bread and a container of wine and one kid from the goats and sent them by the hand of David his son to Saul.

וַיִּקַּח יִשַׁי חֲמוֹר לֶחֶם, וְנֹאד יַיִן, וּגְדִי עִזִּים, אֶחָד; וַיִּשְׁלַח בְּיַד-דָּוִד בְּנוֹ, אֶל-שָׁאוּל.

21

καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Δαυιδ πρὸς Σαουλ καὶ παρειστήκει ἐνώπι­ον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἠγάπ­ησεν αὐτὸν σφόδρα καὶ ἐγενήθη αὐτῷ αἴρων τὰ σκεύηY [αὐτοῦ]

And David went in to Saul, and stood before him; and he loved him greatly; and he became X his armour-bearer.

And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him exceedingly, and made him [his] armourbearer.

And David came to Saul, and stoodZ before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.

21 Thus David came to Saul and stood before his face, and he really liked him and he was an armor bearer for him.

וַיָּבֹא דָוִד אֶל- שָׁאוּל, וַיַּעֲמֹד לְפָנָיו; וַיֶּאֱהָבֵהוּ מְאֹד, וַיְהִי-לוֹ נֹשֵׂא כֵלִיםAA.

22

καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Σαουλ πρὸς Ιεσ­σαι λέγων παρισ­τάσθω δὴ Δαυιδ ἐνώπιον ἐμοῦ ὅτι εὗρεν χάριν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῗς μου

And Saul sent to Jessae, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me, for he has found grace in my eyes.

And Saul sent to Isai, saying: Let David stand before me: for he hath found favour in my sight.

And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.

22 Presently, Saul sent a message to Jesse to say, “Please let David keep standing before my face, for he has found favor in my eyes.”

וַיִּשְׁלַח שָׁאוּל, אֶל- יִשַׁי לֵאמֹר: יַעֲמָד- נָא דָוִד לְפָנַי, כִּי-מָצָא חֵן בְּעֵינָי.

23

καὶ ἐγενήθη ἐν τῷ εἶναι πνεῦμα πον­ηρὸνAB ἐπὶ Σαουλ καὶ ἐλάμβανεν Δαυιδ τὴν κινύραν καὶ ἔψαλλεν ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνέψυχενAC Σαουλ καὶ ἀγαθὸν αὐτῷAD καὶ ἀφίστατο ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ πονηρόν

And it came to pass when the evil spirit was upon Saul, that David took his harp, and played with his hand: and Saul was refreshed, and it was well with him, and the evil spirit departed from him.

So whensoever the [evil] spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, David took his harp, and played with his hand, and Saul was refreshed, and was better, for the evil spirit departed from him.

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.

23 So it came to pass, when the {evil} spirit of God was upon Saul, that David would take his guitar and strum with his hand, and it was inspiring for Saul, and it was good for him, and the evil spirit would turn away from upon him.

וְהָיָה, בִּהְיוֹת רוּחַ-אֱלֹהִיםAE אֶל-שָׁאוּל, וְלָקַח דָּוִד אֶת-הַכִּנּוֹר, וְנִגֵּן בְּיָדוֹ; וְרָוַחAF לְשָׁאוּל וְטוֹב לוֹ, וְסָרָה מֵעָלָיו רוּחַ הָרָעָה. {פ}


1cf. Ezekiel 36:25-28 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.” (NKJV)

2Tsumura suggested this was an Akkadian borrow-word denoting the amount that a donkey could carry, that is 80-160 liters, arguing that a mere loaf represented by an Omer would not be enough to give as a gift to a king.

399% of the 664 times this Hebrew word occurs in the Old Testament, the NKJV does not translate it “distressing,” and the ESV does not translate it “harmful.” Clearly those translators wanted to avoid the translation “evil” in this passage.

4NKJV renders ruach ra’ah as “a spirit of ill-will,” but the word “will” is not there in the Hebrew

5his word was “suffered”

6cf. Matthew 12:43-45 Jesus said, “Now, whenever an unclean spirit goes out from a man, it goes through waterless places, seeking – yet not finding – rest. Then it says, ‘I will go back into my house from which I went out!’ And when it has come, it finds [the house] unoccupied, swept and decorated. Then it goes and takes with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself and, upon entering, they take up residence there, and that man's last [state of affairs] become worse than the first. Thus it will be also to this evil generation.” (NAW)

7Based on an e-Sword search of the KJV which yielded 2601 hits on H430, 188 hits on H430-“God” and 4 hits on H430+“judges.”

8There is a Jewish tradition that it was Doeg the Edomite. John Gill’s commentary argued against it, but gave the following references for this tradition: “T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 93. 2. So in Hieron. Trad. Heb in lib. Reg. fol. 76. C.

9See the respect with which Saul's servants laid out a request to Saul? How much more respectfully should we approach the God of the universe in prayer!

10“Music cannot work upon the devil, but it may shut up the passages by which he has access to the mind.” ~M. Henry

AMy original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright restrictions have forced me to remove them from the publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB, or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different from all the other translations, I underline it. When a version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout. And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between the various editions and versions when there are more than two different translations of a given word. There is no known Dead Sea Scroll containing this passage. Where the LXX and Vulgate support omissions or text not in the MT, I have highlighted with yellow the LXX and its translation into English, and where I have accepted that into my NAW translation, I have marked it with {pointed brackets}.

BAs we’ve seen earlier in 1 Samuel, this more-specialized Hebrew word has a wider range of opinions among Greek translators as to how to render it: Aq. enhulisqh (“lodged within”), S. wrmhsen (“roar?”), Q. epefanen (“appeared”).

CNASB, NIV = “came mightily,” ESV = “rushed”

Dcf. synonymous verbs by later translators: Aquila: eqambei (“surprised”), Symmachus (S.) suneicen (“possessed”)

EESV = “harmful” NKJV = “distressing,” same in v.15 and following

FNASB = “terrorized” Same in v.15 and following

GSeveral Hebrew manuscripts read hwhy like the LXX and old Latin versions, but it’s speaking of the same God.

HSymmachus corrected the LXX to the MT by adding kurie hmwn.

ILater Greek translators rendered “harp” with different synonyms: S. & Q. kiqara. A. yalthrionsame in v.23.

JThe old Latin and Syriac versions apparently support this omission; the Lucian rescention adds it back in to match the MT. It doesn’t change the meaning, however, because the omitted phrase occurs before and after, so it is not negated.

KAll other English versions but the NIV render this “skillful;” the NIV strangely renders it “can.” Also in v.18.

LNIV, ESV = “lyre”

MStrangely, the NIV and ESV omit the Hebrew phrase “with his hand.” The Greek reads “on his harp” as though the Hebrew read בכנורו instead of בידו.

NLater Greek translators corrected the LXX “right” to the MT “good” (S. kalwV. Q. agaqwV)

OThe Hebrew and Greek words have to do with “looking” rather than with “providing” (KJV, NASB, ESV) or “finding” (NIV). The same verb is translated “seen” by all the English versions in the next verse.

PNIV = “brave” The KJV translated it “mighty man of power” when the same phrase occurred in 9:1.

QThe Hebrew word dbr can be translated “matters/things,” but is usually translated “word,” and here it is translated “speech” by practically all the other English versions.

RNASB = “handsome,” NIV = “fine-looking,” ESV = “of good presence”

SKish was described in these words in 9:1 “mighty man of means” Depending on context, khiyl can mean wealth, weapons, soldiers, strength, mighty deeds, or valor.

TRachel, Joseph, Abigail, Adonijah, and Esther are all described as “fair/good form/shape,” but Isaiah prophecied that the Messiah would not have such good “form” in 52:14 & 53:2.

ULXX transliterates the Hebrew, which sounds like the unit of measure “homer” (and frankly makes more sense than “a donkey of bread”), and McCarter followed that interpretation, but everywhere else that this unit of measure occurs, it is spelled חמר not חמור as it is here. Kimchi and Ben Melech interpreted this as “heap” of bread, but the Lucian rescention of the LXX corrected it to the MT “donkey.”

VNASB = “jug,” NIV & ESV = “skin”

WThe Hebrew and Greek read literally “one kid from the goats” NASB & NIV read “a young goat”

XThe Hebrew, Greek, and Latin all read “by the hand/agency of David...”

Ycf. synonym from S. oploforoV

Zcf. NASB = “attended,” NIV & ESV render very loosely “entered his service” Literally the Hebrew reads “stood before his face” Same in the next verse, except NASB abandons “attend” for “stand”

AAGoldman: “One of his personal attendants, like the Squire of the Middle Ages.”

AB Other Greek translators and the Lucian rescention rendered pneuma qeou, following the MT.

ACInstead of an upward motion of the “soul,” Aquila brought it closer to the MT with anepnee, an upward motion of the “spirit” (or breath – as in a sigh?).

AD Symmachus paraphrased a bit: euforoV egeneto (“he became euphoric”).

AE Joseph (Gen. 41:38), Bezalel (Ex. 31:3), Baalam (Num. 24:2), Saul (10:10, 11:6, 19:23), and the prophet Azariah (2 Chron. 15:1) are all cited as having this same rouach elohim in a positive sense for prophecy. The omission of the word “evil” at this point in the narrative in Hebrew was problematic for many translators and editors, although the fact that it was “evil” is obvious from the end of the verse. The Septuagint substituted “evil” for “from God,” some Hebrew manuscripts as well as the Syriac, Vulgate, and Targum simply added the word “evil.”

AFAll but one of the previous instances of this word denoted “smelling” Gen. 8:21; 27:27; Exod. 30:38; Lev. 26:31; Deut. 4:28. The other indicates “burning” Jdg. 16:9.

7