1 Samuel 18 · Verse 10

1 Samuel 18:10

And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand.
1 Samuel 18:10, King James Version

1 Samuel 18:10 in other translations

BSBThe next day a spirit of distress sent from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house while David played the harp as usual. Now Saul was holding a spear,
WEBOn the next day, an evil spirit from God came mightily on Saul, and he prophesied in the middle of the house. David played with his hand, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand;
ASVAnd it came to pass on the morrow, that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as he did day by day. And Saul had his spear in his hand;
YLTAnd it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that the spirit of sadness from God prospereth over Saul, and he prophesieth in the midst of the house, and David is playing with his hand, as day by day, and the javelin is in the hand of Saul,
DARBYAnd it came to pass the next day that an evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house, but David played with his hand, as on other days; and the spear was in Saul's hand.
BBENow on the day after, an evil spirit from God came on Saul with great force and he was acting like a prophet among the men of his house, while David was making music for him, as he did day by day: and Saul had his spear in his hand.
WebsterAnd it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand.

What does 1 Samuel 18:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
10. on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul--This rankling thought brought on a sudden paroxysm of his mental malady. he prophesied--The term denotes one under the influence either of a good or a bad spirit. In the present it is used to express that Saul was in a frenzy. David, perceiving the symptoms, hastened, by the soothing strains of his harp, to allay the stormy agitation of the royal mind. But before its mollifying influence could be felt, Saul hurled a javelin at the head of the young musician. there was a javelin in Saul's hand--Had it been followed by a fatal result, the deed would have been considered the act of an irresponsible maniac. It was repeated more than once ineffectually, and Saul became impressed with a dread of David as under the special protection of Providence. 1Sa 18:13-16. Fears Him for His Good Success.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 10 The evil spirit from God - See on 1Sam 16:14 (note), etc. He prophesied in the midst of the house - He was beside himself; made prayers, supplications, and incoherent imprecations: "God preserve my life," "Destroy my enemies," or such like prayers, might frequently escape from him in his agitated state. The Arabic intimates that he was actually possessed by an evil spirit, and that through it he uttered a sort of demoniacal predictions. But let us examine the original more closely: it is said that Saul prophesied in the midst of his house, that is, he prayed in his family, while David was playing on the harp; and then suddenly threw his javelin, intending to have killed David. Let it be observed that the word ויתנבא vaiyithnabbe is the third person singular of the future hithpael; the sign of which is not only to do an action on or for one's self, but also to feign or pretend to do it. The meaning seems to be, Saul pretended to be praying in his family, the better to conceal his murderous intentions, and render David unsuspicious; who was, probably, at this time performing the musical part of the family worship. This view of the subject makes the whole case natural and plain.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 18:6-11

David's troubles not only immediately follow his triumphs, but arise from them; such is the vanity of that which seems greatest in this world. It is a sign that the Spirit of God is departed from men, if, like Saul, they are peevish, envious, suspicious, and ill-natured. Compare David, with his harp in his hand, aiming to serve Saul, and Saul, with his javelin in his hand, aiming to slay David; and observe the…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 18:6-11 →

1 Samuel 18:10 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיְהִ֣יvay.Hiand it wasH1961
מִֽמָּחֳרָ֗תmi.mo.cho.Ratfrom [the] next dayH4283
וַתִּצְלַ֣חva.titz.Lachand it rushedH6743
רוּחַ֩ru.aCha spirit ofH7307
אֱלֹהִ֨ים\׀'E.lo.HimGodH430
רָעָ֤ה\׀ra.'AhevilH7451
אֶל\־'el-toH413
שָׁאוּל֙sha.'UlSaulH7586
וַיִּתְנַבֵּ֣אvai.yit.na.Be'and he prophesiedH5012
בְתוֹךְ\־ve.tokh-in [the] midst ofH8432
הַבַּ֔יִתha.Ba.yitthe houseH1004
וְדָוִ֛דve.da.Vidand DavidH1732
מְנַגֵּ֥ןme.na.Gen[was] playing an instrumentH5059
בְּיָד֖וֹbe.ya.Dowith hand hisH3027
כְּי֣וֹם\׀ke.Yomas a dayH3117
בְּי֑וֹםbe.Yomin a dayH3117
וְהַחֲנִ֖יתve.ha.cha.Nitand the spearH2595
בְּיַד\־be.yad-[was] in [the] hand ofH3027
שָׁאֽוּל\׃sha.'UlSaulH7586

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 18:10

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:11

    And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

  • 1 Kings 18:29

    And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

  • 1 Samuel 19:9

    And the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand.

  • Acts 16:16

    And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

  • 1 Samuel 16:14-16

    But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.

  • 1 Samuel 16:23

    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.

  • 1 Kings 22:20-23

    And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth–gilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee.

  • Jeremiah 28:11

    And Hananiah spake in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus saith the Lord; Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years. And the prophet Jeremiah went his way.

  • Jeremiah 28:2-4

    Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the Lord’s house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon: And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the Lord: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.

  • 1 Samuel 26:19

    Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the Lord have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the Lord; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go, serve other gods.

  • 1 Samuel 19:23-24

    And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?

  • 1 Kings 22:12

    And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth–gilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the king’s hand.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the evil spirit.
16:14,15; 19:9; 26:19
and he prophesied.{Wyyithnabbai,} rather, "and he pretended to prophesy; for the verb is in {Hithpaël,} the signification of which conjugation is not only reflex action, but also affectation of the action: Jer 29:26, 27. The meaning seems to be, that Saul, influenced by the evil spirit, feigned to be prophesying, the better to conceal his murderous intentions, and to render David unsuspicious.
19:24; 1Ki 18:29; 22:12,20-23; Jer 28:2-4,11; Zec 13:2-5; Ac 16:16
2Th 2:11
played.
16:16,23
and there was.{Wehachanith beyad Shäool,} rather, "and the javelin was in the hand of Saul;" for the javelin or spear was the emblem of regal authority; and kings had it always in their hand, as may be seen represented on ancient monuments. In ancient times, says Justin, kings used a spear instead of a sceptre.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 18:9

    And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

  • 1 Samuel 18:10

    And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand.

  • 1 Samuel 18:11

    And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.

Read all of 1 Samuel 18

1 Samuel 18:10 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Otro día aconteció que el espíritu malo de parte de Dios tomó á Saúl, y mostrábase en su casa con trasportes de profeta: y David tañía con su mano como los otros días; y estaba una lanza á mano de Saúl.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il arriva, dès le lendemain, qu’un mauvais esprit envoyé de Dieu saisit Saül; et il prophétisa dans l’intérieur de la maison, et David jouait comme les autres jours, et il y avait une lance dans la main de Saül.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und es geschah am anderen Tage, da geriet ein böser Geist von Gott über Saul, und er weissagte im Innern des Hauses; David aber spielte mit seiner Hand, wie Tag für Tag, und der Speer war in der Hand Sauls.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Post diem autem alteram, invasit spiritus Dei malus Saul, et prophetabat in medio domus suæ: David autem psallebat manu sua, sicut per singulos dies. Tenebatque Saul lanceam,