1 Samuel 16:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him.

NIV: Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.

NASB: Now the Spirit of the Lord left Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord terrified him.

CSB: Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and an evil spirit sent from the Lord began to torment him,

NLT: Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and the Lord sent a tormenting spirit that filled him with depression and fear.

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

NKJV: But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him.

The Spirit of the Lord has rapidly and powerfully come upon a young man named David in Bethlehem after he was anointed by Samuel, the prophet of Israel (1 Samuel 16:12–13). Still, even David might not yet have realized that this anointing represented God's selection of him as Israel's next king (1 Samuel 16:1).

During this time, God's Holy Spirit was not given to everyone in the way that the Spirit is given to every believer in Jesus now as a deposit guaranteeing our salvation (Ephesians 1:13–14). Then the Spirit was sent on various people, such as Israel's judges (Judges 6:34–35; 11:29; 14:6) and King Saul, to empower them for a specific work.

After Saul was anointed king over Israel, God's Spirit also came to him (1 Samuel 10:6; 11:6). Now that Saul has been rejected by the Lord as Israel's king for his disobedience (1 Samuel 15:17–29), the Lord causes His Spirit to depart from Saul. This should not be confused with the idea of someone losing his or her salvation. The presence of God's Spirit during this time was about leadership, not eternal security.

Not only does God remove the Holy Spirit from Saul, but He also sends torment. In this context, the word some translations render as "evil" refers to something damaging or destructive. This is not an evil version of God's Holy Spirit. There is no evil in the Lord. Instead, most commentators agree that the Lord allowed a demon to afflict Saul because of his rebellion against God. This was to bring about the change in the kingship of Israel.

Some are troubled that this spirit is "from" God. As stated above, it seems that God allowed a demon to attack Saul. God is sovereign over all creation, and thus He can permit evil spirits to do the evil they desire. When we are disobedient to God, we should not expect His protection. Remember, too, that God is faithful to discipline and correct (Hebrews 12:3–11). Saul could have repented and turned to the Lord, Yet he chose not to receive the torment of the evil spirit as discipline.

God works His purposes together. It is because of the torment of this evil spirit that David initially came into Saul's service (1 Samuel 16:17–21). The young man would have certainly learned much about ruling the nation by observing Saul.

First Samuel 16:14–23 finds King Saul tormented by a harmful spirit sent by God. The Lord's Spirit has left him. Saul's servants are aware of the afflicting spirit and suggest that music would soothe the king during the times of torment. He asks them to recruit a skillful musician to play the lyre when he is affected. One of the servants suggests David, whom he knows to be skilled with the lyre and reputable in character. The servant also recognizes that the Lord is with Samuel. Saul agrees and sends messengers to Jesse. The king quickly comes to love David and even makes him his armor-bearer. When David plays, the harmful spirit leaves. David becomes a permanent servant of the king.

First Samuel 16 introduces David to the story of Israel's kings. David is the son of Jesse, who is the grandson of Ruth (Ruth 4:21–22). He will be anointed king as the Lord has rejected Saul (1 Samuel 15:26). The Lord's Spirit leaves Saul and comes to David (1 Samuel 16:13–14); this is different from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in believers today (John 14:26; 2 Timothy 1:14). David becomes a beloved musician and servant to Saul, but the king's heart will become violently jealous (1 Samuel 18:8, 11).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.