1 Samuel 19:20 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then Saul sent messengers to take David, and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

NIV: so he sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came on Saul’s men, and they also prophesied.

NASB: Then Saul sent messengers to take David, but when they saw the company of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing and presiding over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul; and they also prophesied.

CSB: he sent agents to seize David. However, when they saw the group of prophets prophesying with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came on Saul’s agents, and they also started prophesying.

NLT: he sent troops to capture him. But when they arrived and saw Samuel leading a group of prophets who were prophesying, the Spirit of God came upon Saul’s men, and they also began to prophesy.

KJV: And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

NKJV: Then Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

First Samuel 19:18–24 describes how God protected David in a most unusual way. Saul's threats against David escalated, and David fled his home and wife in Gibeah (1 Samuel 19:9–17). David runs to Samuel and his company of prophets. Saul sends three groups of messengers to arrest David, but they all start prophesying. Saul follows and does the same. Later, David will go to Jonathan, and the two will finally accept there is no way to convince Saul that David is a friend. David leaves the service of the king and fights for Israel on his own (1 Samuel 20).

In 1 Samuel 19, the war between Saul and David grows stronger. Saul orders his servants to kill David. Jonathan confronts him about this injustice, and the king swears not to put David to death. But when a harmful spirit from the Lord comes upon Saul, Saul tries to kill David with a spear. With Michal's help, David escapes Samuel in Ramah and the company of prophets. Three groups of Saul's servants and then Saul himself come to arrest David, but they're all overcome by God's Spirit and begin prophesying uncontrollably.

When David killed Goliath, Saul brought him in as an army commander. The more battles David won, the more the people loved him. Saul increasingly saw his warrior as a threat (1 Samuel 16:14—18:30). David finally understands he can't reconcile his relationship with the king. He flees with the help of Saul's daughter and son, who are David's wife and best friend (1 Samuel 19—20). Stil loyal to King Saul and Israel, David builds his own army. He will continue to fight Israel's enemies, and run from Saul, until Saul's death.

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.