BibleTools
1 Samuel 18:10
Compare all
8 Then Saul was very angry, and the saying adispleased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but bthe kingdom?”  
9 So Saul1 eyed David from that day forward.  
10 And it happened on the next day that athe distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, band he prophesied inside the house. So David cplayed music with his hand, as at other times; dbut there was a spear in Saul’s hand.  
11 And Saul acast the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David escaped his presence twice.  
12 Now Saul was aafraid of David, because bthe Lord was with him, but had cdeparted from Saul.  
Commentaries:
Adam Clarke
<< 1 Samuel 18:9   1 Samuel 18:11 >>


1 Samuel 18:10

The evil spirit from God - See on I Samuel 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 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.




Other Adam Clarke entries containing 1 Samuel 18:10:

1 Samuel 16:18

 

<< 1 Samuel 18:9   1 Samuel 18:11 >>

DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.

Join 137,263+ readers

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning

Consistent Bible study is hard to start.

The Berean gives you the starting point: one scripture and a focused commentary in your inbox each morning — read it in minutes, or go as deep as you like.

Free, daily, and spam-free. We never share your address. Unsubscribe anytime.

Close
E-mail This Page