14
The spiritוְרוּחַof YHWHיְהוָהdepartedסָרָהfromמֵעִםSaul,שָׁאוּלand an evilוּ רָעָהspiritרוּחַfromמֵאֵתYHWHיְהוָהterrified him.בִעֲתַתּוּ
1 Samuel 16:14
Study it in the app“The spirit of YHWH departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from YHWH terrified him.”
With the Hebrew beneath
1 Samuel 16:14, word by word
- The spiritרוּחַruach
Spirit of God
The spirit of Elohim or YHWH: his presence and power.
Where else “ruach” appears- of YHWHיְהוָהyehva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appears- departedסָרָהsara
turn aside
To leave the road, go away.
Where else “sara” appears- Saulשָׁאוּלshaul
Saul
Saul, the name of several people. The best known is the son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, the first king of Israel. A king of Edom and a son of Simeon also bear it. It means "asked for".
Where else “shaul” appears- and an evilרָעָהraa
evil
What is evil, the opposite of good.
Where else “raa” appears- terrified himבִעֲתַתּviatat
terrify, frighten
To terrify, to startle suddenly, to fill with dread.
Where else “viatat” appears
Translation note
The text says that the spirit of YHWH left Saul and that an “evil” spirit (one that does harm, that brings anguish) terrified him, and that it came “from YHWH”; it does not explain this further.
The context
13Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the spirit of YHWH came mightily upon David from that day onward. Samuel rose and went to Ramah.
14 · This verse (above)
15The servants of Saul said to him, “Look, please, an evil spirit of Elohim is terrifying you.