Read the Bible
KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

1 Samuel 16:19–23

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
¶ Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.
And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.
And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.
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.
Share
Email linkOpen a new message in your email app
Read chapter
More
Report an issueTell us about a text or study problem

PASSAGE SELECTION

Build from either side

5 selected · 5 available

Choose up to 10 verses in this chapter. The study tools update with the selected passage.

SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

19 Essential passages are open for comparison.

Reference depth

From verse 19

  1. 1 Samuel 16:11Rank 1 from verse 19
    Open

    11And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

  2. 1 Samuel 17:15Rank 2 from verse 19
    Open

    15But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Beth-lehem.

  3. Psalms 78:70–72Rank 3 from verse 19
    Open

    70He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:

    71From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

    72So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

  4. 1 Kings 19:19Rank 4 from verse 19
    Open

    19¶ So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

  5. 1 Samuel 17:33–34Rank 5 from verse 19
    Open

    33And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

    34And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:

From verse 20

  1. 1 Samuel 10:27Rank 1 from verse 20
    Open

    27But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.

  2. Proverbs 18:16Rank 2 from verse 20
    Open

    16A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.

  3. 1 Samuel 17:18Rank 3 from verse 20
    Open

    18And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.

  4. 1 Samuel 25:18Rank 4 from verse 20
    Open

    18¶ Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.

  5. 2 Samuel 16:1–2Rank 5 from verse 20
    Open

    1AND when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.

    2And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink.

From verse 21

  1. Genesis 41:46Rank 1 from verse 21
    Open

    46¶ And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

  2. Proverbs 22:29Rank 2 from verse 21
    Open

    29Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

  3. Psalms 146:3Rank 3 from verse 21
    Open

    3Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

  4. Deuteronomy 10:8Rank 4 from verse 21
    Open

    8¶ At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.

  5. Psalms 118:9Rank 5 from verse 21
    Open

    9It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.

From verse 23

  1. 1 Samuel 16:14–16Rank 1 from verse 23
    Open

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

    15And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

    16Let 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.

  2. 1 Samuel 18:10–11Rank 2 from verse 23
    Open

    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.

    11And 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.

  3. Luke 11:24–26Rank 3 from verse 23
    Open

    24When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.

    25And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.

    26Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

  4. Matthew 12:43–45Rank 4 from verse 23
    Open

    43When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

    44Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

    45Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

DEFINED WORDS

1 Samuel 16:19

COMBINED MEANING

wherefore

↗

1. For that reason, or as a conclusion from what precedes; therefore or consequently. 2. For what reason or purpose; why.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

messengers

↗

Persons who bear messages or errands; bearers of spoken or written communications or dispatches.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

son

↗

1. A male child or descendant. 2. One belonging to, related to, or characterized by the person, people, place, condition, or quality named.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

which

↗

1. An interrogative or relative pronoun identifying one or more persons or things from a stated or implied set. 2. That which; what.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

sheep

↗

Sense 1: Flock animals kept for wool, food, and sacrifice. Sense 2: Figuratively, people pictured as a flock or as needing a shepherd.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

1 Samuel 16:20

COMBINED MEANING

laden

↗

Loaded, burdened, weighed down, or carrying a heavy load.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

wine

↗

The produce of grapes or other fruit used as a drink.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

son

↗

1. A male child or descendant. 2. One belonging to, related to, or characterized by the person, people, place, condition, or quality named.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

1 Samuel 16:21

COMBINED MEANING

before

↗

Earlier than in time; in front of; in the presence of; or prior in order or rank.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

loved

↗

Past-tense, participial, or adjectival form of love, meaning to regard with affection or devotion.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

armourbearer

↗

A personal attendant who carries a warrior’s or ruler’s armour and accompanies him in battle or service.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

1 Samuel 16:22

COMBINED MEANING

let

↗

Sense 1: To allow or permit; in older KJV use, also to hinder or restrain. Sense 2: To lower or send down.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

pray

↗

Sense 1: To ask, beseech, request, or entreat. Sense 2: To make requests or supplications to God, or address him in worship.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

stand

↗

Sense 1: To be upright, rise, stop, remain, endure, take or keep a position, be established, withstand, or present oneself before another. Sense 2: A fixed position or state of stopping, as in ‘at a stand’.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

before

↗

Earlier than in time; in front of; in the presence of; or prior in order or rank.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

for

↗

1. In behalf of or in the place of. 2. With respect to, concerning, or toward. 3. Because of or on account of. 4. During or throughout. 5. In order to obtain or reach. 6. As a conjunction, because or seeing that.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

favour

↗

Sense 1: Goodwill, approval, acceptance, kindness, mercy, support, or beneficial regard. Sense 2: Pleasing appearance or charm. Sense 3: To regard, support, prefer, or treat kindly.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893

COMBINED MEANING

in

↗

1. A preposition marking position, presence, state, circumstance, manner, means, sphere, reference, relation, association, or participation. 2. As an adverb, inward, inside, or into the place or position referred to.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

sight

↗

1. The act or power of seeing. 2. A thing seen, view, or appearance. 3. Presence or observation.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

1 Samuel 16:23

COMBINED MEANING

pass

↗

To go by, through, over, or beyond; to happen, cease, or be transferred.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

evil

↗

Sense 1: Moral wickedness, sin, wrong, or corruption. Sense 2: Harm, misery, calamity, adversity, or punishment.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

spirit

↗

Sense 1: An immaterial living or personal being distinct from a body. Sense 2: The inward life, disposition, mind, or courage of a person. Sense 3: The Holy Spirit, the divine Spirit of God.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

upon

↗

1. Marks the person, place, thing, or basis to which something is related: on or onto; above or over; toward or against as the target of action, speech, thought, attention, or force; resting on, assigned to, or affecting as a state, gift, burden, duty, guilt, or judgment; supported by or based on; or one placed, added, or repeated on or after another. 2. With a stated time or occasion, or a preceding event, at that time or point, or at or after that event: on, at, when, then, or following it.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

harp

↗

A stringed musical instrument played with the fingers.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

played

↗

Past-tense, participial, or adjectival form of play. Sense 1: To engage in recreation, sport, contest, lively movement, or musical performance. Sense 2: To act or conduct oneself in a stated role or manner.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

hand

↗

Sense 1: The part of the body at the end of the arm. Sense 2: Figuratively, power, possession, aid, or agency.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

refreshed

↗

Past-tense, participial, or adjectival form of refresh, meaning to renew strength, relieve fatigue, revive, cheer, or enliven.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

departed

↗

1. Left, went away, or moved from a place or person. 2. Ceased to remain, was removed, disappeared, or passed away. 3. Turned or separated from a way, practice, allegiance, or relationship. 4. Left earthly life or this world.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

FOLLOW THE THEME

Related Concepts

Choose a connected KJV word or phrase to find where it appears in scripture.

READ BEFORE AND AFTER

Surrounding Verses

Nearby Scripture remains separate from the selected passage until you add it.

18Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him.

19¶ Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.

Selected passage

20And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.

Selected passage

21And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.

Selected passage

22And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.

Selected passage

23And 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.

Selected passage

LOCAL PASTOR DIRECTORY

Find a Pastor Near You

Enter a U.S. ZIP code to find nearby pastors committed to holding fast the faithful word.

Your ZIP is processed in this browser from local data. It is not sent to a ZIP lookup service or to a church. ZIP coordinates from GeoNames, licensed under CC BY 4.0.