King James Version

1 Samuel 19:20

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.

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Hebrew

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וַיִּשְׁלַ֨חvayishlachand sendשָׁלַחconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and send”, the next action in the storyH7971to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)[idiom] any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, [idiom] earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, ou…שָׁא֣וּלshaulShaulשָׁאוּלnoun, proper name — “Shaul”H7586Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two IsraelitesSaul, Shaul.מַלְאָכִים֮malakhimangelמֲלְאָךְnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “angel”, the ordinary formH4397a messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher)ambassador, angel, king, messenger.לָקַ֣חַתlaqachatto takeלָקַחpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to take”, the to-form of the verbH3947to take (in the widest variety of applications)accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).דָּוִד֒davidDavidדָּוִדnoun, proper name — “David”H1732David, the youngest son of JesseDavid.וַיַּ֗רְאvayarand seeרָאָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and see”, the next action in the storyH7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), m…אֶֽתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).לַהֲקַ֤תlahaqatcompanyלַהֲקָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “company”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3862an assemblycompany.הַנְּבִיאִים֙hanviimthe prophetנָבִיאdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the prophet”, the ordinary formH5030a prophet or (generally) inspired manprophecy, that prophesy, prophet.נִבְּאִ֔יםnibimprophesyנָבָאverb, niphal, participle, absolute — “prophesy”, a verb used as a describing wordH5012to prophesy, i.e. speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse)prophesy(-ing), make self a prophet.וּשְׁמוּאֵ֕לushemueland Shemuelשְׁמוּאֵלconjunction, noun, proper name — “and Shemuel”H8050Shemuel, the name of three IsraelitesSamuel, Shemuel.עֹמֵ֥דomedstandעָמַדverb, qal, participle, absolute — “stand”, a verb used as a describing wordH5975to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)abide (behind), appoint, arise, cease, confirm, continue, dwell, be employed, endure, establish, leave, make, ordain, be (over), place, (be) present (self), raise up, remain, repair, [phrase] serve, set (forth, over, -tle, up), (make to, m…נִצָּ֖בnitsavappointedנָצַבverb, niphal, participle, absolute — “appointed”, a verb used as a describing wordH5324to station, in various applications (literally or figuratively)appointed, deputy, erect, establish, [idiom] Huzzah (by mistake for a proper name), lay, officer, pillar, present, rear up, set (over, up), settle, sharpen, establish, (make to) stand(-ing, still, up, upright), best state.עֲלֵיהֶ֑םaleyhemaboveעַלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…וַתְּהִ֞יvathiand beהָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “and be”, the next action in the storyH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.עַֽלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…מַלְאֲכֵ֤יmalakheangelמֲלְאָךְnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “angel”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4397a messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher)ambassador, angel, king, messenger.שָׁאוּל֙shaulShaulשָׁאוּלnoun, proper name — “Shaul”H7586Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two IsraelitesSaul, Shaul.ר֣וּחַruchaangerרוּחַnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “anger”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7307wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions)air, anger, blast, breath, [idiom] cool, courage, mind, [idiom] quarter, [idiom] side, spirit(-ual), tempest, [idiom] vain, (whirl-) wind(-y).אֱלֹהִ֔יםelohimGodאֱלֹהִיםnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “God”, the ordinary formH430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlativeangels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.וַיִּֽתְנַבְּא֖וּvayitnabvand prophesyנָבָאconjunction, verb, hithpael, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and prophesy”, the next action in the storyH5012to prophesy, i.e. speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse)prophesy(-ing), make self a prophet.גַּםgamalsoגַּםparticle, affirmation — “also”H1571properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...andagain, alike, also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and, but, either...or, even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover, nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea.הֵֽמָּהhemahtheyהֵםpronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “they”H1992they (only used when emphatic)it, like, [idiom] (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, [idiom] so, [idiom] such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And 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.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And 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.

Young’s Literal Translation

And Saul sendeth messengers to take David, and they see the assembly of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing, set over them, and the Spirit of God is on Saul's messengers, and they prophesy — they also.

World English Bible

Saul sent messengers to seize David; and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, God’s Spirit came on Saul’s messengers, and they also prophesied.

Darby Translation

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

Douay-Rheims

So Saul sent officers to take David: and when they saw a company of prophets prophesying, and Samuel presiding over them, the spirit of the Lord came also upon them, and they likewise began to prophesy.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And Saul sent messengers to take David, and they saw the assembly of the prophets, and Samuel stood as appointed over them; and the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they prophesy.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἀπέστειλε Σαοὺλ ἀγγέλους λαβεῖν τὸν Δαυὶδ, καὶ εἶδον τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τῶν προφητῶν, καὶ Σαμουὴλ εἱστήκει καθεστηκὼς ἐπʼ αὐτῶν· καὶ ἐγενήθη ἐπὶ τούς ἀγγέλους τοῦ Σαοὺλ πνεῦμα Θεοῦ, καὶ προφητεύουσι.