The Meaning of 1 Samuel 18:10 Explained

1 Samuel 18:10

KJV: 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.

YLT: And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that the spirit of sadness from God prospereth over Saul, and he prophesieth in the midst of the house, and David is playing with his hand, as day by day, and the javelin is in the hand of Saul,

Darby: And it came to pass the next day that an evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house, but David played with his hand, as on other days; and the spear was in Saul's hand.

ASV: And it came to pass on the morrow, that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as he did day by day. And Saul had his spear in his hand;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Samuel 18:10 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 18:10-21 - Protected From Dastardly Assaults
The Lord was evidently with David. Mark how the sacred chronicle keeps this fact in view, 1 Samuel 18:12; 1 Samuel 18:14; 1 Samuel 18:28. And David behaved himself wisely, 1 Samuel 18:5; 1 Samuel 18:14-15; 1 Samuel 18:30. How judicious it would have been for Saul to bind David to himself! Instead of this he cherished his mad passion until it broke out in irresistible fury. Oh, beware of jealousy! It opens the soul's door to the devil. The best way of meeting it, apart from prayer, is to compel yourself to take an interest in your rival, and to put yourself loyally in his place. Overcome your mean and wicked soul, in the power of the Lord Jesus. "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh," Romans 13:14.
The evil spirit that possessed Saul is said to have come from God; that is, God permitted it to come. It came according to the ordered rule of the universe. "God," says one, "must be something to us; what He shall be depends on ourselves and on what we are to Him." See Psalms 18:25-26. The king, having failed to murder David, encouraged him in dangerous undertakings. But if David had fallen in battle, his death would still have been justly laid at Saul's door. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 18

1  Jonathan befriends David
5  Saul envies his praise
10  seeks to kill him in his fury
12  fears him for his good success
17  offers him his daughters for snare
23  David persuaded to be the king's son-in-law,
25  gives two hundred foreskins of the Philistines for Michal's dowry
28  Saul's hatred and David's glory increase

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 18:10 mean?

And it came to pass on the next day that came the spirit from God distressing upon Saul and he prophesied inside the house so David played [music] with his hand day as at other times but [there was] a spear in hand of Saul
וַיְהִ֣י מִֽמָּחֳרָ֗ת וַתִּצְלַ֣ח רוּחַ֩ אֱלֹהִ֨ים ׀ רָעָ֤ה ׀ אֶל־ שָׁאוּל֙ וַיִּתְנַבֵּ֣א בְתוֹךְ־ הַבַּ֔יִת וְדָוִ֛ד מְנַגֵּ֥ן בְּיָד֖וֹ כְּי֣וֹם ׀ בְּי֑וֹם וְהַחֲנִ֖ית בְּיַד־ שָׁאֽוּל

וַיְהִ֣י  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
מִֽמָּחֳרָ֗ת  on  the  next  day 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מָחֳרָת  
Sense: the morrow, the day after.
וַתִּצְלַ֣ח  that  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: צָלַח 
Sense: (Qal) to rush.
רוּחַ֩  the  spirit 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
אֱלֹהִ֨ים ׀  from  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
רָעָ֤ה ׀  distressing 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
אֶל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
שָׁאוּל֙  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
וַיִּתְנַבֵּ֣א  and  he  prophesied 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָבָא  
Sense: to prophesy.
בְתוֹךְ־  inside  the 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
הַבַּ֔יִת  house 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
וְדָוִ֛ד  so  David 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
מְנַגֵּ֥ן  played  [music] 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָגַן  
Sense: to play or strike strings, play a stringed instrument.
בְּיָד֖וֹ  with  his  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
כְּי֣וֹם ׀  day 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
בְּי֑וֹם  as  at  other  times 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
וְהַחֲנִ֖ית  but  [there  was]  a  spear 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֲנִית  
Sense: spear.
בְּיַד־  in  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
שָׁאֽוּל  of  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.