The Meaning of 1 Samuel 19:23 Explained

1 Samuel 19:23

KJV: And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

YLT: And he goeth thither -- unto Naioth in Ramah, and the Spirit of God is upon him -- him also; and he goeth, going on, and he prophesieth till his coming in to Naioth in Ramah,

Darby: And he went thither to Naioth by Ramah; and the Spirit of God came upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth by Ramah.

ASV: And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God came upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he went  thither to Naioth  in Ramah:  and the Spirit  of God  was upon him also, and he went  on,  and prophesied,  until he came  to Naioth  in Ramah. 

What does 1 Samuel 19:23 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 19:13-24 - Saul Checked By The Spirit Of God
David hastened to apprise Samuel of the turn that events were taking, and of his grave suspicions that Saul was attempting on his life. For greater security the prophet led him to a cluster of booths, woven probably of osiers (hence the name Naioth), where a number of young men were being trained for the prophetic office. This gives us an insight into the constructive work in which Samuel was engaged during the later years of his life. They were living in an atmosphere which seemed charged with spiritual electricity. Into this sacred assembly Saul forced three successive bands of messengers to arrest David-and finally went himself.
Before he reached the place he, also, was overcome, and lay on the ground in a trance which lasted all that day and night. Such scenes were not uncommon in the days of Wesley and Jonathan Edwards. But there was a vast gulf separating Saul from David in this matter. Between David and the prophetic Spirit there was a real affinity. In purity and simplicity he had yielded himself to God. Saul was another man for the time, but not a new man. The Spirit was on, but not in him. He had gifts, but not grace. There was no root, and the plant withered away. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 19

1  Elkanah, a Levite, having two wives, worships yearly at Shiloh
4  He cherishes Hannah, though barren, and provoked by Peninnah
9  Hannah in grief prays for a child
12  Eli first rebuking her, afterwards blesses her
19  Hannah, having born Samuel, stays at home till he is weaned
24  She presents him, according to her vow, to the Lord

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 19:23 mean?

So he went there to Naioth Naioth in Ramah and was upon him even him the Spirit of God and he went on and prophesied until he came Naioth to Naioth in Ramah
וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ שָׁ֔ם אֶל־ [נוית] (נָי֖וֹת) בָּרָמָ֑ה וַתְּהִי֩ עָלָ֨יו גַּם־ ה֜וּא ר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֗ים וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ הָלוֹךְ֙ וַיִּתְנַבֵּ֔א עַד־ בֹּא֖וֹ [בנוית] (בְּנָי֥וֹת) בָּרָמָֽה

וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ  So  he  went 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
[נוית]  Naioth 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
(נָי֖וֹת)  Naioth 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: נָוֹות 
Sense: a dwelling place of prophets in the time of Samuel.
בָּרָמָ֑ה  in  Ramah 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: רָמָה 
Sense: a town in Benjamin on the border of Ephraim about 5 miles (8 km) from Jerusalem and near to Gibeah.
וַתְּהִי֩  and  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
עָלָ֨יו  upon  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
גַּם־  even 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
ר֣וּחַ  the  Spirit 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
אֱלֹהִ֗ים  of  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
הָלוֹךְ֙  he  went  on 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
וַיִּתְנַבֵּ֔א  and  prophesied 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָבָא  
Sense: to prophesy.
עַד־  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
בֹּא֖וֹ  he  came 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
[בנוית]  Naioth 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
(בְּנָי֥וֹת)  to  Naioth 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: נָוֹות 
Sense: a dwelling place of prophets in the time of Samuel.
בָּרָמָֽה  in  Ramah 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: רָמָה 
Sense: a town in Benjamin on the border of Ephraim about 5 miles (8 km) from Jerusalem and near to Gibeah.