1 Samuel 19 22

1 Samuel 19:22 kjv

Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah.

1 Samuel 19:22 nkjv

Then he also went to Ramah, and came to the great well that is at Sechu. So he asked, and said, "Where are Samuel and David?" And someone said, "Indeed they are at Naioth in Ramah."

1 Samuel 19:22 niv

Finally, he himself left for Ramah and went to the great cistern at Seku. And he asked, "Where are Samuel and David?" "Over in Naioth at Ramah," they said.

1 Samuel 19:22 esv

Then he himself went to Ramah and came to the great well that is in Secu. And he asked, "Where are Samuel and David?" And one said, "Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah."

1 Samuel 19:22 nlt

Finally, Saul himself went to Ramah and arrived at the great well in Secu. "Where are Samuel and David?" he demanded. "They are at Naioth in Ramah," someone told him.

1 Samuel 19 verses

1 Samuel 19 22 Meaning

This verse describes a dramatic turn of events: Saul, actively pursuing David with malicious intent, arrives at Naioth in Ramah. However, instead of carrying out his violent purpose, the Spirit of God overwhelmingly comes upon him. This divine intervention causes him to abandon his pursuit and, just like his earlier messengers, compels him to prophesy continuously as he travels until he reaches the very place where the prophets reside with Samuel. It demonstrates God's sovereign power to thwart the plans of the wicked and protect His anointed, even by using the oppressor himself to declare God's power.

1 Samuel 19 22 Context

Chapter 19 of 1 Samuel vividly portrays King Saul's increasingly desperate and erratic attempts to kill David, whom he perceives as a threat to his kingship, despite God having chosen David as his successor. After multiple personal attempts to assassinate David and plots through Jonathan and Michal fail, David flees to Samuel at Naioth in Ramah. Naioth was a community of prophets under Samuel's leadership, serving as a sanctuary and center for divine activity. Saul first sends three different groups of messengers to capture David, but each group, upon approaching Naioth, is overcome by the Spirit of God and begins to prophesy. Exasperated by the failure of his envoys, Saul himself determines to go. Verse 22 records this decisive, final journey of Saul, directly setting the stage for his complete humbling by the Spirit in verse 23. This episode serves to powerfully underscore God's unwavering protection over His anointed David and the utter futility of resisting God's sovereign will.

1 Samuel 19 22 Word analysis

• Then he went to Naioth in Ramah;
  • He went: (וַיֵּלֶךְ - vayelech). Indicates intentional movement on Saul's part to Naioth.
  • Naioth: (נָיוֹת - Nāyot) derived from navah, meaning "dwellings" or "habitations." It signifies a special place, likely a communal residence or school for prophets, separate from Ramah proper but near it. It was Samuel's headquarters for his prophetic ministry, making it a place associated with the manifestation of God's Spirit.
  • in Ramah: (בָּרָמָה - baramah). Ramah, meaning "height," was Samuel's hometown (1 Sam 7:17). The phrase indicates Naioth was a specific location within or near the vicinity of Ramah, known as a prophetic center.
• and the Spirit of God was upon him also,
  • and the Spirit of God: (וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים - veruach Elohim). Refers to the divine, animating power of God. This is the same Spirit that came upon Saul earlier at his anointing (1 Sam 10:6, 10), but here its purpose is to thwart him. Contrast with the "harmful spirit" (רוּחַ־רָעָה - ruach ra'ah) that had tormented Saul (1 Sam 16:14), emphasizing God's total control.
  • was upon him: (וַתְּהִי עָלָיו - vattehi 'alav). Indicates an overwhelming, seizing power. This is not a gentle influence but a powerful, external force compelling him.
  • also: (גַּם - gam). This small word is crucial. It connects Saul's experience directly to that of his preceding messengers (1 Sam 19:20-21). It signifies that Saul, despite being king, was no exception to the Spirit's power and experienced the same humbling compulsion as his servants. This underscores the irresistible nature of God's Spirit.
• and he went on prophesying until he came to Naioth in Ramah.
  • he went on prophesying: (וַיֵּלֶךְ הֹלֵךְ וְנִבָּא - vayelech holekh venibba'). This Hebrew construction emphasizes a continuous, ongoing action. "He walked, walking and prophesying" or "he kept on walking and prophesying." This implies the prophetic seizure began en route to Naioth, indicating God intervened before he could even reach his intended destination with hostile intent. The prophecy was likely an ecstatic expression, uncontrolled by Saul's will.
  • until he came to Naioth in Ramah: Specifies the duration of this divinely imposed prophetic state. It highlights the thoroughness of God's intervention, allowing Saul no moment of return to his malicious purpose from the point the Spirit seized him.

• Words-Group Analysis:
  • "Then he went... and the Spirit of God was upon him also": Juxtaposes Saul's volitional, malevolent journey with the immediate, overwhelming, and uninvited divine intervention. The "also" ("gam") highlights that his kingly authority offered no protection from the Spirit's compelling force, just as his messengers before him were affected. It is a divine disruption of human intention.
  • "he went on prophesying until he came to Naioth in Ramah": This phrase emphasizes the complete control the Spirit had over Saul for the entirety of his remaining journey to the prophetic center. His steps were directed by the Spirit, and his mouth uttered prophetic words, entirely contrary to his desire to persecute God's anointed David. It presents a picture of absolute divine sovereignty over human will.

1 Samuel 19 22 Bonus section

This incident in 1 Samuel 19 is significant because it is the second time Saul is found "among the prophets" (cf. 1 Sam 10:10-12). The first time marked the beginning of his kingship, demonstrating God's anointing for service. The second time, as described here, it signifies his ultimate humiliation and rejection by God, revealing God's absolute control over a rebellious king. The repeated phrase "Is Saul also among the prophets?" takes on a cynical tone, shifting from wonder at God's new king to mockery of a disgraced, out-of-control monarch. This public display of uncontrollable prophecy, which leads to him lying unclothed (as mentioned in verse 24), symbolized his stripping of dignity, authority, and kingly power, demonstrating that the king of Israel was utterly subservient to the God he sought to defy.

1 Samuel 19 22 Commentary

1 Samuel 19:22 is a powerful illustration of divine sovereignty triumphing over human rebellion. Saul, Israel's anointed but disobedient king, pursues David to Naioth, intent on murder. However, before he can carry out his sinister plan, God intervenes by causing His Spirit to seize Saul. This act not only mirrors the experience of his previous messengers, but also forcefully transforms Saul from a hunter to a humble, prophesying figure. The prophecy here is not an endorsement of Saul's spiritual state or his return to righteousness; rather, it is a coercive act by God to neutralize a threat to David, demonstrating God's unassailable protection over His chosen one. The irony is profound: the king, whose anointing spirit had departed (1 Sam 16:14), is now forcibly brought under God's prophetic power in the very place of true prophecy, leading to his public disgrace in the subsequent verse. This incident serves as a stark reminder that no human authority or plan can ultimately stand against the will and purposes of the Almighty God.