1 Samuel 16:16 (GNV)

Passage

Let our Lord therefore command thy seruants, that are before thee, to seeke a man that is a cunning plaier vpon the harpe: that when the euil spirit of God commeth vpon thee, hee may play with his hand, and thou maiest be eased.

Nearby Context

1 Samuel 16:14 But the Spirite of the Lord departed from Saul, and an euill spirite sent of the Lord vexed him.

1 Samuel 16:15 And Sauls seruants said vnto him, Beholde nowe, the euill spirite of God vexeth thee.

1 Samuel 16:16 Let our Lord therefore command thy seruants, that are before thee, to seeke a man that is a cunning plaier vpon the harpe: that when the euil spirit of God commeth vpon thee, hee may play with his hand, and thou maiest be eased.

1 Samuel 16:17 Saul then saide vnto his seruantes, Prouide me a man, I pray you, that can play well, and bring him to me.

1 Samuel 16:18 Then answered one of his seruauntes, and sayde, Beholde, I haue seene a sonne of Ishai, a Bethlehemite, that can plaie, and is strong, valiant and a man of warre and wise in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "Spirit", "lord", "therefore", "command", "seruants", "before", "thee", and "seeke". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "Spirit" and "lord", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "And Sauls seruants said vnto him Beholde..." into verse 17's "Saul then saide vnto his seruantes Prouide...", so "Spirit" and "lord" belong inside that flow. In 1 Samuel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "Spirit" and "lord" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.