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1 Samuel 16:14

Made Simple — Modern English Translation

Translated by Verse Made Simple Editorial
KJV ORIGINAL
But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE

But the Spirit of the LORD left Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

This verse shows that God's Spirit left King Saul, and God allowed an evil spirit to trouble him as a consequence of his disobedience.

📚 Historical Context

This verse comes after God rejected Saul as king due to his repeated disobedience, particularly his failure to completely destroy the Amalekites as commanded. In ancient Hebrew understanding, God was sovereign over all spiritual forces, both good and evil, so even evil spirits were seen as operating under God's ultimate authority. This marks a turning point where God's favor shifts from Saul to David, who has just been secretly anointed as the next king.

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Translation & Methodology Sources

The original manuscript text provided is based on the King James Version (KJV), which is in the public domain. Our modern English simplifications are generated via proprietary philological synthesis, cross-referenced against Strong's Exhaustive Concordance and the Textus Receptus to ensure unwavering theological and etymological precision.

Read our full translation methodology →