And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand.
A harmful spirit from the LORD came upon Saul while he was sitting in his house holding his spear, and David was playing music with his hands.
This verse describes how Saul was troubled by a destructive spirit while David played music for him, setting up another dangerous moment between them.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs during the period when David served in Saul's court as a musician, originally brought in to soothe Saul's troubled mind with harp music. By this point in the story, Saul had grown increasingly jealous and paranoid about David's popularity and success. The 'evil spirit from the LORD' represents God's judgment on Saul for his disobedience, manifesting as severe mental and emotional distress.
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