1 Samuel 16:14Now the Spirit of Yahweh departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Yahweh troubled him.
The setting
Gibeah, Israel, ~1020 BC. King Saul's palace. The once-anointed king sits in darkness as God's presence withdraws...
The emotion here: soberly recording a tragic turning point
The original word
sûr (סָר) — departed, turned aside, a deliberate removal and withdrawal
Why it matters
This marks the first recorded case of mental illness in a biblical king
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Samuel 16:14
The 'evil spirit FROM Yahweh' shows God's sovereignty even over judgment
Common misconceptionPeople think this means God is cruel, but it shows that rejecting God's Spirit has natural consequences — spiritual emptiness fills with darkness.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Samuel 16:14
Bible Genome reading
1 Samuel 16:14 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Samuel 16:14 comes from the book of 1 Samuel, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine withdrawal, spiritual consequences, judgment. Notable phrases: Spirit of Yahweh departed; evil spirit; troubled him.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does 1 Samuel 16:14 mean to you, today?
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