Text -- 1 Samuel 16:14 (NET)

David Appears before Saul

16:14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had turned away from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 1Sa 16:14

¹ tn Or “an injurious spirit”; cf. NLT “a tormenting spirit.” The phrase need not refer to an evil, demonic spirit. The Hebrew word translated “evil” may refer to the character of the spirit or to its effect upon Saul. If the latter, another translation option might be “a mischief-making spirit.”