1 Samuel 16:17 web — Saul said to his servants, "Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me."

World English Bible

"Saul said to his servants, "Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.""

— 1 Samuel 16:17, World English Bible

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1 Samuel 16:17 in Other Translations

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1 Samuel 16 — Context

14

Now the Spirit of Yahweh departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Yahweh troubled him.

15

Saul's servants said to him, "See now, an evil spirit from God troubles you.

16

Let our lord now command your servants who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. It shall happen, when the evil spirit from God is on you, that he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well."

17

Saul said to his servants, "Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me."

18

Then one of the young men answered, and said, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a comely person; and Yahweh is with him."

19

Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, "Send me David your son, who is with the sheep."

20

Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by David his son to Saul.

1 Samuel 16:17 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 1 Samuel 16:17 say?
1 Samuel 16:17 in the World English Bible reads: “Saul said to his servants, "Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me."”
Where is 1 Samuel 16:17 in the Bible?
1 Samuel 16:17 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 16, verse 17.
Who wrote 1 Samuel?
1 Samuel is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Samuel, Nathan, and Gad). It was written c. 930–722 BC.
What is the book of 1 Samuel about?
1 Samuel marks Israel's transition from judges to kings. It traces the births and ministries of the prophet Samuel, the rise and tragic fall of Saul as Israel's first king, and the anointing of the shepherd boy David, whose faith makes him a man after God's own heart.
What are the major themes of 1 Samuel?
1 Samuel explores themes including Kingship, Prophet, Faith vs. Fear, God's Sovereign Choice, Anointing. These themes shape the meaning and context of 1 Samuel 16:17.
What translation should I read 1 Samuel 16:17 in?
1 Samuel 16:17 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 1 Samuel 16:17?
1 Samuel 16:17 reads (WEB): “Saul said to his servants, "Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me."” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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