And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.

1 SAMUEL 16:17KJV
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1 Samuel 16:17 (KJV)

What does 1 Samuel 16:17 mean?

1 Samuel 16:17 shows King Saul instructing his servants to find someone skilled at playing music and to bring that person to him. Saul is seeking a musician who can play well, hoping this person will help him during a troubling time.

In this verse, Saul is speaking directly to his servants because he is experiencing distress (described earlier in the chapter as a troubling spirit). The request is practical: Saul wants someone who is talented ("can play well") to come to his court. This sets the stage for David's introduction to Saul, which becomes a turning point in both their lives.

The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 16:17

  • "Provide" (רָאָה, ra'ah): This word often means "to see" or "to look," but here it carries the sense of "look for" or "find." Saul is instructing his servants to actively search out a suitable musician.
  • "Play" (נָגַן, nagan): This word specifically refers to playing a stringed instrument, not just any kind of music-making. Saul is asking for someone with a particular skill, likely on the lyre or harp.
  • "Well" (יָטַב, yatav): This word means "to do well" or "to do something skillfully." Saul is not looking for just any musician, but someone who is truly talented and effective in their playing.

Why 1 Samuel 16:17 matters

  • This verse explains why David, who becomes one of Israel's most important figures, is first brought into Saul's court—not as a warrior or prophet, but as a musician.
  • The emphasis on skillful playing highlights the value placed on artistic ability and its potential to bring relief or comfort, even to a king.
  • Understanding the specific words used helps clarify that Saul's request is urgent and deliberate; he is not asking for casual entertainment but for someone whose music can truly help him in his distress.

Where else these words appear

“play” Hebrew H5059 · used in 12 verses

  • 1 Samuel 16:16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
  • 1 Samuel 18:10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand.
  • Psalms 68:25 The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; among them were the damsels playing with timbrels.

“well” Hebrew H3190 · used in 102 verses

  • Genesis 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
  • Deuteronomy 30:5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.
  • Psalms 49:18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.