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Monday, July 14th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

Contemporary English Version

1 Samuel 19:24

he stripped off his clothes and prophesied in front of Samuel. He dropped to the ground and lay there naked all day and night. That's how the saying started, "Is Saul now a prophet?"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - David;   Jealousy;   Prophets;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Synagogues;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Beard;   Naioth;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Holy spirit;   Prophecy, prophet;   Samuel;   Saul, king of israel;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Apparel;   Dress;   Music;   Naked;   Prophet;   Schools of the Prophets;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Dress;   Madmen (2);   Poetry;   Rama;   Samuel, the Books of;   Synagogue;   Tongues, Gift of;   Trance;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ecstasy;   Holy Spirit;   Naioth;   Samuel;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Holy Spirit;   Magic, Divination, and Sorcery;   Naioth;   Samuel;   Saul;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Madness;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Naked;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Music;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - David;   School;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Tongues, Gift of;   Trance;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Synagogue;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - David;   Games;   Manner;   Prophecy;   Proverb;   Samuel;   Samuel, Books of;   Saul;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Costume;   Dancing;   Samuel, Books of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Saul then removed his clothes and also prophesied before Samuel; he collapsed and lay naked all that day and all that night. That is why they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
Hebrew Names Version
He also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Shemu'el, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, "Is Sha'ul also among the prophets?"
King James Version
And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?
Lexham English Bible
He also stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel. He lay naked all that day and all night. Therefore they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"
English Standard Version
And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night. Thus it is said, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"
New Century Version
He took off his robes and prophesied in front of Samuel. He lay that way all day and all night. That is why people ask, "Is even Saul one of the prophets?"
New English Translation
He even stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel. He lay there naked all that day and night. (For that reason it is asked, "Is Saul also among the prophets?")
Amplified Bible
He also took off his [royal] robes [and armor] and prophesied before Samuel and lay down naked all that day and night. So they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"
New American Standard Bible
He also stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay down naked all that day and all night. Therefore they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
And he stript off his clothes, and he prophesied also before Samuel, and fell downe naked all that day and all that night: therefore they say, Is Saul also among the Prophets?
Legacy Standard Bible
He also stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"
Complete Jewish Bible
He also stripped off his clothes, prophesied in Sh'mu'el's presence and lay there naked all that day and all that night. Hence it continues to be an expression, "Is Sha'ul a prophet, too?"
Darby Translation
And he himself also stripped off his clothes, and prophesied, himself also, before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?
Easy-to-Read Version
Saul even took off his clothes. He lay there naked all day and through the night. So even Saul prophesied there in front of Samuel. That is why people say, "Is Saul also one of the prophets?"
George Lamsa Translation
And he stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Behold, is Saul also among the prophets?
Good News Translation
He took off his clothes and danced and shouted in Samuel's presence, and lay naked all that day and all that night. (This is how the saying originated, "Has even Saul become a prophet?")
Literal Translation
And he stripped off his garments, he also, and he prophesied before Samuel, even he. And he fell down disrobed all that day and all that night. Because of this they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he put of his clothes, & prophecied likewise before Samuel, & fell downe naked all that daye and all that nighte. Here of came the prouerbe: Is Saul also amonge the prophetes?
American Standard Version
And he also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?
Bible in Basic English
And he took off his clothing, acting like a prophet before Samuel, and falling down he was stretched out, without his clothing, all that day and all that night. This is the reason for the saying, Is even Saul among the prophets?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he stript of his clothes & prophecied before Samuel in lyke maner, and fell naked al that day and all that night: And therof it is that they say, Is Saul also among the prophetes?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say: 'Is Saul also among the prophets?'
King James Version (1611)
And he stript off his clothes also, and prophecied before Samuel in like manner, and lay downe naked all that day, and all that night: wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the Prophets?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he took off his clothes, and prophesied before them; and lay down naked all that day and all that night: therefore they said, Is Saul also among the prophets?
English Revised Version
And he also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?
Berean Standard Bible
Then Saul stripped off his robes and also prophesied before Samuel. And he collapsed and lay naked all that day and night. That is why it is said, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And `he also dispuylide him silf of hise clothis, and propheciede with othere men bifor Samuel, and he profeciede nakid in al that dai and nyyt. Wherfor `a prouerbe, that is, a comyn word, yede out, Whether and Saul among prophetis?
Young's Literal Translation
and he strippeth off -- he also -- his garments, and prophesieth -- he also -- before Samuel, and falleth down naked all that day and all the night; therefore they say, `Is Saul also among the prophets?'
Update Bible Version
And he also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?
Webster's Bible Translation
And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, [Is] Saul also among the prophets?
World English Bible
He also stripped off his clothes, and he also prophesied before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"
New King James Version
24 And he also stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" 1 Samuel 10:12">[fn]
New Living Translation
He tore off his clothes and lay naked on the ground all day and all night, prophesying in the presence of Samuel. The people who were watching exclaimed, "What? Is even Saul a prophet?"
New Life Bible
He took off his clothes and said what was going to happen in front of Samuel. He lay down without clothing all that day and all that night. So they say, "Is Saul among those who say what will happen?"
New Revised Standard
He too stripped off his clothes, and he too fell into a frenzy before Samuel. He lay naked all that day and all that night. Therefore it is said, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, even he, stripped off his upper garments, and, even he, was moved to prophesy before Samuel, and lay prostrate, disrobed, all that day, and all the night. For this cause, do they say, Is, even Saul, among the prophets?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he stripped himself also of his garments, and prophesied with the rest before Samuel, and lay down naked all that day and night. This gave occasion to a proverb: What! is Saul too among the prophets?
Revised Standard Version
And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel, and lay naked all that day and all that night. Hence it is said, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
He also stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"

Contextual Overview

18 Meanwhile, David went to Samuel at Ramah and told him what Saul had done. Then Samuel and David went to Prophets Village and stayed there. 19 Someone told Saul, "David is at Prophets Village in Ramah." 20 Saul sent a few soldiers to bring David back. They went to Ramah and found Samuel in charge of a group of prophets who were all prophesying. Then the Spirit of God took control of the soldiers and they started prophesying too. 21 When Saul heard what had happened, he sent another group of soldiers, but they prophesied the same way. He sent a third group of soldiers, but the same thing happened to them. 22 Finally, Saul left for Ramah himself. He went as far as the deep pit at the town of Secu, and he asked, "Where are Samuel and David?" "At Prophets Village in Ramah," the people answered. 23 Saul left for Ramah. But as he walked along, the Spirit of God took control of him, and he started prophesying. Then, when he reached Prophets Village, 24 he stripped off his clothes and prophesied in front of Samuel. He dropped to the ground and lay there naked all day and night. That's how the saying started, "Is Saul now a prophet?"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

stripped: 2 Samuel 6:14, 2 Samuel 6:20, Isaiah 20:2, Micah 1:8

lay: Heb. fell, Numbers 24:4

Is Saul: 1 Samuel 10:10-12, Acts 9:21

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 10:6 - Spirit 1 Samuel 10:11 - Is Saul 1 Samuel 15:35 - Samuel 1 Samuel 18:10 - and he prophesied 2 Samuel 7:15 - But my Luke 8:27 - and ware John 21:7 - naked

Cross-References

Genesis 19:23
The sun was coming up as Lot reached the town of Zoar,
Genesis 19:24
and the Lord sent burning sulfur down like rain on Sodom and Gomorrah.
Genesis 19:28
He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and saw smoke rising from all over the land—it was like a flaming furnace.
Genesis 19:29
When God destroyed the cities of the valley where Lot lived, he remembered his promise to Abraham and saved Lot from the terrible destruction.
Job 18:15
Then their tents and possessions are burned to ashes,
Psalms 11:6
He will send fiery coals and flaming sulfur down on the wicked, and they will drink nothing but a scorching wind.
Isaiah 1:9
Zion would have disappeared like Sodom and Gomorrah, if the Lord All-Powerful had not let a few of its people survive.
Isaiah 13:19
The city of Babylon is glorious and powerful, the pride of the nation. But it will be like the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah after I, the Lord, destroyed them.
Jeremiah 20:16
May that man be like the towns you destroyed without pity. Let him hear shouts of alarm in the morning and battle cries at noon.
Jeremiah 49:18
as bad as the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and towns nearby. The towns of Edom will be empty.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he stripped off his clothes also,.... Not all his clothes, but his upper garments, as men in such circumstances used to do, as the prophets sometimes did, and as it seems his messengers had done; according to Jarchi, R. Isaiah, and others n, he stripped himself of his royal robes, and put on the habit of the scholars, the disciples, and sons of the prophets:

and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, as the messengers had done, singing such like songs, or foretelling such like things as they did; he and they speaking not of themselves, but as they were moved by the Holy Spirit of prophecy; for such gifts have sometimes been bestowed on men that were destitute of the grace of God, as Balaam, Caiaphas, and others;

and lay down: or "fell down" o, as persons in an ecstasy or trance: and lay

naked all that day, and all that night; not entirely naked, both without his upper garment or royal robes, or else his armour; so an unarmed man is said to be naked, though otherwise he has his clothes on: thus Gelon having conquered the Carthaginians, and made himself master of all Sicily, went into the forum "naked" (i.e. unarmed), and declared he would restore the government to the citizens, wherefore a naked statue for him was erected in the temple of Juno p; so Quinctius Cincinnatus was found ploughing naked q, who cannot be supposed to be without any clothes on him. Jarchi, from Menachem, reports, that he had heard from an Arabian, that the word the Targum makes use of for "naked", signifies, in the Arabic language, one that is furious or mad, as persons in an ecstasy, or under a prophetic spirit, sometimes seemed to be; now Saul was kept and held in such circumstances a whole day and night, that David might have an opportunity of making his escape, and getting at such a distance from him that he could not overtake him:

wherefore they say, [is] Saul also among the prophets? this became a common saying, a proverbial expression, at least was now revived and observed with admiration; that Saul, who had behaved himself in so ill a manner, as an enemy to so good a man, should be found among the prophets of the Lord, and prophesying as they did.

n Vid. Hieron. Trad. Heb. in lib. Reg. fol. 76. G. o ויפל "et cecidit", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, "et corruit", Vatablus. p Aelian. Var. Hist. l. 6. c. 11. q Aurel. Victor. de Vir. Illustr. c. 20.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Naked - i. e., without his robe and other outer garments, but only the shirt. Compare the marginal references.

The whole history affords another instance of the protection of God vouchsafed to His servants, which forms so frequent a topic of the Psalms of David.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 19:24. He stripped off his clothes — Threw off his royal robes or military dress, retaining only his tunic; and continued so all that day and all that night, uniting with the sons of the prophets in prayers, singing praises, and other religious exercises, which were unusual to kings and warriors; and this gave rise to the saying, Is Saul also among the prophets? By bringing both him and his men thus under a Divine influence, God prevented them from injuring the person of David. 1 Samuel 10:6, c. and see my sermon on The Christian Prophet and his Work.


 
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