1 Samuel 10:6
And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.
Original Language Analysis
וְצָֽלְחָ֤ה
will come
H6743
וְצָֽלְחָ֤ה
will come
Strong's:
H6743
Word #:
1 of 9
to push forward, in various senses (literal or figurative, transitive or intransitive)
עָלֶ֙יךָ֙
H5921
עָלֶ֙יךָ֙
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
2 of 9
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
ר֣וּחַ
And the Spirit
H7307
ר֣וּחַ
And the Spirit
Strong's:
H7307
Word #:
3 of 9
wind; by resemblance breath, i.e., a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the
יְהוָ֔ה
of the LORD
H3068
יְהוָ֔ה
of the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
4 of 9
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
וְהִתְנַבִּ֖יתָ
upon thee and thou shalt prophesy
H5012
וְהִתְנַבִּ֖יתָ
upon thee and thou shalt prophesy
Strong's:
H5012
Word #:
5 of 9
to prophesy, i.e., speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse)
עִמָּ֑ם
H5973
עִמָּ֑ם
Strong's:
H5973
Word #:
6 of 9
adverb or preposition, with (i.e., in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then
וְנֶהְפַּכְתָּ֖
with them and shalt be turned
H2015
וְנֶהְפַּכְתָּ֖
with them and shalt be turned
Strong's:
H2015
Word #:
7 of 9
to turn about or over; by implication, to change, overturn, return, pervert
Cross References
1 Samuel 10:10And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.Numbers 11:25And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.1 Samuel 16:13Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.Judges 3:10And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim.Judges 14:6And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
Historical Context
Spirit empowerment in the Old Testament typically enabled leaders for specific tasks: Moses for leadership, Bezalel for craftsmanship, judges for deliverance, and now Saul for kingship. The prophesying likely involved ecstatic praise and proclamation rather than predictive prophecy, similar to the seventy elders in Numbers 11:25.
Questions for Reflection
- How do we reconcile powerful spiritual experiences with the possibility of eventual apostasy?
- What is the difference between Spirit empowerment for service and saving faith that perseveres?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.
This verse marks a pivotal moment in redemptive history as Samuel predicts the Spirit's empowerment of Israel's first king. The Hebrew 'tsalach' (come upon) implies a rushing or overwhelming force, the same word used of Samson (Judges 14:6, 19; 15:14). Unlike the permanent indwelling believers experience under the New Covenant, Old Testament Spirit empowerment was typically temporary and task-specific. The phrase 'turned into another man' (nehepakta le'ish acher) indicates genuine transformation, not mere external change. This raises profound questions about Saul's later apostasy: how could one so transformed fall so far? Reformed theology recognizes that powerful spiritual experiences do not guarantee persevering faith; only God's electing grace preserves His chosen ones. Saul's prophesying authenticated his divine calling publicly, yet his subsequent history warns that spiritual gifts are not evidence of saving grace.