How can an evil spirit be “from the Lord” (16:14)?
This statement and similar ones in Scripture indicate that evil spirits are subject to God’s control and operate only within divinely determined boundaries (see Judges 9:23; 1 Kings 22:19–23; Job 1:12; 2:6; compare 2 Samuel 24:1 with 1 Chronicles 21:1). Saul’s disobedience continued to be punished by the assaults of an evil spirit (vv. 15–16, 23; 18:10; 19:9). Saul’s increasing tendencies to despondency, jealousy and violence were no doubt occasioned by his knowledge of his rejection as king (see 13:13–14; 15:22–26; 18:9; 20:30–33; 22:16–18) and his awareness of David’s growing popularity, but an evil spirit was also involved in these psychological aberrations (see 18:10–12; 19:9–10).
