ר֥וּחַ

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 ר֥וּחַ

   RU-akh

   a spirit
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 ר֥וּחַ הָרָעָֽה׃

   RU-akh ha-ra-A

   a spirit the evil {one or thing}
3. clause🔊 וְרָוַ֤ח לְשָׁאוּל֙ וְט֣וֹב ל֔וֹ וְסָ֥רָה מֵעָלָ֖יו ר֥וּחַ הָרָעָֽה׃

   ve-ra-VAKH le-sha-UL ve-TOV LO ve-sa-RA me-a-LAV RU-akh ha-ra-A

   and there was relief for Saul and good to him and it turned aside from upon him a spirit the evil {one or thing}
4. sentence🔊 וְהָיָ֗ה בִּֽהְי֤וֹת רֽוּחַ־אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל וְלָקַ֥ח דָּוִ֛ד אֶת־הַכִּנּ֖וֹר וְנִגֵּ֣ן בְּיָד֑וֹ וְרָוַ֤ח לְשָׁאוּל֙ וְט֣וֹב ל֔וֹ וְסָ֥רָה מֵעָלָ֖יו ר֥וּחַ הָרָעָֽה׃

   ve-ha-YA bi-he-YOT RU-akh-e-lo-HIM el-sha-UL ve-la-KHAKH da-VID et-ha-ki-NOR ve-ni-GEN be-ya-DO ve-ra-VAKH le-sha-UL ve-TOV LO ve-sa-RA me-a-LAV RU-akh ha-ra-A

   and it happened when being a spirit of God to Saul and he took David the lyre and he played with his hand and there was relief for Saul and good to him and it turned aside from upon him a spirit the evil {one or thing}

Exegesis

The genitive phrase ruach Elohim {רֽוּחַ־אֱלֹהִים | rū-ḥăḥ ʾĕ-lō-hîm} ‘spirit of God’ establishes divine agency as the source of the influence on Saul. The coordinated sequence of vav-prefixed verbs (velakach, venigen, veravach) outlines a cause-and-effect action–reaction pattern.

Root and etymology

Root🔊 ר־ו־חReish–Vav–Chet

“wind, breath, spirit”