Now the Spirit of Yahweh departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Yahweh troubled him.
"An evil spirit from the Lord tormented him"  (1 Samuel 16:14).  In no sense whatever is God the author of evil; but this verse reflects the prevailing Oriental viewpoint that `everything which happens is in harmony with God's permissive will.' In a sense, of course, this is true.  One often hears the expression, "The Lord has given and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord"!  Whatever happened to Saul, it was the will of God. It is also possible to view this verse as relating a punishment which Saul deserved and which God visited upon him.