And, lo, a spirit taketh him,.... An evil spirit, the devil, as in Luk 9:42 seizes and possesses him at once, and he suddenly crieth out; in a most terrible manner, giving dreadful shrieks, as soon as he perceives that he is seized by the demon: and it teareth him, that he foameth again; throws him into convulsions, so that he foams at the mouth: and so we read (t) of a son of a certain Jew, that "a certain spirit passed before him and hurt him, convulsed his mouth, and his eyes, and his hands were convulsed, and he could not speak.'' And bruising him; by dashing him against the wall, or throwing him to the ground: hardly departeth from him; is very loath to leave him, even after he has distressed, convulsed, and bruised him in this dreadful manner, such was his cruelty and malice; See Gill on Mat 17:15, Mar 9:18. (t) Zohar in Lev. fol. 21. 4.