Old Testament Commentary - 1 Samuel 16

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 16 The Lord chooses David of Beth-lehem as king—He is anointed by Samuel—Saul chooses David as his companion and armourbearer.
1 AND the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to ^aJesse the ^bBeth-lehemite: for I have provided me a ^cking among his sons. 2 And Samuel said, How can I go? *if Saul hear it,* he will kill me^a*. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD. 3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt ^aanoint unto me him* whom I name unto thee.	2^a if Saul hear it, he will kill me There is much more to this story than is written in the scriptures. Saul seems to be very much in power and supported by the people in being king even to the threatening the life of the prophet of God who so anointed him king. In some undisclosed communication Samuel is very aware that Saul will not allow Samuel to anoint another king in his stead. Even the LORD recognizes the threat from Saul upon Samuel's life if Saul hears of Samuel doing any such thing.
4 And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably? 5 And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: ^asanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
6 ¶ And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on ^aEliab, and said, Surely the LORD's anointed is before him. 7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD ^aseeth not as ^bman seeth; for man looketh on the outward ^cappearance, but the ^dLORD looketh on the ^eheart. 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. 10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these. 11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a ^abeautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and ^aanointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the ^bSpirit of the LORD came upon ^cDavid from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
14 ¶ But the ^aSpirit of the LORD ^bdeparted from Saul, and an evil spirit ^cfrom the LORD troubled him. 15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit ^afrom God troubleth thee. 16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit ^afrom God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me. 18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and ^aprudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.
19 ¶ Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep. 20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul. 21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight. 23 And it came to pass, when the ^aevil spirit ^bfrom God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.