1 Samuel16
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1And Jehovah said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and go: I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite; for I have provided me a king among his sons.
2And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And Jehovah said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to Jehovah.
3And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.
4And Samuel did that which Jehovah spake, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
5And he said, Peaceably; I am come to sacrifice unto Jehovah: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
6And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely Jehovah’s anointed is before him.
7But Jehovah said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for Jehovah seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looketh on the heart.
8Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath Jehovah chosen this.
9Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath Jehovah chosen this.
10And Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Jehovah hath not chosen these.
11And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he is keeping the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him; for we will not sit down till he come hither.
12And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look upon. And Jehovah said, Arise, anoint him; for this is he.
13Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
14Now the Spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Jehovah troubled him.
15And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
16Let our lord now command thy servants, that are before thee, to seek out a man who is a skilful player on the harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
17And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.
18Then answered one of the young men, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is skilful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent in speech, and a comely person; and Jehovah is with him.
19Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, who is with the sheep.
20And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.
21And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armorbearer.
22And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favor in my sight.
23And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 1 Samuel 16.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Samuel sent to Bethlehem to Jesse. (1–5). David is anointed. (6–13). Saul troubled with an evil spirit, is quieted by David. (14–23).
vv1-5
It appears that Saul was grown very wicked. Of what would he not be guilty, who durst think to kill Samuel? The elders of Bethlehem trembled at Samuel's coming. It becomes us to stand in awe of God's messengers, and to tremble at his word. His answer was, I come peaceably, for I come to sacrifice. When our Lord Jesus came into the world, though men had reason to fear that his errand was to condemn the world, yet he gave full assurance that he came peaceably, for he came to sacrifice, and he brought his offering with him; A body hast thou prepared me. Let us sanctify ourselves, and depend upon His sacrifice.
vv6-13
It was strange that Samuel, who had been so disappointed in Saul, whose countenance and stature recommended him, should judge of another man by that rule. We can tell how men look, but God can tell what they are. He judges of men by the heart. We often form a mistaken judgment of characters; but the Lord values only the faith, fear, and love, which are planted in the heart, beyond human discernment. And God does not favour our children according to our fond partiality, but often most honours and blesses those who have been least regarded. David at length was pitched upon. He was the youngest of the sons of Jesse; his name signifies Beloved; he was a type of God's beloved Son. It should seem, David was least set by of all the sons of Jesse. But the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. His anointing was not an empty ceremony, a Divine power went with that instituted sign; he found himself advanced in wisdom and courage, with all the qualifications of a prince, though not advanced in his outward circumstances. This would satisfy him that his election was of God. The best evidence of our being predestinated to the kingdom of glory, is, our being sealed with the Spirit of promise, and experience of a work of grace in our hearts.
vv14-23
Saul is made a terror to himself. The Spirit of the Lord departed from him. If God and his grace do not rule us, sin and Satan will have possession of us. The devil, by the Divine permission, troubled and terrified Saul, by the corrupt humours of his body, and passions of his mind. He grew fretful, peevish, and discontented, and at times a madman. It is a pity that music, which may be serviceable to the good temper of the mind, should ever be abused, to support vanity and luxury, and made an occasion of drawing the heart from God and serious things. That is driving away the good Spirit, not the evil spirit. Music, diversions, company, or business, have for a time often been employed to quiet the wounded conscience; but nothing can effect a real cure but the blood of Christ, applied in faith, and the sanctifying Spirit sealing the pardon, by his holy comforts. All other plans to dispel religious melancholy are sure to add to distress, either in this world or the next.
Key Words
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
שְׁמוּאֵל: Shemuel, the name of three Israelites
מָה: properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses
עַד: as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)
אָבַל: to bewail
שָׁאוּל: Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two Israelites
מָאַס: to spurn; also (intransitively) to disappear
מִן: properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
מָלַךְ: to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel
עַל: above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
Cross References
1 Samuel 16Paul explains God's rejection of Saul and choice of David to fulfill His will.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Genesis prophetic blessing assigning the kingly scepter to David's tribe of Judah.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Direct textual link explaining the context of Samuel's ongoing mourning for Saul.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Direct poetic reflection on God choosing David from the sheepfolds to shepherd Israel.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel inauguration action where Samuel previously anointed Saul with a horn of oil.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The standard ritual of sanctification required before approaching a holy sacrifice.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Contrasts Saul's towering height, which pleased men, with God's internal standard.
Supported by JFB
David's instruction to Solomon echoing that the Lord searches all hearts.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The immediate manifestation of Saul being troubled by the evil spirit from God.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Identifies Bethlehem as the city of David, highlighting the lineage of Christ.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Illustrates legitimate prophet fear of being put to death by a rejected king.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Genealogical record confirming Eliab as Jesse's firstborn son.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Another historical instance of a minstrel playing to stir the hand of God.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Corroborates David's movement between feeding his father's sheep and Saul's court.
Supported by JFB