1 Samuel16

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¹Yahweh said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided a king for myself among his sons.”

²Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” Yahweh said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh.’

³Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. You shall anoint to me him whom I name to you.”

⁴Samuel did that which Yahweh spoke, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?”

⁵He said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

⁶When they had come, he looked at Eliab, and said, “Surely Yahweh’s anointed is before him.”

⁷But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”

⁸Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one, either.”

⁹Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one, either.”

¹⁰Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, “Yahweh has not chosen these.”

¹¹Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your children here?” He said, “There remains yet the youngest. Behold, he is keeping the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.”

¹²He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with a handsome face and good appearance. Yahweh said, “Arise! Anoint him, for this is he.”

¹³Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the middle of his brothers. Then Yahweh’s Spirit came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

¹⁴Now Yahweh’s Spirit departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Yahweh troubled him.

¹⁵Saul’s servants said to him, “See now, an evil spirit from God troubles you.

¹⁶Let our lord now command your servants who are in front of you to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. Then when the evil spirit from God is on you, he will play with his hand, and you will be well.”

¹⁷Saul said to his servants, “Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.”

¹⁸Then one of the young men answered and said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and Yahweh is with him.”

¹⁹Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.”

²⁰Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a container of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by David his son to Saul.

²¹David came to Saul and stood before him. He loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer.

²²Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.”

²³When the spirit from God was on Saul, 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.

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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

saidH559Hebrew

אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)

SamuelH8050Hebrew

שְׁמוּאֵל: Shemuel, the name of three Israelites

HowH4100Hebrew

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

longH5704Hebrew

עַד: as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)

grieveH56Hebrew

אָבַל: to bewail

SaulH7586Hebrew

שָׁאוּל: Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two Israelites

rejectedH3988Hebrew

מָאַס: to spurn; also (intransitively) to disappear

fromH4480Hebrew

מִן: properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses

kingH4427Hebrew

מָלַךְ: to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel

overH5921Hebrew

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 16

v1Acts 13:22fulfillment

Paul explains God's rejection of Saul and choice of David to fulfill His will.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v1Genesis 49:10allusion

Genesis prophetic blessing assigning the kingly scepter to David's tribe of Judah.