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1 Samuel

1 Samuelchapter 16

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A.Jehovah looketh on the heart: the youngest is anointedvv. 1-13

1 Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.” 2 “How can I go?” Samuel asked. “Saul will hear of it and kill me!” The LORD answered, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ 3 Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you are to do. You are to anoint for Me the one I indicate.” 4 So Samuel did what the LORD had said and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?” 5 “In peace,” he replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, “Surely here before the LORD is His anointed.” 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel, who said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.” 9 Next Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.” 10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel told him, “The LORD has not chosen any of these.” 11 And Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied, “but he is tending the sheep.” “Send for him,” Samuel replied. “For we will not sit down to eat until he arrives.” 12 So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.” 13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah.

B.An evil spirit, and a harp that brings reliefvv. 14-23

14 After the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, a spirit of distress from the LORD began to torment him. 15 Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely a spirit of distress from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord command your servants here to seek out someone who can skillfully play the harp. Whenever the spirit of distress from God is upon you, he is to play it, and you will be well.” 17 And Saul commanded his servants, “Find me someone who plays well, and bring him to me.” 18 One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a mighty man of valor, a warrior, eloquent and handsome, and the LORD is with him.” 19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” 20 And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and one young goat, and sent them to Saul with his son David. 21 When David came to Saul and entered his service, Saul admired him greatly, and David became his armor-bearer. 22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.” 23 And whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would pick up his harp and play, and Saul would become well, and the spirit of distress would depart from him.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition
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Chapter summary

How long wilt thou mourn for Saul?

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How long wilt thou mourn for Saul? Fill thy horn with oil and go to Bethlehem. Samuel sees tall Eliab, and Jehovah corrects the prophet himself: 'man looketh on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looketh on the heart' (16:7). Seven sons pass; the youngest is out keeping the sheep. David is fetched in (ruddy, of a beautiful countenance, goodly to look upon), anointed among his brethren, and the Spirit of Jehovah comes mightily upon him from that day forward. The same stroke that lifts David darkens Saul: the Spirit departs, an evil spirit troubles him, and the Lord's chosen enters the palace as the rejected king's harpist and armor-bearer.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

History · Samuel, Nathan, Gad — 1 Samuel overview

  • A. 1–13 Jehovah looketh on the heart: the youngest is anointed
  • B. 14–23 An evil spirit, and a harp that brings relief
Top cross-references8 chapters ▾
  • 1 Samuel 173 verses
    • 1 Samuel 17:13The three older sons of Jesse had followed Saul into battle: The firstborn was Eliab, the second was Abinadab, and the third was Shammah.
    • 1 Samuel 17:15but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.
    • 1 Samuel 17:18Take also these ten portions of cheese to the commander of their unit. Check on the welfare of your brothers and bring back an assurance from them.
    • Read 1 Samuel 17 →
  • 1 Samuel 163 verses
    • 1 Samuel 16:11And Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied, “but he is tending the sheep.” “Send for him,” Samuel replied. “For we will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”
    • 1 Samuel 16:12So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”
    • 1 Samuel 16:14After the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, a spirit of distress from the LORD began to torment him.
    • Read 1 Samuel 16 →
  • 1 Samuel 152 verses
    • 1 Samuel 15:23For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”
    • 1 Samuel 15:35And to the day of his death, Samuel never again visited Saul. Samuel mourned for Saul, and the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.
    • Read 1 Samuel 15 →
  • 1 Samuel 92 verses
    • 1 Samuel 9:12“Yes, he is ahead of you,” they answered. “Hurry now, for today he has come to the city because the people have a sacrifice on the high place.
    • 1 Samuel 9:16“At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you are to anoint him leader over My people Israel; he will save them from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.”
    • Read 1 Samuel 9 →
4 more chapters this one speaks with
  • 1 Samuel 102 verses
    • 1 Samuel 10:6Then the Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be transformed into a different person.
    • 1 Samuel 10:27But some worthless men said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him and brought him no gifts; but Saul remained silent about it.
    • Read 1 Samuel 10 →
  • Genesis 392 verses
    • Genesis 39:2And the LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.
    • Genesis 39:23The warden did not concern himself with anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.
    • Read Genesis 39 →
  • 1 Chronicles 21 verse
  • Psalms 781 verse

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.