The First Book of Samuel

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- Chapter 16 -

And the Lord said to Samuel: “How long will you mourn for Saul, though I have rejected him, so that he would not reign over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and approach, so that I may send you to Jesse of Bethlehem. For I have provided a king from among his sons for myself.”

And Samuel said: “How shall I go? For Saul will hear of it, and he will put me to death.” And the Lord said: “You shall take, by your hand, a calf from the herd. And you shall say, ‘I have arrived in order to immolate to the Lord.’(a)

And you shall call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will reveal to you what you should do. And you shall anoint whomever I will indicate to you.”

Therefore, Samuel did just as the Lord told him. And he went to Bethlehem, and the elders of the city wondered. And meeting him, they said, “Is your arrival peaceful?”

And he said: “It is peaceful. I have arrived in order to immolate to the Lord. Be sanctified, and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and he called them to the sacrifice.

And when they had entered, he saw Eliab, and he said, “Could he be the Christ in the sight of the Lord?”(b)

And the Lord said to Samuel: “You should not look with favor on his face, nor on the height of his stature. For I have rejected him. Neither do I judge by the appearance of a man. For man sees those things that are apparent, but the Lord beholds the heart.”

And Jesse called Abinadab, and he brought him before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.”

Then Jesse brought Shammah. And he said about him, “And the Lord has not chosen this one.”

And so Jesse brought his seven sons before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.”

And Samuel said to Jesse, “Could the sons now be completed?” But he responded, “There still remains a little one, and he pastures the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse: “Send and bring him. For we shall not recline to eat, until he arrives here.”

Therefore, he sent and brought him. Now he was ruddy, and beautiful to behold, and with a stately face. And the Lord said, “Rise up, anoint him! For it is he.”

Therefore, Samuel took the horn of oil, and he anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord was guiding David from that day and thereafter. And Samuel rose up, and he went away to Ramah.

David Serves Saul

But the Spirit of the Lord withdrew from Saul, and a wicked spirit from the Lord disturbed him.(c)

(d)

And the servants of Saul said to him: “Behold, an evil spirit from God disturbs you.

May our lord order, and your servants, who are before you, will seek a man skillful in playing a stringed instrument, so that when the evil spirit from the Lord assails you, he may play with his hand, and you may bear it more easily.”

And Saul said to his servants, “Then provide for me someone who can play well, and bring him to me.”

And one of the servants, responding, said: “Behold, I have seen the son of Jesse of Bethlehem, a skillful player, and very strong and robust, a man fit for war, and prudent in words, a handsome man. And the Lord is with him.”

Therefore, Saul sent messengers to Jesse, saying, “Send to me your son David, who is in the pastures.”

And so, Jesse took a donkey laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid from one of the goats, and he sent them, by the hand of his son David, to Saul.

And David went to Saul, and stood before him. And he loved him exceedingly, and he made him his armor bearer.

And Saul sent to Jesse, saying: “Let David remain before my sight. For he has found favor in my eyes.”

And so, whenever the evil spirit from the Lord assailed Saul, David took up his stringed instrument, and he struck it with his hand, and Saul was refreshed and uplifted. For the evil spirit withdrew from him.(e)

(f)

Footnotes

(a)16:2 This is an example of the moral use of mental reservation. Samuel fears death, so he states that he is going to offer sacrifice (truth), but he omits that he is also going to anoint a king (another truth).(Conte)

(b)16:6 David is called Christ, meaning the Anointed one, in the sight of the Lord, because he was anointed by the Lord as leader of Israel, but more importantly, because he was anointed to be a figure of the one true Christ.(Conte)

(c)16:14 Even the acts of fallen angels are under the Providence of God. Though fallen angels do not obey God, yet their acts are permitted by Him and become a part of His plan.(Conte)

(d)16:14 From the Lord:An evil spirit, by divine permission, and for his punishment, either possessed or obsessed him.(Challoner)

(e)16:23 The Psalms of David have this same effect, even when not sung.(Conte)

(f)16:23 Departed from him:Chased away by David’s devotion.(Challoner)

The LORD 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.”

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

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

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

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

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

But the LORD 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 the LORD looks at the heart.”

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

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

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

Samuel 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.”

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

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

David Serves Saul

Now the LORD’s Spirit departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.

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

Let 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.”

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

Then 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 the LORD is with him.”

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

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

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

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

When 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.