1 Samuel 16
16
Samuel Anoints David
1The Lord said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul,#1Sm 15:35 since I have rejected him as king over Israel?#1Sm 13:13–14; 15:23 Fill your horn with oil#1Sm 9:16; 10:1; 2Kg 9:1 and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem#Ru 4:17–22 because I have selected for myself a king from his sons.”
2Samuel asked, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me!”
The Lord answered, “Take a young cow with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’#1Sm 20:29 3Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will let you know what you are to do.#Ex 4:15; Ac 9:6 You are to anoint for me the one I indicate to you.”#Dt 17:14–15; 1Sm 9:16
4Samuel did what the Lord directed and went to Bethlehem.#Gn 48:7; Lk 2:4 When the elders of the town met him, they trembled#16:4 LXX reads were astonished and asked, “Do#16:4 DSS, LXX read “Seer, do you come in peace?” #1Kg 2:13; 2Kg 9:22; 1Ch 12:17–18
5“In peace,” he replied. “I’ve come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves#Gn 35:2; Ex 19:10 and come with me to the sacrifice.”#16:5 LXX reads and rejoice with me today Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab#1Sm 17:13 and said, “Certainly the Lord’s anointed one is here before him.”
7But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature because I have rejected him. Humans do not see what the Lord sees,#16:7 LXX reads God does not see as a man sees for humans see what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.”#1Kg 8:39; Jr 17:10; Lk 16:15; Jn 2:24–25
8Jesse called Abinadab#1Sm 17:13 and presented him to Samuel. “The Lord hasn’t chosen this one either,” Samuel said. 9Then Jesse presented Shammah,#1Sm 17:13 but Samuel said, “The Lord hasn’t chosen this one either.” 10After Jesse presented seven of his sons to him, Samuel told Jesse, “The Lord hasn’t chosen any of these.” 11Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,”#1Sm 17:12; 2Sm 13:3 he answered, “but right now he’s tending the sheep.” Samuel told Jesse, “Send for him. We won’t sit down to eat until he gets here.” 12So Jesse sent for him. He had beautiful eyes and a healthy,#16:12 Or ruddy handsome appearance.#1Sm 17:42
Then the Lord said, “Anoint him, for he is the one.”#1Sm 9:17 13So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him#1Sm 10:1 in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully on David from that day forward.#Ps 51:10–12; Ezk 36:27; Ac 2:1–17 Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah.
David in Saul’s Court
14Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul,#1Sm 11:6; 18:12; 28:15 and an evil spirit sent from the Lord began to torment him, 15so Saul’s servants said to him, “You see that an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16Let our lord command your servants here in your presence to look for someone who knows how to play the lyre. Whenever the evil spirit from God comes on you, that person can play the lyre, and you will feel better.”#1Sm 18:10; 19:9; 2Kg 3:15
17Then Saul commanded his servants, “Find me someone who plays well and bring him to me.”
18One of the young men answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is also a valiant man,#1Sm 17:32–36 a warrior, eloquent, handsome, and the Lord is with him.”#1Sm 3:19; 18:12–14
19Then Saul dispatched messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” 20So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a wineskin, and one young goat and sent them by his son David to Saul.#1Sm 10:4,27; Pr 18:16 21When David came to Saul#Gn 41:46; Pr 22:29 and entered his service, Saul loved him very much, and David became his armor-bearer. 22Then Saul sent word to Jesse: “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor with me.” 23Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul,#1Sm 16:14–16 David would pick up his lyre and play, and Saul would then be relieved, feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.
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1 Samuel 16: CSB
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
1 Samuel 16
16
Samuel Anoints David as King
1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long do you intend to mourn for Saul? I have rejected him as king over Israel.#tc The Lucianic recension of the Old Greek translation includes the following words: “And the Lord said to Samuel.” Fill your horn with olive oil and go! I am sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem,#map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4. for I have selected a king for myself from among his sons.”#tn Heb “for I have seen among his sons for me a king.”
2 Samuel replied, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me!” But the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you#tn Heb “in your hand.” and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you should do. You will anoint for me the one I point out#tn Heb “say”; KJV, NRSV “name”; NIV “indicate.” to you.”
4 Samuel did what the Lord told him.#tn Heb “said.” When he arrived in Bethlehem,#map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4. the elders of the city were afraid to meet him. They#tc In the MT the verb is singular (“he said”), but the translation follows many medieval Hebrew mss and ancient versions in reading the plural (“they said”). said, “Do you come in peace?” 5 He replied, “Yes, in peace. I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” So he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they arrived, Samuel#tn Heb “he”; the referent (Samuel) has been specified in the translation for clarity. noticed#tn Heb “saw.” Eliab and said to himself,#tn Heb “said”; the words “to himself” are implied, given the secrecy surrounding Samuel’s mission to Bethlehem (v. 2). “Surely, here before the Lord stands his chosen king!”#tn Heb “his anointed one.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t be impressed by#tn Heb “don’t look toward.” his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way men do.#tn Heb “for not that which the man sees.” The translation follows the LXX, which reads, “for not as man sees does God see.” The MT has suffered from homoioteleuton or homoioarcton. See P. K. McCarter, I Samuel (AB), 274. People look on the outward appearance,#tn Heb “to the eyes.” but the Lord looks at the heart.”
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel.#tn Heb “and caused him to pass before.” But Samuel#tn Heb “he” (also in v. 9); the referent (Samuel) has been specified in the translation for clarity. said, “The Lord has not chosen this one, either.” 9 Then Jesse presented#tn Heb “caused to pass by.” Shammah. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 10 Jesse presented seven of his sons to Samuel.#tn Heb “caused seven of his sons to pass before Samuel.” This could be taken as referring to seven sons in addition to the three mentioned before this, but 1 Sam 17:12 says Jesse had eight sons, not eleven. 1 Chr 2:13-15 lists only seven sons, including David. However, 1 Chr 27:18 mentions an additional son, named Elihu. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” 11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Is that all of the young men?” Jesse#tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jesse) has been specified in the translation both here and in v. 12 for clarity. replied, “There is still the youngest one, but he’s taking care of the flock.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we cannot turn our attention to other things until he comes here.”
12 So Jesse had him brought in.#tn Heb “and he sent and brought him.” Now he was ruddy, with attractive eyes and a handsome appearance. The Lord said, “Go and anoint him. This is the one!” 13 So Samuel took the horn full of olive oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers. The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day onward. Then Samuel got up and went to Ramah.
David Appears before Saul
14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had turned away from Saul, and an evil spirit#tn Or “an injurious spirit”; cf. NLT “a tormenting spirit.” The phrase need not refer to an evil, demonic spirit. The Hebrew word translated “evil” may refer to the character of the spirit or to its effect upon Saul. If the latter, another translation option might be “a mischief-making spirit.” from the Lord tormented him. 15 Then Saul’s servants said to him, “Look, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you!” 16 Let our lord instruct his servants who are here before you to look for a man who knows how to play the lyre. Then whenever the evil spirit from God comes upon you, he can play the lyre#tn Heb “and he will play with his hand.” and you will feel better.”#tn Heb “and it will be better for you.” 17 So Saul said to his servants, “Find#tn Heb “see.” me a man who plays well and bring him to me.” 18 One of his attendants replied,#tn Heb “answered and said.” “I have seen a son of Jesse in Bethlehem#map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4. who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave warrior#tn Heb “mighty man of valor and a man of war.” and is articulate#tn Heb “discerning of word.” and handsome,#tn Heb “a man of form.” for the Lord is with him.”
19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is out with the sheep. 20 So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a container of wine, and a young goat#tn Heb “a kid of the goats.” and sent them to Saul with#tn Heb “by the hand of.” his son David. 21 David came to Saul and stood before him. Saul liked him a great deal,#tn Heb “he loved him.” and he became his armor bearer. 22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse saying, “Let David be my servant, for I really like him.”#tn Heb “Let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my eyes.”
23 So whenever the spirit from God would come upon Saul, David would take his lyre and play it. This would bring relief to Saul and make him feel better. Then the evil spirit would leave him alone.#tn Heb “would turn aside from upon him.”
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