1 Samuel 16
16
God Looks into the Heart
1 God addressed Samuel: “So, how long are you going to mope over Saul? You know I’ve rejected him as king over Israel. Fill your flask with anointing oil and get going. I’m sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I’ve spotted the very king I want among his sons.”
2-3“I can’t do that,” said Samuel. “Saul will hear about it and kill me.”
God said, “Take a heifer with you and announce, ‘I’ve come to lead you in worship of God, with this heifer as a sacrifice.’ Make sure Jesse gets invited. I’ll let you know what to do next. I’ll point out the one you are to anoint.”
4Samuel did what God told him. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the town fathers greeted him, but apprehensively. “Is there something wrong?”
5“Nothing’s wrong. I’ve come to sacrifice this heifer and lead you in the worship of God. Prepare yourselves, be consecrated, and join me in worship.” He made sure Jesse and his sons were also consecrated and called to worship.
6When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Here he is! God’s anointed!”
7But God told Samuel, “Looks aren’t everything. Don’t be impressed with his looks and stature. I’ve already eliminated him. God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart.”
8Jesse then called up Abinadab and presented him to Samuel. Samuel said, “This man isn’t God’s choice either.”
9Next Jesse presented Shammah. Samuel said, “No, this man isn’t either.”
10Jesse presented his seven sons to Samuel. Samuel was blunt with Jesse, “God hasn’t chosen any of these.”
11Then he asked Jesse, “Is this it? Are there no more sons?”
“Well, yes, there’s the runt. But he’s out tending the sheep.”
Samuel ordered Jesse, “Go get him. We’re not moving from this spot until he’s here.”
12Jesse sent for him. He was brought in, the very picture of health—bright-eyed, good-looking.
God said, “Up on your feet! Anoint him! This is the one.”
13Samuel took his flask of oil and anointed him, with his brothers standing around watching. The Spirit of God entered David like a rush of wind, God vitally empowering him for the rest of his life.
Samuel left and went home to Ramah.
David—An Excellent Musician
14At that very moment the Spirit of God left Saul and in its place a black mood sent by God settled on him. He was terrified.
15-16Saul’s advisors said, “This awful tormenting depression from God is making your life miserable. O Master, let us help. Let us look for someone who can play the harp. When the black mood from God moves in, he’ll play his music and you’ll feel better.”
17Saul told his servants, “Go ahead. Find me someone who can play well and bring him to me.”
18One of the young men spoke up, “I know someone. I’ve seen him myself: the son of Jesse of Bethlehem, an excellent musician. He’s also courageous, of age, well-spoken, and good-looking. And God is with him.”
19So Saul sent messengers to Jesse requesting, “Send your son David to me, the one who tends the sheep.”
20-21Jesse took a donkey, loaded it with a couple of loaves of bread, a flask of wine, and a young goat, and sent his son David with it to Saul. David came to Saul and stood before him. Saul liked him immediately and made him his right-hand man.
22Saul sent word back to Jesse: “Thank you. David will stay here. He’s just the one I was looking for. I’m very impressed by him.”
23After that, whenever the bad depression from God tormented Saul, David got out his harp and played. That would calm Saul down, and he would feel better as the moodiness lifted.
Currently Selected:
1 Samuel 16: MSG
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.
I Samuel 16
16
David Anointed King
1Now the Lord said to Samuel, #1 Sam. 19:24“How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? #1 Sam. 15:23, 35Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to #1 Sam. 9:16; 10:1; 2 Kin. 9:1Jesse the Bethlehemite. For #Ruth 4:18–22I have provided Myself a king among his sons.”
2And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.”
But the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, #Ps. 78:70, 71; Acts 13:22‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.”
4So Samuel did what the Lord said, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town #1 Sam. 9:12trembled at his coming, and said, #1 Sam. 21:1“Do you come peaceably?”
5And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. #1 Kin. 2:13; 2 Kin. 9:22Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice.
6So it was, when they came, that he looked at #Gen. 35:2; Ex. 19:10Eliab and #1 Sam. 17:13, 28said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!”
7But the Lord said to Samuel, #1 Kin. 12:26“Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. #Ps. 147:10For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man #Is. 55:8, 9looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the #2 Cor. 10:7heart.”
8So Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 9Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 10Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the #1 Kin. 8:39sheep.”
And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12So he sent and brought him in. Now he was #2 Sam. 7:8; Ps. 78:70–72ruddy, #1 Sam. 17:42with bright eyes, and good-looking. #Gen. 39:6; Ex. 2:2; Acts 7:20And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!” 13Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and #1 Sam. 9:17the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
A Distressing Spirit Troubles Saul
14#Num. 27:18; 1 Sam. 10:6, 9, 10But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and #Judg. 16:20; 1 Sam. 11:6; 18:12; 28:15a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him. 15And Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you. 16Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. And it shall be that he will #Judg. 9:23; 1 Sam. 16:15, 16; 18:10; 19:9; 1 Kin. 22:19–22play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.”
17So Saul said to his servants, “Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.”
18Then one of the servants answered and said, “Look, 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 #1 Sam. 18:10; 19:9; 2 Kin. 3:15the Lord is with him.”
19Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” 20And Jesse #1 Sam. 3:19; 18:12, 14took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by his son David to Saul. 21So David came to Saul and #1 Sam. 10:4, 27; Prov. 18:16stood before him. And he loved him greatly, and he became his armorbearer. 22Then Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.