1 Samuel chapter 16
Samuel anoints David as king. The Spirit departs from Saul. David plays the lyre for Saul.
SAMUEL ANOINTS DAVID AS KING
VERSE 1. 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.”
I will send you. The LORD God sends his servant Samuel out to minister to others.
In our day, the Lord Jesus calls us to take his Gospel to the whole world. Here are the key Bible verses about this »
VERSE 2. 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.
VERSE 3. 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.”
VERSE 4. 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?”
VERSE 5. 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.
VERSE 6. When they had come, he looked at Eliab, and said, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him.”
VERSE 7. 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.”
This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from First Samuel and from the entire Bible.
the LORD looks at the heart. This phrase is very famous.
Outwardly, our lives might not be victorious. But inwardly, a sincere believer wants to walk with the LORD God and live righteously.
VERSE 8. Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “The LORD has not chosen this one, either.”
VERSE 9. Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, “The LORD has not chosen this one, either.”
VERSE 10. Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.”
VERSE 11. 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.”
VERSE 12. 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.”
he was ruddy. The Hebrew word is אַדְמוֹנִ֔י (’aḏ·mō·w·nî,). It means red.
At birth, Esau was described as ruddy:
Genesis 25:25. The first came out red all over, like a hairy garment. They named him Esau.
VERSE 13. 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.
Samuel … anointed him. David would be anointed three different times:
ANOINTING #1. BY SAMUEL:
1 Samuel 16:13. 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.
ANOINTING #2. AS KING OF JUDAH:
2 Samuel 2:4. The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were those who buried Saul.”
ANOINTING #3. AS KING OF THE ENTIRE NATION
2 Samuel 5:3. So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron, and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel.
the LORD’s Spirit came mightily on David. That is, “the spirit of the LORD rushed upon David.”
Has the Holy Spirit ever rushed upon you?
THE SPIRIT DEPARTS FROM SAUL
VERSE 14. Now the LORD’s Spirit departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
the LORD’s Spirit. In the Old Testament, the Spirit is not mentioned often. However, the Spirit was indeed present and interacted with us humans. Read more »
departed from Saul. In the Old Testament era, not everybody was given the extraordinary gift of the Spirit. And sometimes the gift would be taken away.
How about in our era? Can a Christian believer lose the Holy Spirit? if so, under what circumstances?
an evil spirit from the LORD. What does this mean?
DAVID PLAYS THE LYRE FOR SAUL
VERSE 15. Saul’s servants said to him, “See now, an evil spirit from God troubles you.
VERSE 16. 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.”
out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. Saul’s servants suggest a harpist could calm him down.
VERSE 17. Saul said to his servants, “Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.”
VERSE 18. 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.”
VERSE 19. Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.”
VERSE 20. Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, and a container of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by David his son to Saul.
VERSE 21. David came to Saul, and stood before him. He loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer.
VERSE 22. Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me; for he has found favor in my sight.”
VERSE 23. 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.
1 SAMUEL
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
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Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.