1 Samuel 16 - Printer Friendly

God has rejected Saul as Israel's king due to disobedience (1 Samuel 15:26). The Lord tells Samuel He has chosen Israel's next king from among the sons of a man named Jesse in Bethlehem. The Lord tells Samuel to go to Bethlehem to anoint this future king, but Samuel is afraid. Saul may hear about it and kill him. The Lord tells Samuel to take a heifer with him and tell everyone he has come to sacrifice a peace offering to the Lord in their community. The Lord will show Samuel whom to anoint (1 Samuel 16:1–3).

The elders of Bethlehem are fearful about why the prophet of the Lord would come to their small village. Samuel invites them to the peace offering and feast. He tells the elders to consecrate, or ceremonially purify, themselves for the sacrifice. Samuel consecrates Jesse and his sons and invites them (1 Samuel 16:4–5).

When Samuel sees Jesse's oldest son Eliab, he is sure this is the one the Lord has chosen as king. But God tells Samuel that he looks on the hearts of people, not their outer appearance. The Lord rejects Eliab. He also did not choose Abinadab, Shammah, or the other four sons of Jesse who were at the sacrifice (1 Samuel 16:6–10).

Finally, Samuel asks Jesse if he has any more sons. Jesse replies that the youngest is watching the sheep. Samuel says that they will not begin the sacrifice until Jesse's youngest son arrives. When David appears, Samuel notices that the young man is healthy and good-looking. The Lord tells Samuel that this is the one He has chosen. Samuel anoints the young man, and the Lord's Spirit powerfully moves on David as Israel's next chosen king (1 Samuel 16:11–13).

Meanwhile, the Lord's Spirit has departed from King Saul because God has rejected his kingship over Israel. Instead, the Lord sends onto Saul a harmful spirit to torment him for his disobedience. Saul's servants are aware of the harmful spirit and suggest that music would soothe the king when it comes on him. Saul asks them to find him a musician. One of the servants recommends David. Not only is David skilled with the lyre, but he is also a man of reputable character and God is with him. So, the king sends messengers to Jesse's home to bring David to him (1 Samuel 16:14–19).

David arrives at Saul's home with a gift from his father and begins to serve the king. Saul is said to love David and even makes the young man his armor-bearer. David plays his lyre whenever the harmful spirit afflicts Saul, and it leaves the king (1 Samuel 16:20–23).

First Samuel 16:1–13 describes the anointing of David as Israel's next king. The Lord tells Samuel to go to Bethlehem because He has chosen one of Jesse's sons for that role. Samuel consecrates Jesse and his sons for a sacrifice and feast. Seeing Eliab, Samuel thinks this must be the chosen one. But the Lord rejects all the sons until Jesse calls his youngest from tending sheep. The Lord tells Samuel to anoint this overlooked son, David. When he does, the Lord's Spirit comes into David just as it did on the day Samuel first anointed Saul to be Israel's king. However, in this case, the Spirit of the Lord remains with David for the rest of his life.

First Samuel 16:14–23 finds King Saul tormented by a harmful spirit sent by God. The Lord's Spirit has left him. Saul's servants are aware of the afflicting spirit and suggest that music would soothe the king during the times of torment. He asks them to recruit a skillful musician to play the lyre when he is affected. One of the servants suggests David, whom he knows to be skilled with the lyre and reputable in character. The servant also recognizes that the Lord is with Samuel. Saul agrees and sends messengers to Jesse. The king quickly comes to love David and even makes him his armor-bearer. When David plays, the harmful spirit leaves. David becomes a permanent servant of the king.

First Samuel 16 introduces David to the story of Israel's kings. David is the son of Jesse, who is the grandson of Ruth (Ruth 4:21–22). He will be anointed king as the Lord has rejected Saul (1 Samuel 15:26). The Lord's Spirit leaves Saul and comes to David (1 Samuel 16:13–14); this is different from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in believers today (John 14:26; 2 Timothy 1:14). David becomes a beloved musician and servant to Saul, but the king's heart will become violently jealous (1 Samuel 18:8, 11).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.