1 Samuel 16:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, "Arise, anoint him, for this is he."

NIV: So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, "Rise and anoint him; this is the one."

NASB: So he sent word and brought him in. Now he was reddish, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the Lord said, 'Arise, anoint him; for this is he.'

CSB: So Jesse sent for him. He had beautiful eyes and a healthy, handsome appearance. Then the Lord said, "Anoint him, for he is the one."

NLT: So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes. And the Lord said, 'This is the one; anoint him.'

KJV: And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

NKJV: So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!”

The prophet Samuel is in Bethlehem to anoint a new king for Israel from among the sons of Jesse (1 Samuel 16:1). He is also overseeing a sacrifice and feast, to which he has invited the town elders, Jesse, and Jesse's sons (1 Samuel 16:2–5). Samuel does not know which of Jesse's sons the Lord has chosen. Before the feast, seven sons have passed before Samuel, and each has been rejected (1 Samuel 16:6–10). It is unclear whether the prophet was also consecrating the men for the feast at this time (1 Samuel 16:5). It is also unclear whether Jesse, or they, knew what the anointing was for (1 Samuel 16:10, 13).

The eighth son was missing from all of this. After the Lord's rejection of the men present, Samuel asked Jesse if there were any more sons. The youngest, or smallest, was in the fields watching the sheep (1 Samuel 16:11). It is uncertain whether he was informed about Samuel's presence or the feast, but it is evident his father did not expect the boy to attend. Samuel told Jesse to send for the boy urgently; they would not begin without him.

Now, the boy has arrived. The Lord has made it clear to Samuel that He doesn't judge people by their outward appearances. He determines character based on a person's heart and not how he or she looks to others (1 Samuel 16:7). But this doesn't mean a person with a good heart cannot also be good looking.

The boy is described as having a "ruddy" complexion, meaning that his skin is reddish brown. Something similar was said of Esau (Genesis 25:25). In addition, he has beautiful eyes and is handsome. It's possible that the phrase translated as "beautiful eyes" could mean something like "good-looking." In short, Jesse's youngest son was an attractive man with a good heart. Joseph was described in similar terms (Genesis 39:1–6).

Finally, the Lord tells Samuel what he has been waiting to hear. This is the son he is to anoint as Israel's next king.

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.

The Lord sends Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint one of Jesse's sons as king. The Lord reveals His choice to be David, Jesse's youngest son. Samuel anoints the young man. God's Spirit comes on David but departs from King Saul. When the Lord sends a harmful spirit on Saul, his servant suggests that the king recruit David to play the lyre whenever Saul is tormented. Saul does so, and he quickly bonds with David, making the young man his armor-bearer.

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.