1 Samuel 16:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you."

NIV: Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate."

NASB: And you shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will let you know what you shall do; and you shall anoint for Me the one whom I designate to you.'

CSB: Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will let you know what you are to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate to you."

NLT: Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me.'

KJV: And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.

NKJV: Then 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.”

The Lord is sending Samuel the prophet to Bethlehem; he is to anoint a new king over Israel to eventually replace King Saul. Samuel is afraid Saul will kill him if the king learns of the mission (1 Samuel 16:1–2). In response, God told Samuel to take a young heifer to Bethlehem to sacrifice as a peace offering. The prophet could tell anyone who asked, truthfully, that he was traveling in order to make this offering.

Now God tells Samuel to invite Jesse to the sacrifice and subsequent feast. God will show Samuel what to do and whom to anoint as king. In other words, he need not fear. He should simply go. God will provide the needed instructions at the appropriate time. This account echoes God's call to Abraham (Genesis 12:1). Samuel is simply to go, to invite Jesse, and to expect that God will reveal the details as needed.

We are often called to step out in faith without knowing every detail. Obedience to what we know is part of living out our faith in the Lord (Hebrews 11:6). Like Samuel, we can trust that God will provide what is needed in the right time (James 4:13–17; Hebrews 13:5–8). Jesus told His followers, "Therefore do not be anxious…seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you…sufficient for the day is its own trouble" (Matthew 6:31–34)

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.