King James Version
1 Samuel 16
23 verses with commentary
David Anointed King
And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.</strong><br><br>God's rebuke of Samuel's prolonged mourning reveals the divine imperative to move forward when God has spoken. The Hebrew <em>male'...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(1) **How long wilt thou mourn for Saul?**—The constant references to the influence Saul acquired, and the love and admiration he attracted, is a striking feature in this most ancient Book of Samuel, where the fall and ruin of the first Hebrew king is so pathetically related.
Though it tells us how Saul was tried, and found utterly wanting, still the record, which dwells on the evil qualities whic...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**9-12. Beth-shemesh--**that is, "house of the sun," now Ain Shems [Robinson], a city of priests in Judah, in the southeast border of Dan, lying in a beautiful and extensive valley. Josephus says they were set a-going near a place where the road divided into two--the one leading back to Ekron, where were their calves, and the other to Beth-shemesh. Their frequent lowings attested their ardent long...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 16
Chapter Outline
Samuel sent to Bethlehem to Jesse.(1-5)
David is anointed.(6-13)
Saul troubled with an evil spirit, is quieted by David.(14-23)
**Verses 1-5**
It appears that Saul was grown very wicked. Of what would he not be guilty, who durst think to kill Samuel? The elders of Bethlehem trembled at Samuel's coming. It becomes us to stand in awe of God's messenge...
Read full commentary →And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD. with thee: Heb. in thine hand
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.</strong><br><br>Samuel's fear of Saul reveals that even mature prophets experience human weakness. God's response demonstrates that divine commands often include practical wisdom for their execution. The cover story of sacrifice was trut...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(2) **He will kill me.**—The unhappy mental malady of Saul must have made rapid progress. The jealous king was indeed changed from the Saul who even, in his self-willed rebellion against the Lord, was careful to pay honour to Samuel. But now the aged prophet felt that if he crossed the king’s path in any way, even in carrying out the commands of the invisible King of Israel, his life would be forf...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 16
Chapter Outline
Samuel sent to Bethlehem to Jesse.(1-5)
David is anointed.(6-13)
Saul troubled with an evil spirit, is quieted by David.(14-23)
**Verses 1-5**
It appears that Saul was grown very wicked. Of what would he not be guilty, who durst think to kill Samuel? The elders of Bethlehem trembled at Samuel's coming. It becomes us to stand in awe of God's messenge...
Read full commentary →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.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>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.</strong><br><br>The instruction to 'call Jesse to the sacrifice' placed the anointing within a legitimate religious context. The phrase 'I will shew thee what thou shalt do' emphasizes moment-by-moment dependence on divine guidance. Samuel would not know God's ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(3) **And thou shalt anoint.**—From very early times the ceremony of anointing to important offices was customary among the Hebrews. In the first instance, all the priests were anointed (Exodus 40:15; Numbers 3:3), but afterwards anointing seems to have been reserved especially for the high priest (Exodus 29:29). Prophets also seem occasionally to have been anointed to their holy office. Anointing...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**14. and they clave--**that is, the Beth-shemites, in an irrepressible outburst of joy.
**offered the kine--**Though contrary to the requirements of the law (Le 1:3; 22:19), these animals might properly be offered, as consecrated by God Himself; and though not beside the tabernacle, there were many instances of sacrifices offered by prophets and holy men on extraordinary occasions in other plac...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 16
Chapter Outline
Samuel sent to Bethlehem to Jesse.(1-5)
David is anointed.(6-13)
Saul troubled with an evil spirit, is quieted by David.(14-23)
**Verses 1-5**
It appears that Saul was grown very wicked. Of what would he not be guilty, who durst think to kill Samuel? The elders of Bethlehem trembled at Samuel's coming. It becomes us to stand in awe of God's messenge...
Read full commentary →And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably? coming: Heb. meeting
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?</strong><br><br>The elders' trembling at Samuel's arrival reflects the prophet's reputation as bearer of divine judgment. Their question 'Comest thou peaceably?' (<em>shalom</em>) acknowledges that prophetic visitations often accompanied divi...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(4) **Trembled at his coming.**—The appearance of the aged seer, with the heifer and the long horn of holy oil, at first terrified the villagers of the quiet, secluded Bethlehem. The name and appearance of the old seer was well known in all the coasts of Israel. Why had he come thus suddenly among them? Had their still remote township then been the scene of some unknown and grave crime? What was h...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 16
Chapter Outline
Samuel sent to Bethlehem to Jesse.(1-5)
David is anointed.(6-13)
Saul troubled with an evil spirit, is quieted by David.(14-23)
**Verses 1-5**
It appears that Saul was grown very wicked. Of what would he not be guilty, who durst think to kill Samuel? The elders of Bethlehem trembled at Samuel's coming. It becomes us to stand in awe of God's messenge...
Read full commentary →And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.</strong><br><br>Sanctification (<em>qadash</em>) involved ritual purification preparing participants for sacred encounter. Samuel's personal sanctification of Jesse and his sons set them apart for the s...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(5) **Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice.**—The answer at once re-assured the villagers. He had simply come to perform the usual rite of sacrifice among them. The reasons of his coming were unknown, but his mission was one alone of blessing. There was nothing unusual in his sanctifying Jesse and his sons. This was evidently the principal family in the place, and the village sheik and his sons would...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 16
Chapter Outline
Samuel sent to Bethlehem to Jesse.(1-5)
David is anointed.(6-13)
Saul troubled with an evil spirit, is quieted by David.(14-23)
**Verses 1-5**
It appears that Saul was grown very wicked. Of what would he not be guilty, who durst think to kill Samuel? The elders of Bethlehem trembled at Samuel's coming. It becomes us to stand in awe of God's messenge...
Read full commentary →And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him. Eliab: called Elihu
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him.</strong><br><br>Samuel's immediate assumption that Eliab was God's chosen reveals how deeply ingrained human criteria for leadership had become - even in a prophet. The Hebrew suggests Samuel was struck by Eliab's stature and appearance, much as Israel had been impressed b...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(6) **He looked on Eliab.**—There was something in the tall and stately presence of the eldest born of Jesse which reminded the old man of the splendid youth of Saul. Eliab seemed to Samuel in all respects a fit successor to the great warrior whom the Lord rejected. But the Divine voice gave no reply back to the prophet’s mute questioning; and the other sons of Jesse, an imposing band of gallant y...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**17-18. And these are the golden emerods ... and the mice--**There were five representative images of the emerods, corresponding to the five principal cities of the Philistines. But the number of the golden mice must have been greater, for they were sent from the walled towns as well as the country villages.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 6-13**
It was strange that Samuel, who had been so disappointed in Saul, whose countenance and stature recommended him, should judge of another man by that rule. We can tell how men look, but God can tell what they are. He judges of men by the heart. We often form a mistaken judgment of characters; but the Lord values only the faith, fear, and love, which are planted in the heart, bey...
Read full commentary →But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. outward: Heb. eyes
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.</strong><br><br>This verse contains one of Scripture's most profound anthropological and theological statements. The contrast between human sight (<em>einay...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**17-18. And these are the golden emerods ... and the mice--**There were five representative images of the emerods, corresponding to the five principal cities of the Philistines. But the number of the golden mice must have been greater, for they were sent from the walled towns as well as the country villages.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 6-13**
It was strange that Samuel, who had been so disappointed in Saul, whose countenance and stature recommended him, should judge of another man by that rule. We can tell how men look, but God can tell what they are. He judges of men by the heart. We often form a mistaken judgment of characters; but the Lord values only the faith, fear, and love, which are planted in the heart, bey...
Read full commentary →Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.</strong><br><br>The parade of sons before Samuel mirrors ancient processes of selection and elimination. Abinadab, whose name means 'my father is noble/generous,' represented family honor and lineage. Yet noble ancestry could not substitute for divine election. The repeated rejectio...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**19. he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark--**In the ecstasy of delight at seeing the return of the ark, the Beth-shemesh reapers pried into it beneath the wagon cover; and instead of covering it up again, as a sacred utensil, they let it remain exposed to common inspection, wishing it to be seen, in order that all might enjoy the triumph of seeing the votive offe...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 6-13**
It was strange that Samuel, who had been so disappointed in Saul, whose countenance and stature recommended him, should judge of another man by that rule. We can tell how men look, but God can tell what they are. He judges of men by the heart. We often form a mistaken judgment of characters; but the Lord values only the faith, fear, and love, which are planted in the heart, bey...
Read full commentary →Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.</strong><br><br>Shammah (meaning 'astonishment' or 'desolation') was the third son presented. His later appearance among David's mighty men (2 Samuel 23:11-12) shows he possessed genuine valor, yet valor alone did not qualify him for kingship. The systematic rejection of each son built dramatic tension whil...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 6-13**
It was strange that Samuel, who had been so disappointed in Saul, whose countenance and stature recommended him, should judge of another man by that rule. We can tell how men look, but God can tell what they are. He judges of men by the heart. We often form a mistaken judgment of characters; but the Lord values only the faith, fear, and love, which are planted in the heart, bey...
Read full commentary →Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.</strong><br><br>The presentation of seven sons without divine approval created a theological crisis - had Samuel misunderstood God's direction? The Hebrew emphasizes completeness: seven sons, the number of perfection, yet none chosen. This apparent failure of the mission f...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(10) **Seven of his sons**.—These seven, with David, the youngest, make eight. In 1Chronicles 2:13-15 only seven of the family are recorded: one apparently of that bright band of youths died young.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**21. Kirjath-jearim--**"the city of woods," also called Kirjath-baal (Jos 15:60; 18:14; 1Ch 13:6, 7). This was the nearest town to Beth-shemesh; and being a place of strength, it was a more fitting place for the residence of the ark. Beth-shemesh being in a low plain, and Kirjath-jearim on a hill, explains the message, "Come ye down, and fetch it up to you."
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 6-13**
It was strange that Samuel, who had been so disappointed in Saul, whose countenance and stature recommended him, should judge of another man by that rule. We can tell how men look, but God can tell what they are. He judges of men by the heart. We often form a mistaken judgment of characters; but the Lord values only the faith, fear, and love, which are planted in the heart, bey...
Read full commentary →And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. down: Heb. round
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.</strong><br><br>David's absence from the ceremony reveals his marginal status within his own family - assigned to menial labor while his brothers participated in...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(11) **Are here all thy children?**—For a moment the prophet is uncertain. The command from the Eternal Friend to come and anoint “the son of Jesse of Bethlehem” had been definite, but the sons of Jesse had passed before him, and no sign had been vouch-safed to him indicating that God had chosen one of these youths of whom the father was so fond; so the seer asks, “Are these all thy children?”
**T...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 6-13**
It was strange that Samuel, who had been so disappointed in Saul, whose countenance and stature recommended him, should judge of another man by that rule. We can tell how men look, but God can tell what they are. He judges of men by the heart. We often form a mistaken judgment of characters; but the Lord values only the faith, fear, and love, which are planted in the heart, bey...
Read full commentary →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. of a: Heb. fair of eyes
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>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.</strong><br><br>The description of David combines physical attractiveness with divine confirmation. 'Ruddy' (<em>'admoni</em>) suggests reddish complexion or hair, possibly connecting to the name Adam (from <em>'adamah</em>, ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 7
1Sa 7:1, 2. The Ark at Kirjath-jearim.
**1. the men of Kirjath-jearim--**"the city of woods," also Kirjath-baal (Jos 15:60; 18:14; 1Ch 13:5, 6). It was the nearest town to Beth-shemesh and stood on a hill. This was the reason of the message (1Sa 6:21), and why this was chosen for the convenience of people turning their faces to the ark (1Ki 8:29-35; Psa 28:2; Da 6:10).
**brought it...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 6-13**
It was strange that Samuel, who had been so disappointed in Saul, whose countenance and stature recommended him, should judge of another man by that rule. We can tell how men look, but God can tell what they are. He judges of men by the heart. We often form a mistaken judgment of characters; but the Lord values only the faith, fear, and love, which are planted in the heart, bey...
Read full commentary →Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.</strong><br><br>The anointing 'in the midst of his brethren' publicly designated David before witnesses while keeping the full significance concealed from broader society. The Spirit's coming 'from that day ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(13) **Anointed him in the midst of his brethren.**—The history here simply relates the bare fact that the young shepherd was anointed in the presence of his brethren. No words of Samuel on this occasion are recorded; we are left, therefore, uncertain whether any reason was given for the choice of David, or any explanation of this peculiar anointing. It would seem most probable that Samuel kept si...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**2. the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim ... twenty years--**It appears, in the subsequent history, that a much longer period elapsed before its final removal from Kirjath-jearim (2Sa 6:1-19; 1Ch 13:1-14). But that length of time had passed when the Israelites began to revive from their sad state of religious decline. The capture of the ark had produced a general indifference either as to its loss or ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 6-13**
It was strange that Samuel, who had been so disappointed in Saul, whose countenance and stature recommended him, should judge of another man by that rule. We can tell how men look, but God can tell what they are. He judges of men by the heart. We often form a mistaken judgment of characters; but the Lord values only the faith, fear, and love, which are planted in the heart, bey...
Read full commentary →David Enters Saul's Service
But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. troubled: or, terrified
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.</strong><br><br>The theological crux of this verse - an 'evil spirit from the LORD' - raises profound questions about divine sovereignty over spiritual forces. The Hebrew <em>ruach ra'ah</em> can indicate a harmful or distressing spirit. That it came 'from the LORD' affirms that even malevolent sp...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**3-6. Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel--**A great national reformation was effected through the influence of Samuel. Disgusted with their foreign servitude, and panting for the restoration of liberty and independence, they were open to salutary impressions; and convinced of their errors, they renounced idolatry. The re-establishment of the faith of their fathers was inaugurated at a grea...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-23**
Saul is made a terror to himself. The Spirit of the Lord departed from him. If God and his grace do not rule us, sin and Satan will have possession of us. The devil, by the Divine permission, troubled and terrified Saul, by the corrupt humours of his body, and passions of his mind. He grew fretful, peevish, and discontented, and at times a madman. It is a pity that music, whic...
Read full commentary →And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.</strong><br><br>The servants' diagnosis reflects ancient understanding of spiritual causes for psychological disturbance. Their attribution to 'God' (<em>Elohim</em>) rather than 'the LORD' (<em>Yahweh</em>) may indicate less theological precision or simply common parlance. Their recognition of the probl...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(15) **An evil spirit from God.**—The form in which the evil spirit manifested itself in Saul was apparently an incurable melancholy, which at times blazed forth in fits of uncontrollable jealous anger. When Saul’s attendants, his officers, and those about his person, perceived the mental malady under which their king was evidently suffering, they counselled that he should try whether the evil inf...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**3-6. Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel--**A great national reformation was effected through the influence of Samuel. Disgusted with their foreign servitude, and panting for the restoration of liberty and independence, they were open to salutary impressions; and convinced of their errors, they renounced idolatry. The re-establishment of the faith of their fathers was inaugurated at a grea...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-23**
Saul is made a terror to himself. The Spirit of the Lord departed from him. If God and his grace do not rule us, sin and Satan will have possession of us. The devil, by the Divine permission, troubled and terrified Saul, by the corrupt humours of his body, and passions of his mind. He grew fretful, peevish, and discontented, and at times a madman. It is a pity that music, whic...
Read full commentary →Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.</strong><br><br>The servants' proposal reveals ancient therapeutic wisdom: music's capacity to soothe troubled spirits. The Hebrew <em>naggan</em>...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(16) **And it shall come to pass . . . thou shalt be well.**—It has been a well-known fact in all ages that music exerts a powerful influence on the mind. We have several instances in ancient Greek literature, where this influence is recommended to soothe the passions or to heal mental disease. Pythagoras, whenever he would steep his mind in Divine power, was in the habit before he slept of having...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**3-6. Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel--**A great national reformation was effected through the influence of Samuel. Disgusted with their foreign servitude, and panting for the restoration of liberty and independence, they were open to salutary impressions; and convinced of their errors, they renounced idolatry. The re-establishment of the faith of their fathers was inaugurated at a grea...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-23**
Saul is made a terror to himself. The Spirit of the Lord departed from him. If God and his grace do not rule us, sin and Satan will have possession of us. The devil, by the Divine permission, troubled and terrified Saul, by the corrupt humours of his body, and passions of his mind. He grew fretful, peevish, and discontented, and at times a madman. It is a pity that music, whic...
Read full commentary →And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.</strong><br><br>Saul's command 'Provide me now a man' (<em>ra'ah</em> - see, provide) ironically echoes God's provision of a king (v.1). While Saul sought mere musical relief, God was providentially positioning His chosen successor. The emphasis on playing 'well' (<em>metiv naggan</em>) indicates...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**3-6. Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel--**A great national reformation was effected through the influence of Samuel. Disgusted with their foreign servitude, and panting for the restoration of liberty and independence, they were open to salutary impressions; and convinced of their errors, they renounced idolatry. The re-establishment of the faith of their fathers was inaugurated at a grea...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-23**
Saul is made a terror to himself. The Spirit of the Lord departed from him. If God and his grace do not rule us, sin and Satan will have possession of us. The devil, by the Divine permission, troubled and terrified Saul, by the corrupt humours of his body, and passions of his mind. He grew fretful, peevish, and discontented, and at times a madman. It is a pity that music, whic...
Read full commentary →Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him. matters: or, speech
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.</strong><br><br>This remarkable description of David encompasses multiple excellencies: musical skill, physical prowess, military capability, wisdom i...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(18) **Then answered one of the servants.**—The Dean of Canterbury calls attention to the fact that the word in the original here rendered “servants” is not the same as was translated by “servants” in 1Samuel 16:15-17. In each of these passages the Hebrew word rendered “servant,” no doubt signifies officers connected with the royal court. Here the different word *hann’-ārim *lays stress on the roy...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**7-11. when the Philistines heard, &c.--**The character and importance of the national convention at Mizpeh were fully appreciated by the Philistines. They discerned in it the rising spirit of religious patriotism among the Israelites that was prepared to throw off the yoke of their domination. Anxious to crush it at the first, they made a sudden incursion while the Israelites were in the mid...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-23**
Saul is made a terror to himself. The Spirit of the Lord departed from him. If God and his grace do not rule us, sin and Satan will have possession of us. The devil, by the Divine permission, troubled and terrified Saul, by the corrupt humours of his body, and passions of his mind. He grew fretful, peevish, and discontented, and at times a madman. It is a pity that music, whic...
Read full commentary →Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.</strong><br><br>Saul's summons for 'David thy son, which is with the sheep' emphasizes both David's lowly occupation and his father's possession of him. The messenger terminology (<em>mal'akim</em>) suggests formal royal communication. Jesse would understand this as an honor - royal service...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**7-11. when the Philistines heard, &c.--**The character and importance of the national convention at Mizpeh were fully appreciated by the Philistines. They discerned in it the rising spirit of religious patriotism among the Israelites that was prepared to throw off the yoke of their domination. Anxious to crush it at the first, they made a sudden incursion while the Israelites were in the mid...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-23**
Saul is made a terror to himself. The Spirit of the Lord departed from him. If God and his grace do not rule us, sin and Satan will have possession of us. The devil, by the Divine permission, troubled and terrified Saul, by the corrupt humours of his body, and passions of his mind. He grew fretful, peevish, and discontented, and at times a madman. It is a pity that music, whic...
Read full commentary →And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid , and sent them by David his son unto Saul.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.</strong><br><br>Jesse's gifts followed ancient Near Eastern protocol for approaching royalty - bread for sustenance, wine for celebration, a young goat for sacrifice or feasting. The donkey-load indicates substantial tribute appropriate for a king. Jesse's careful provision de...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(20) **And Jesse took an ass.**—It was and is ever customary in the East to acknowledge obedience and subjection with a present. Jesse, the sheik of Bethlehem, would thus be expected on sending his son to the court of Saul to acknowledge his sovereign by some token of homage.
The nature of Jesse’s gifts shows how simple and primitive were the customs of the Hebrew people at that time.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**7-11. when the Philistines heard, &c.--**The character and importance of the national convention at Mizpeh were fully appreciated by the Philistines. They discerned in it the rising spirit of religious patriotism among the Israelites that was prepared to throw off the yoke of their domination. Anxious to crush it at the first, they made a sudden incursion while the Israelites were in the mid...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-23**
Saul is made a terror to himself. The Spirit of the Lord departed from him. If God and his grace do not rule us, sin and Satan will have possession of us. The devil, by the Divine permission, troubled and terrified Saul, by the corrupt humours of his body, and passions of his mind. He grew fretful, peevish, and discontented, and at times a madman. It is a pity that music, whic...
Read full commentary →And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer .
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.</strong><br><br>Saul's immediate love for David and appointment as armor-bearer created deep irony: the rejected king embracing his replacement, the warrior king dependent on the shepherd boy. The Hebrew <em>'ahab</em> (love) indicates genuine affection, making Saul's later hatred more t...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(21) **And he became his armour-bearer.**—But probably only for a very short time. David returned, we should conclude, to Samuel, whose pupil and friend we know he was. The seer was watching over the young man with a view to his lofty destiny. Saul apparently, from his question in 1Samuel 17:55, “Whose son is this youth?” had forgotten all about him. There is no “note of time,” so we are not able ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**7-11. when the Philistines heard, &c.--**The character and importance of the national convention at Mizpeh were fully appreciated by the Philistines. They discerned in it the rising spirit of religious patriotism among the Israelites that was prepared to throw off the yoke of their domination. Anxious to crush it at the first, they made a sudden incursion while the Israelites were in the mid...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-23**
Saul is made a terror to himself. The Spirit of the Lord departed from him. If God and his grace do not rule us, sin and Satan will have possession of us. The devil, by the Divine permission, troubled and terrified Saul, by the corrupt humours of his body, and passions of his mind. He grew fretful, peevish, and discontented, and at times a madman. It is a pity that music, whic...
Read full commentary →And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.</strong><br><br>Saul's request that David 'stand before me' (<em>'amad lepanay</em>) denotes permanent court service, a formal appointment beyond temporary assistance. Finding 'favour' (<em>chen</em>) in the king's eyes recalls how Noah, Joseph, and others found grace with those i...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**7-11. when the Philistines heard, &c.--**The character and importance of the national convention at Mizpeh were fully appreciated by the Philistines. They discerned in it the rising spirit of religious patriotism among the Israelites that was prepared to throw off the yoke of their domination. Anxious to crush it at the first, they made a sudden incursion while the Israelites were in the mid...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-23**
Saul is made a terror to himself. The Spirit of the Lord departed from him. If God and his grace do not rule us, sin and Satan will have possession of us. The devil, by the Divine permission, troubled and terrified Saul, by the corrupt humours of his body, and passions of his mind. He grew fretful, peevish, and discontented, and at times a madman. It is a pity that music, whic...
Read full commentary →And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.</strong><br><br>The therapeutic effect of David's music - Saul 'refreshed' (<em>rawach</em>), made 'well' (<em>tov</em>), with the evil spirit departing - demonstrates music's genuine spiritual power...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(23) **David took an harp, and played with his hand.**—“The music,” beautifully writes F. D. Maurice, “was more than a mere palliative. It brought back for the time the sense of a true order, a secret, inward harmony, an assurance that it is near every man, and that he may enter into it. A wonderful message, no doubt, to a king or a common man, better than a great multitude of words, a continual p...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**12. Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen--**on an open spot between the town and "the crag" (some well-known rock in the neighborhood). A huge stone pillar was erected as a monument of their victory (Le 26:1). The name--Eben-ezer--is thought to have been written on the face of it.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 14-23**
Saul is made a terror to himself. The Spirit of the Lord departed from him. If God and his grace do not rule us, sin and Satan will have possession of us. The devil, by the Divine permission, troubled and terrified Saul, by the corrupt humours of his body, and passions of his mind. He grew fretful, peevish, and discontented, and at times a madman. It is a pity that music, whic...
Read full commentary →