1-5 Samuel sent by God, under pretence of a sacrifice, comes to Beth-lehem 6-10 His human judgment is reproved 11-14 He anoints David 15-23 Saul sends for David to quiet his evil spirit

A.M. 2941 B.C. 1063 An. Ex. Is. 428
How long 1Sa 15:11,35 Jer 7:16 11:14

seeing 1Sa 15:15,23 13:13,14 15:23,26 Jer 6:30 14:11,12 15:1 1Jo 5:16

horn with oil 1Sa 9:16 10:1 2Ki 9:1,3,6

Jesse 1Sa 13:14 Ge 49:8-10 Ru 4:18-22 1Ch 2:10-15 Ps 78:68-71 89:19,20 Isa 11:1,10 55:4 Ac 13:21,22 Ro 15:12

2 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.

How can I go Ex 3:11 1Ki 18:9-14 Mt 10:16 Lu 1:34

Take an heifer For the prudent management of the affair, and to avoid suspicion, Samuel was directed to go to Bethlehem to sacrifice, as he probably did from time to time in many different places; and the answer which he was instructed to return was strictly true though he did not tell the principal design of his coming; for though no man in any circumstances should tell a lie, yet, in all circumstances, he is not bound to tell the whole truth, though he must tell nothing but the truth, as so tell that truth that the hearer shall not believe a lie by it.

with thee [heb] in thine hand 1Sa 9:12

I am come 1Sa 9:12 20:29 Jer 38:26,27

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

call Jesse 1Sa 9:12,13 2Sa 15:11 Mt 22:1-4

and I will shew Ex 4:15 Ac 9:6

anoint 1Sa 16:12,13 9:16 De 17:14

4 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?

trembled 1Sa 21:1 2Sa 6:9 1Ki 17:18 Ho 6:5 11:10 Lu 5:8 8:37

coming [heb] meeting
Comest 1Ki 2:13 2Ki 9:22 1Ch 12:17,18

5 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.

sanctify yourselves Ex 19:10,14,15 Le 20:7,8 Nu 11:8 Jos 3:5 7:13 2Ch 30:17-20 Job 1:5 Ps 26:2-6 Joe 2:16 1Co 11:28

6 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 1Sa 17:13,22 1Ch 2:13 27:18

Elihu
Surely Jud 8:18 1Ki 12:26

7 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.

Look not 1Sa 9:2 10:23,24 2Sa 14:25 Ps 147:10,11 Pr 31:30

seeth not Job 10:4 Isa 55:8,9 Lu 16:15 1Pe 2:4 3:4

looketh Joh 7:24 2Co 10:7,10

outward appearance [heb] eyes
on the heart 1Ki 8:39 1Ch 28:9 2Ch 16:9 Ps 7:9 139:2 Pr 15:11 16:2 Jer 11:20 17:10 20:12 Ac 1:24 Heb 4:13 Re 2:23

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

Abinadab 1Sa 17:13 1Ch 2:13

9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

Shammah 1Sa 17:13 2Sa 13:3

Shimeah 1Ch 2:13

Shimma

10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.

seven 1Ch 2:13-15

11 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.

There remaineth 1Sa 17:12-15,28 2Sa 7:8 1Ch 17:7 Ps 78:70,71

down [heb] round

12 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.

ruddy 1Sa 17:42 So 5:10 La 4:7 Ac 7:20 Heb 11:23

of a beautiful countenance [heb] fair of eyes 1Sa 16:7

And the Lord 1Sa 9:17

anoint him Ps 2:2,6 89:19,20 Ac 4:27

13 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.

anointed 1Sa 10:1 2Ki 9:6

the Spirit 1Sa 16:18 10:6,9,10 Nu 11:17 27:18 Jud 3:10 11:29 13:25 14:6 Isa 11:1-3 Joh 3:34 Heb 1:9

14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.

the Spirit 1Sa 11:6 18:12 28:15 Jud 16:29 Ps 51:11 Ho 9:12

evil spirit The evil spirit was either sent immediately from the Lord, or per- mitted to come; but whether this was a diabolic possession, or a mere mental malady, is not agreed: it seems to have partaken of both. That Saul had fallen into a deep melancholy, there is little doubt; and that an evil spirit might work more effectually on such a state of mind, there can be little question. His malady appears to have been of a mixed kind, natural and diabolical: there is too much of an apparent nature in it to permit us to believe it was all spiritual; and there is too much of apparently supernatural influence, to suffer us to believe it was all natural. 1Sa 18:10 19:9,10 Jud 9:23 1Ki 22:22 Ac 19:15,16

troubled. or, terrified

15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

16 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.

before thee 1Sa 16:21,22 Ge 41:46 1Ki 10:8

play 1Sa 16:23 10:5 2Ki 3:15

17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.

18 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.

a mighty 1Sa 17:32-36 2Sa 17:8,10

and prudent 2Sa 14:20

matters. or, speech
a comely 1Sa 17:12

the Lord 1Sa 3:19 10:7 18:12-14 Ge 39:2,23 Mt 1:23 28:20

19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.

with the sheep 1Sa 16:11 17:15,33,34 Ex 3:1-10 1Ki 19:19 Ps 78:70-72 113:8 Am 1:1 7:14,15 Mt 4:18-22

20 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.

an ass laden. Chamor lechem, literally, `an ass of bread,' rendered by the LXX. (), a gomor of bread; meaning, probably, not an animal, but a vessel containing a certain measure of bread. 1Sa 10:27 17:18 25:18 Ge 43:11 2Sa 16:1,2 Pr 18:16

21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.

stood before him Ge 41:46 De 1:38 10:8 1Ki 10:8 Pr 22:29

loved him Ps 62:9 118:9 146:3

22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favor in my sight.

23 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.

the evil spirit 1Sa 16:14,16

Saul 1Sa 18:10,11 Mt 12:43-45 Lu 11:24-26