Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Samuel 16
Albert Barnes Commentary
1 Samuel 16
Albert Barnes Commentary
1 Samuel 16
"And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And Jehovah said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to Jehovah." — 1 Samuel 16:2 (ASV)
It was the purpose of God that David should be anointed at this time as Saul’s successor, and as the ancestor and the type of His Christ. It was not God’s purpose, however, for Samuel to stir up a civil war by setting up David as Saul’s rival.
Secrecy, therefore, was a necessary part of the transaction. But secrecy and concealment are not the same as duplicity and falsehood. The concealment of a good purpose, for a good end, is clearly justifiable. Therefore, there is nothing at all inconsistent with the truth in the events related here. Compare Exodus 7:16, Exodus 8:1, and Exodus 9:13.
"And Samuel did that which Jehovah spake, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, Comest thou peaceably?" — 1 Samuel 16:4 (ASV)
Trembled - There was evidently something unusual in Samuel’s coming to Bethlehem; and the elders, knowing that Samuel was no longer on friendly terms with Saul, foreboded some evil.
"And Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Jehovah hath not chosen these." — 1 Samuel 16:10 (ASV)
Seven—that is, including the three who had already passed. It appears that Jesse had eight sons, but in 1 Chronicles 2:13–15, only seven are ascribed to him.
"And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he is keeping the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him; for we will not sit down till he come hither." — 1 Samuel 16:11 (ASV)
We will not sit down ... - literally, we will not turn around to sit at the table.
"Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah." — 1 Samuel 16:13 (ASV)
The Spirit ... came upon David - This is the exact phrase used for the Judges and Saul. See 1 Samuel 10:6, note; Judges 3:10, note; Judges 6:34, note; Judges 11:29, note; Judges 14:18, note; and Judges 15:14, note.
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