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| 1 And Yahweh said unto Samuel–How long, art thou going to pine for Saul, seeing that, I, have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill thy horn with oil, and come! let me send thee unto Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided me, among his sons, a king. |
How long wilt thou mourn – A slight reproof. R4209:2
I will send thee – When our hopes and aims have failed us, the Lord bids us look in another direction. R4209:2
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| 2 And Samuel said, How can I go? As soon as Saul heareth, he will slay me. Then said Yahweh, A heifer, take thou with thee, and say, To sacrifice unto Yahweh, am I come. |
Say, I am come – If the whole truth would do injury, then it is the course of wisdom and love to withhold the injurious element. R4209:5
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| 3 Then shall thou bid Jesse to the sacrifice,–when, I, will let thee know what thou must do, so shalt thou anoint for me him whom I shall name unto thee. |
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| 4 And Samuel did that which Yahweh had spoken, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him, and one said–Peaceably, comest thou? |
Comest thou peaceably – Does your coming mean judgments of the Lord upon us, or blessings? R4209:5, R3226:2
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| 5 And he said–Peaceably: to sacrifice unto Yahweh, am I come. Hallow yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he hallowed Jesse and his sons, and bade them to the sacrifice. |
To sacrifice – The Ark being in the hands of the Philistines, the Tabernacle services had been discontinued. R3226:3
Sanctify yourselves – By washing, and with clean clothes, drawing nigh to the Lord with their hearts, typifying the justification and sanctification which the Gospel age Church enjoys. R3226:3
The sacrifice – An acknowledgment of sin and thankfulness to the Lord for his mercy; a consecration of obedience. R4209:6
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| 6 And it came to pass, when they entered, that he looked upon Eliab,–and said to himself, Surely, before Yahweh, is his Anointed. |
Looked on Eliab – Judging from the human standpoint, Eliab was the most suitable person, but not so in the Lord's sight. R3226:3
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| 7 But Yahweh said unto Samuel–Do not regard his countenance, or the height of his stature, for I have rejected him,–for it is not what man looketh to but what God looketh to. For, man, looketh to the outward appearance, but, Yahweh, looketh to the heart. |
Looketh on the heart – The mind, the intention, the endeavor. R5947:4
It behooves us, then, to see that our hearts are loyal, faithful and obedient. R1902:4
He knows to what extent you are striving against sin. CR335:1
If he sees earnest endeavor to do his will he will cover the deficiencies and imperfections with the merit of our Savior. R5757:5
And not on the social, intellectual, moral or educational position of those he would honor. "Ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh are called." (1 Cor. 1:26) R3226:5
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| 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel,–and he said, Neither of this one, hath Yahweh made choice. |
Jesse – Doubtless one of the elders of the city of Bethlehem. R3226:1
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| 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by,–and he said–Nor of this one, hath Yahweh made choice. |
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| 10 So Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel,–and Samuel said unto Jesse, Yahweh hath not made choice of these. |
Not chosen these – There was some unfitness in his heart. R4210:1
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| 11 Then said Samuel unto Jesse–Are these all the young men? And he said–There yet remaineth, the youngest, but lo! he is tending the sheep. Then said Samuel unto Jesse–Do, send, and summon him, for we cannot sit round, until he cometh in hither. |
Keepeth the sheep – David was counted by his brethren too insignificant to be considered in this connection, so also are those whom the Lord is now choosing for his heavenly kingdom. R3226:4
Will not sit down – To the feast of which they were about to partake, celebrating a communion with the Lord. R3227:1
Till he come – A feast of fat things for the whole world cannot be participated in until the justifying and sanctifying sacrifice has been killed and the Anointed One comes. R3227:1
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| 12 So he sent, and brought him in. Now, he, was ruddy, a stripling with handsome eyes, and noble mien. Then said Yahweh–Rise–anoint him, for, this, is, he. |
A beautiful countenance – David was fair complexioned, with auburn hair, and about 18 to 20 years old. R4210:1, R3225:3
Goodly to look to – He had not wasted the precious spring-time of life in sowing wild oats. R1901:3
This Is he – One who aptly prefigured Christ. R1901:2; B255
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| 13 And Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren. And the Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon David, from that day forward. Then arose Samuel, and went his way unto Ramah. |
Anointed him – Samuel probably privately informed David of the meaning of the anointing but his father and brethren probably did not understand. R3226:2
As David was anointed years before he became king, so Christ and the Church receive their anointing years before the Kingdom's establishment. PD39/50; SM601:1; CR367:1; Q501:4
We, as members of Christ's Body, have in our anointing of the holy Spirit a recognition of our coming kingship and joint-heirship with him if we remain faithful. SM601:1
Came upon David – The spirit of wisdom and judgment pertaining to government. Note his subsequent discreetness. E176
David means "beloved"; we are "accepted in the Beloved." (Eph. 1:6) Each Body member must be b R3226:4, R4210:4; PD39/50
The reigns of David and Solomon picture the great work of the Lord's Anointed: David's, the work of the Church in the flesh; and Solomon's, the work of the Church glorified. R1901:3, R2010:4
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| 14 But, the spirit of Yahweh, departed from Saul,–and there terrified him a sad spirit, from Yahweh. |
But the Spirit – Previously energizing Saul's mind. E176
An evil spirit – A spirit of sadness, dejection and loss of confidence. E176
From the LORD – Due to the Lord's dealings with him. E176
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| 15 Then said the servants of Saul unto him,–Lo! we pray thee, a sad superhuman spirit, doth terrify thee: |
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| 16 Pray let our lord bid thy servants before thee, seek out a man, skilled in playing on the lyre,–so shall it be, when a sad superhuman spirit cometh on thee, then shall he play with his hand, and thou shalt be joyful. |
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| 17 And Saul said unto his servants,–I pray you, look out for me a man that excelleth in playing, and bring him in unto me. |
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| 18 Then responded one of the young men and said–Lo! I have seen–a son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, skilled in playing, and a mighty man of valour, and a man of war, and of intelligent speech, and a handsome man, and, Yahweh, is with him. |
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| 19 So Saul sent messengers unto Jesse,–and said, Send, unto me–David thy son, who is with the sheep. |
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| 20 Then took Jesse an ass laden with bread, and a skin of wine, and one kid,–and sent by the hand of David his son, unto Saul. |
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| 21 And David came in unto Saul,–and stood before him,–and he loved him greatly, and he became his armour-bearer. |
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| 22 And Saul sent unto Jesse, saying,–I pray thee, let David stand before me, for he hath found favour in mine eyes. |
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| 23 And so it used to be, when a superhuman spirit came unto Saul, then would David take the lyre, and play with his hand,–and Saul would be refreshed, and be joyful, and, the sad spirit, would depart from him. |
Evil spirit from God – The spirit of melancholy due to the Lord's dealings with him. E176
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