1 Samuel 16: Samuel anoints David, and David plays the harp for Saul
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What happens?
Yahweh sends Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint one of Jesse's sons as king, because he has rejected Saul. Seven of Jesse's sons pass before Samuel and Yahweh chooses none of them; the youngest, David, is brought in from the sheep, Samuel anoints him among his brothers, and Yahweh's Spirit comes powerfully on David from that day on. Yahweh's Spirit leaves Saul and an evil spirit from Yahweh terrifies him; his servants look for a harp player, and David comes, becomes Saul's armor bearer, and when he plays the harp, the evil spirit leaves Saul.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God's own words are in 5 of the 23 verses: Yahweh speaks to Samuel in verses 1 to 3, 7 and 12. In verse 2 Yahweh also gives Samuel the words he is to say. Samuel answers Yahweh in verse 2, and speaks to the elders, to Jesse and about Jesse's sons in verses 5, 6 and 8 to 11. The elders of Bethlehem speak in verse 4, and Jesse in verse 11. Saul's servants speak in verses 15 and 16, one of the young men in verse 18, and Saul in verses 17, 19 and 22. Verses 13 and 14, about Yahweh's Spirit and the evil spirit, are the narrator's words. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Yahweh said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided a king for myself among his sons.”God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, now that I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem (this Bible: the Bethlehemite), because I have chosen (this Bible: provided; literally: I have seen) a king for myself among his sons."
Good to know: Saul was rejected from being king in and , and says Samuel mourned for Saul. "I have provided" is literally "I have seen". In Samuel had told Saul that Yahweh "has sought for himself a man after his own heart".
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2Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” Yahweh said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh.’God speaks
In plain English: Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me." Yahweh said, "Take a heifer (a young cow) with you (literally: in your hand), and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh.'
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3Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. You shall anoint to me him whom I name to you.”God speaks
In plain English: Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you are to do. You are to anoint for me the one I name to you."
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4Samuel did that which Yahweh spoke, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?”
In plain English: Samuel did what Yahweh said and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the town came trembling to meet him, and said, "Do you come in peace (this Bible: peaceably)?"
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5He said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
In plain English: He said, "In peace. I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. Make yourselves holy (this Bible: sanctify yourselves) and come with me to the sacrifice." He made Jesse and his sons holy and invited them to the sacrifice.
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6When they had come, he looked at Eliab, and said, “Surely Yahweh’s anointed is before him.”
In plain English: When they came, he looked at Eliab and said, "Surely Yahweh's anointed is before him (literally: before Yahweh is his anointed)."
The Hebrew word: "Anointed" is mashiach, which the dictionary gives as "anointed; usually a consecrated person (as a king, priest, or saint); specifically, the Messiah". The word "Messiah" comes from it. In 1 Samuel it is used of the king: Samuel calls Saul Yahweh's "anointed" in .
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7But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”God speaks
In plain English: But Yahweh said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance (this Bible: his face) or at how tall he is, because I have rejected him. I do not see as man sees (literally: for not what man sees). Man looks at the outward appearance (literally: at the eyes), but Yahweh looks at the heart."
Good to know: Of Saul the text said that he was taller than any of the people "from his shoulders and upward" (, ). Here Yahweh tells Samuel not to look at Eliab's height.
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8Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one, either.”
In plain English: Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. He said, "Yahweh has not chosen this one either."
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9Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one, either.”
In plain English: Then Jesse had Shammah pass by. He said, "Yahweh has not chosen this one either."
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10Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, “Yahweh has not chosen these.”
In plain English: Jesse had seven of his sons pass in front of Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, "Yahweh has not chosen these."
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11Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your children here?” He said, “There remains yet the youngest. Behold, he is keeping the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.”
In plain English: Samuel said to Jesse, "Are these all your sons (literally: are the young men finished)?" He said, "There is still the youngest. Look, he is looking after (this Bible: keeping) the sheep." Samuel said to Jesse, "Send for him and bring him, because we will not sit down (literally: turn around) until he comes here."
Good to know: The youngest son is not named here. The text first gives his name, David, in verse 13, after he is anointed. The dictionary gives the name only as "David, the youngest son of Jesse".
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12He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with a handsome face and good appearance. Yahweh said, “Arise! Anoint him, for this is he.”God speaks
In plain English: So he sent and brought him in. He was ruddy (reddish in hair or skin), with beautiful eyes (this Bible: a handsome face) and a fine appearance. Yahweh said, "Get up and anoint him, because this is the one."
The Hebrew word: "Ruddy" is admoni, which the dictionary gives as "reddish (of the hair or the complexion)". So it can mean red hair or a reddish skin. It is in only 3 verses: here, , and , where Esau is born "red all over".
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13Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the middle of his brothers. Then Yahweh’s Spirit came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
In plain English: Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him among his brothers. From that day on, Yahweh's Spirit (or: spirit) came powerfully (this Bible: mightily) on David. Then Samuel got up and went to Ramah.
The Hebrew word: "Came mightily" is tsalach, which the dictionary gives as "to push forward". In 1 Samuel it is in only 5 verses: of the Spirit coming on Saul (, , ), of Yahweh's Spirit on David here, and of the evil spirit that comes on Saul in . Samson is spoken of in the same way in .
Good to know: "Spirit" is ruach, the one word for wind, breath and spirit (see the note on ). Ramah was Samuel's home ().
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14Now Yahweh’s Spirit departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Yahweh troubled him.
In plain English: Now Yahweh's Spirit (or: spirit) left Saul, and an evil spirit (or: a harmful spirit) from Yahweh terrified him (this Bible: troubled him).
The Hebrew words: "An evil spirit" is ruach ra'ah, the same words as in . The dictionary gives ruach as "wind; by resemblance breath ... figuratively, life, anger ... by resemblance spirit", and ra' as "bad" or "evil (natural or moral)". "Troubled" is ba'ath, which the dictionary gives as "to fear": the spirit made him afraid.
What changes: Read as "a spirit", something from Yahweh came on Saul and terrified him. Read with the dictionary's "anger", it may be an angry, troubled state of mind. "Evil" can mean harmful, or it can mean wicked. Either way, the text says it came "from Yahweh", in the same verse that says Yahweh's Spirit left Saul.
Good to know: The text does not explain how an evil spirit can come from Yahweh, and Jewish and Christian readers explain it in different ways. Saul's servants call it "an evil spirit from God" in verses 15 and 16, and it comes on Saul again in and .
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15Saul’s servants said to him, “See now, an evil spirit from God troubles you.
In plain English: Saul's servants said to him, "Look now, an evil spirit from God is terrifying you (this Bible: troubles you).
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16Let our lord now command your servants who are in front of you to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. Then when the evil spirit from God is on you, he will play with his hand, and you will be well.”
In plain English: Please let our lord command your servants who are here before you to look for a man who knows how to play the harp. Then, when the evil spirit from God is on you, he will play it (literally: play with his hand), and you will be well (literally: it will be good for you)."
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17Saul said to his servants, “Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.”
In plain English: Saul said to his servants, "Please find (this Bible: provide; literally: see) me a man who plays well, and bring him to me."
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18Then one of the young men answered and said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and Yahweh is with him.”
In plain English: One of the young men answered, "Look, I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play. He is a strong, brave man (this Bible: a mighty man of valor), a man of war, wise in what he says (this Bible: prudent in speech), and good-looking (this Bible: a handsome person). And Yahweh is with him."
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19Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.”
In plain English: So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, "Send me your son David, who is with the sheep."
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20Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a container of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by David his son to Saul.
In plain English: Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread (literally: a donkey of bread), a skin (this Bible: a container) of wine and a young goat, and sent them with his son David to Saul.
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21David came to Saul and stood before him. He loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer.
In plain English: David came to Saul and served him (literally: stood before him). He loved him very much (the Hebrew does not say which one: Saul loved David, or David loved Saul), and David became his armor bearer.
Good to know: The Hebrew says only "he loved him very much". It can be read as Saul loving David: in verse 22 Saul says David "has found favor in my sight". It can also be read as David loving Saul: David is the one who "came" and "stood before him" earlier in the verse. Either way, David becomes Saul's armor bearer.
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22Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.”
In plain English: Saul sent word to Jesse, "Please let David stay in my service (literally: stand before me), because I am pleased with him (this Bible: he has found favor in my sight)."
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23When the spirit from God was on Saul, David took the harp and played with his hand; so Saul was refreshed and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
In plain English: Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David took the harp and played it (literally: played with his hand). Then Saul found relief (this Bible: was refreshed) and was well, and the evil spirit left him.
The Hebrew words: At the start of this verse the Hebrew says only "a spirit of God", without the word "evil"; this Bible gives it as "the spirit from God". At the end of the verse it is "the evil spirit". The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "the evil spirit" both times. "Refreshed" is ravach, which the dictionary gives as "properly, to breathe freely, i.e. revive".
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