1 Samuel 16
1 Samuel sent by God, under pretence of a sacrifice, comes to Beth-lehem.
6 His human judgment is reproved.
11 He anoints David.
15 Saul sends for David to quiet his evil spirit.
mourn <056> [A.M. 2941. B.C. 1063. An. Ex. Is. 428. How long.]
rejected <03988> [seeing.]
horn ... olive oil <08081 07161> [horn with oil.]
Jesse <03448> [Jesse.]
<03212> [How can I go.]
Take ... heifer <03947 01241> [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, and so tell that truth that the hearer shall not believe a lie by it.
<03027> [with thee. Heb. in thine hand.]
come <0935> [I am come.]
Then invite Jesse <03448 07121> [call Jesse.]
show you what <03045> [and I will shew.]
anoint <04886> [anoint.]
afraid <02729> [trembled.]
<07125> [coming. Heb. meeting. Comest.]
come ....... Consecrate .... come ......... consecrated <06942 0935> [sanctify yourselves.]
Eliab <0446> [Eliab.]
[Elihu. Surely.]
by ... appearance <05027 04758> [Look not.]
men ... People <0120> [seeth not.]
view ........ look on ........ looks at <07200> [looketh.]
appearance <05869> [outward appearance. Heb. eyes. on the heart.]
Abinadab <041> [Abinadab.]
Shammah <08048> [Shammah.]
[Shimeah.]
[Shimma.]
seven <07651> [seven.]
still <07604> [There remaineth.]
turn <05437> [down. Heb. round.]
ruddy <0132> [ruddy.]
attractive eyes <03303 05869> [of a beautiful countenance. Heb. fair of eyes.]
Lord <03068> [And the Lord.]
anoint <04886> [anoint him.]
anointed <04886> [anointed.]
Spirit <07307> [the Spirit.]
Spirit ............. spirit <07307> [the Spirit.]
Spirit ............ evil spirit <07307 07451> [evil spirit.]
The evil spirit was either sent immediately from the Lord, or permitted 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 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.
tormented <01204> [troubled. or, terrified.]
before .... look <06440 01245> [before thee.]
play ................ play <05059> [play.]
warrior <01368> [a mighty.]
articulate <0995> [and prudent.]
articulate <01697> [matters. or, speech. a comely.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
sheep <06629> [with the sheep.]
donkey .... bread <02543 03899> [an ass laden.]
{Chamor lechem,} literally, "an ass of bread," rendered by the LXX. [gomor arton,] a {gomor} of bread; meaning, probably, not an animal, but a vessel containing a certain measure of bread.
stood before <06440 05975> [stood before him.]
liked .... great <0157 03966> [loved him.]
spirit .............................. spirit <07307> [the evil spirit.]
Saul ............... Saul <07586> [Saul.]
