Text -- 1 Samuel 16:2-23 (NET)

16:2 Samuel replied, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me!” But the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 16:3 Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you should do. You will anoint for me the one I point out to you.” 16:4 Samuel did what the Lord told him. When he arrived in Bethlehem, the elders of the city were afraid to meet him. They said, “Do you come in peace?” 16:5 He replied, “Yes, in peace. I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” So he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 16:6 When they arrived, Samuel noticed Eliab and said to himself, “Surely, here before the Lord stands his chosen king!” 16:7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way men do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 16:8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one, either.” 16:9 Then Jesse presented Shammah. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 16:10 Jesse presented seven of his sons to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” 16:11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Is that all of the young men?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest one, but he’s taking care of the flock.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we cannot turn our attention to other things until he comes here.” 16:12 So Jesse had him brought in. Now he was ruddy, with attractive eyes and a handsome appearance. The Lord said, “Go and anoint him. This is the one!” 16:13 So Samuel took the horn full of olive oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers. The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day onward. Then Samuel got up and went to Ramah.

David Appears before Saul

16:14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had turned away from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. 16:15 Then Saul’s servants said to him, “Look, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you!” 16:16 Let our lord instruct his servants who are here before you to look for a man who knows how to play the lyre. Then whenever the evil spirit from God comes upon you, he can play the lyre and you will feel better.” 16:17 So Saul said to his servants, “Find me a man who plays well and bring him to me.” 16:18 One of his attendants replied, “I have seen a son of Jesse in Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave warrior and is articulate and handsome, for the Lord is with him.” 16:19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is out with the sheep. 16:20 So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a container of wine, and a young goat and sent them to Saul with his son David. 16:21 David came to Saul and stood before him. Saul liked him a great deal, and he became his armor bearer. 16:22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse saying, “Let David be my servant, for I really like him.” 16:23 So whenever the spirit from God would come upon Saul, David would take his lyre and play it. This would bring relief to Saul and make him feel better. Then the evil spirit would leave him alone.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 1Sa 16:2

¹ tn Heb “in your hand.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 16:3

¹ tn Heb “say”; KJV, NRSV “name”; NIV “indicate.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 16:4

¹ tn Heb “said.”

² map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.

³ tc In the MT the verb is singular (“he said”), but the translation follows many medieval Hebrew mss and ancient versions in reading the plural (“they said”).

NET Notes: 1Sa 16:6

¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Samuel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn Heb “saw.”

³ tn Heb “said”; the words “to himself” are implied, given the secrecy surrounding Samuel’s mission to Bethlehem (v. 2).

⁴ tn Heb “his anointed one.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 16:7

¹ tn Heb “don’t look toward.”

² tn Heb “for not that which the man sees.” The translation follows the LXX, which reads, “for not as man sees does God see.” The MT has suffered from homoioteleuton or homoioarcton. See P. K. McCarter, I Samuel (AB), 274.

³ tn Heb “to the eyes.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 16:8

¹ tn Heb “and caused him to pass before.”

² tn Heb “he” (also in v. 9); the referent (Samuel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

NET Notes: 1Sa 16:9

¹ tn Heb “caused to pass by.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 16:10

¹ tn Heb “caused seven of his sons to pass before Samuel.” This could be taken as referring to seven sons in addition to the three mentioned before this, but 1 Sam 17:12 says Jesse had eight sons, not eleven. 1 Chr 2:13-15 lists only seven sons, including David. However, 1 Chr 27:18 mentions an additional son, named Elihu.

NET Notes: 1Sa 16:11

¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jesse) has been specified in the translation both here and in v. 12 for clarity.

NET Notes: 1Sa 16:12

¹ tn Heb “and he sent and brought him.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 16:14

¹ tn Or “an injurious spirit”; cf. NLT “a tormenting spirit.” The phrase need not refer to an evil, demonic spirit. The Hebrew word translated “evil” may refer to the character of the spirit or to its effect upon Saul. If the latter, another translation option might be “a mischief-making spirit.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 16:16

¹ tn Heb “and he will play with his hand.”

² tn Heb “and it will be better for you.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 16:17

¹ tn Heb “see.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 16:18

¹ tn Heb “answered and said.”

² map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.

³ tn Heb “mighty man of valor and a man of war.”

⁴ tn Heb “discerning of word.”

⁵ tn Heb “a man of form.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 16:20

¹ tn Heb “a kid of the goats.”

² tn Heb “by the hand of.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 16:21

¹ tn Heb “he loved him.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 16:22

¹ tn Heb “Let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my eyes.”

NET Notes: 1Sa 16:23

¹ tn Heb “would turn aside from upon him.”